Unionville Vineyards facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Unionville Vineyards |
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| Location | 9 Rocktown Road, Ringoes, NJ, USA |
| Coordinates | 40.422590 N, 74.829264 W |
| Appellation | Hunterdon County |
| First vines planted | 1988 |
| First vintage | 1992 |
| Opened to the public | 1993 |
| Key people | Kris Nielsen & Patricia Galloway (Founders) Lindy Eiref, Robert Wilson (Owners) Cameron Stark (Consulting Winemaker) John Cifelli (General Manager) Conor Quilty (Winemaker) |
| Acres cultivated | 41 |
| Cases/yr | 4,500 (2016) |
| Known for | Chardonnay wine |
| Varietal | Pinot Noir |
| Other attractions | Picnicking permitted, pet-friendly |
| Distribution | On-site, wine festivals, NJ farmers' markets NJ liquor stores, NJ restaurants, home shipment |
| Tasting | Daily tastings, tours on weekends |
| Website | http://www.unionvillevineyards.com/ |
Unionville Vineyards is a special place in Ringoes, New Jersey, where grapes are grown to make wine. It's located in a beautiful area called Hunterdon County.
This land was once part of the biggest peach orchard in the whole United States. The first grapevines were planted here in 1988. Unionville Vineyards then opened its doors to visitors in 1993. Today, they have 41 acres of land covered with grapevines. Each year, they produce about 4,500 cases of wine. The vineyard gets its name from a small village that used to be nearby.
What Kinds of Grapes Grow Here?
Unionville Vineyards focuses on growing special types of grapes. These grapes are often used in wines from famous regions like Burgundy, Rhône, and Alsace in France.
They grow many different kinds of grapes, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Counoise, Gewürztraminer, Marsanne, Mourvèdre, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Roussanne, Syrah, and Viognier.
Unionville is unique because it's the only winery in New Jersey that grows and uses Counoise, Marsanne, and Roussanne grapes. These grapes are originally from the Rhône river valley in France.
Award-Winning Wines
Unionville is especially famous for its Chardonnay wines. These wines are made from grapes grown in specific parts of their vineyard.
In 2010, Unionville's Chardonnay won a top award at the International Wine and Spirit Competition. This big competition included both blind tasting (where judges don't know what wine they are trying) and scientific tests. Unionville's Chardonnay was the only wine from the United States to win a gold medal, meaning it was the best in its group!
Their Chardonnay also scored the highest among New Jersey wines at an event called the Judgment of Princeton. This event compared wines from New Jersey to expensive French wines. It showed that New Jersey wines, especially Unionville's, can be just as good as famous international ones.
How Unionville Vineyards Operates
Unionville Vineyards has a special license from the state of New Jersey. This license allows them to make a lot of wine. It also lets them have up to 15 other places where they can sell their wines. They can even ship wine directly to customers in New Jersey and other states.
The winery is part of a group called The Winemakers Co-Op. This group works together to promote excellent wines made from grapes grown in New Jersey. Unionville Vineyards is also a member of the Garden State Wine Growers Association and Vintage North Jersey. These groups help support and grow the wine industry in New Jersey.
