It’s November! It’s New Jersey Wine Month! Can you tell we’re excited? What was previously New Jersey Week has been officially extended to an entire month, starting November 1 and culminating with the Holiday Wine Trail that takes place Black Friday weekend. There’s so much going on this month, and to keep up with it all, we encourage you to follow us on Instagram and sign up for our weekly newsletter, but right now, it’s time to talk about the NJ Wine Expo happening November 9 at Bell Works in Holmdel. (Don’t have your tickets yet? It’s not too late. Just click here!)
More New Jersey wineries will be in attendance pouring hand-selected New Jersey wines in history, and while that’s a great reason to attend the NJ Wine Expo, it’s not the only reason. Throughout the day, industry insiders will share their knowledge, NJ winemakers will conduct demonstrations, and New Jersey’s Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Wengryn will be on hand to address the crowd.
“I am excited to join the Garden State Wine Growers Association in expanding NJ Wine Week to a month-long celebration of NJ wine this November,” says Wengryn. ”As the fall harvest season begins to wrap up it is a perfect time for people to get out and see our vineyards and explore our wineries, trying the best of what our winegrowers produce. As the holiday season approaches it offers people the chance to add a taste of NJ to their Thanksgiving and holiday meals and gift giving.”
In addition to the Secretary, who else can you expect to hear from at the Expo? Here’s a sneak peek at a few of the industry insiders who know a whole lot about New Jersey wine and are excited to share what they know with everyone.
Hank Zona
New Jersey resident Hank Zona is the MC for the Wine Expo, and we’re sure he’ll be dropping plenty of wine knowledge on us throughout the day. The wine event planner, writer, judge, and consultant frequently highlights New Jersey wine for Edible Jersey and other publications, and we’re thrilled to have this friend of NJ wine with us for the day.
Orley Ashenfelter
In addition to being the MC for the day, Zona will have a conversation with Orley Ashenflter, president of the American Association of Wine Economists, Proprietor of Ashenfelter Vineyards in Vineland (his grapes are highly sought after by New Jersey wineries), and professor of economics, emeritus, at Princeton University. Their conversation will be an extension of Zona’s Edible Jersey interview with the grape grower. We don’t know exactly what knowledge Ashenfelter will share with us, but we’ll be listening intently.
Carlo DeVito
Winemaker, editor, author, and publisher, Carlo DeVito has been covering and reviewing New Jersey wine for more than 20 years. He’s the author of the East Coast Wineries blog (and a 2004 book by the same name) and has written several books on wine, beer, and spirits. His most recent wine book “How To Drink Wine” features several New Jersey producers. He’s worked with Wine Spectator, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, and in 2021, he was awarded the Birchenall Award for a lifetime of cove by ring East Coast wines. DeVito, who recently spent some time as the interim winemaker for Unionville Vineyards in Ringoes, will share his expertise on New Jersey’s fine wines.
Dr. Seth M. Porter
Dr. Porter is the Senior Executive Director of Innovation & Technology and Dean of the Kraemer Family Library at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and a Wine Policy & Business Analyst. While working previously at Princeton University, he explored New Jersey’s wine scene quite extensively and was impressed by its vibrancy and the quality of its wines. At the Expo, he’ll be presenting a snapshot of insights from his nine-month research project on New Jersey wine, focusing on the region’s evolution, growth potential, and the many areas where the New Jersey industry excels while also outlining critical opportunities for wine in the Garden State. He’s currently finalizing an academic paper on New Jersey’s wine industry and another on Colorado’s wine market, because he’s a supporter of emerging wine regions, and we really appreciate him for that.
In addition to those highlighted, the Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association will hold a demonstration on its proprietary red blend Coeur d’Est, and the Women in Wine Caucus will share information on its blended wine project.
We’re working fast and furious here at the GSWGA to make sure the inaugural NJ Wine Expo is a huge success, so don’t be surprised if there’s more added between now and November 9. We hope to see you there!
