Alba Vineyard is an American winery in the Finesville section of Pohatcong Township in Warren County, New Jersey.[3][4] Formerly a dairy farm, the vineyard was first planted in 1980, and opened to the public in 1982.[5][6] Alba is one of the larger winegrowers in New Jersey, having 42 acres of grapes under cultivation, and producing 11,000 cases of wine per year.[7][8] The winery is named for the Italian word alba which means "dawn," the time of day when the original owner first conceived of producing wine.[5][9]
| Alba Vineyard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | 269 Route 627, Finesville, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40.614637 N, 75.165496 W |
| Appellation | Warren Hills AVA |
| First vines planted | 1980 |
| Opened to the public | 1982 |
| Key people | Rudolph Marchesi (founder) Tom Sharko (owner) John Altmaier (winemaker)[1][2] |
| Acres cultivated | 42 |
| Cases/yr | 11,000 (2011) |
| Other attractions | Picnicking permitted |
| Distribution | On-site, NJ liquor stores, home shipment |
| Tasting | Daily tastings, tours on weekends |
| Website | http://www.albavineyard.com/ |
Wines
editAlba Vineyard is in the Warren Hills AVA, and produces wine from Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cayuga White, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot noir, Riesling, Syrah, and Vidal blanc grapes.[8][10] [11]
Advocacy, licensing, and associations
editThe winery is an advocate of New Jersey's three-tier alcohol distribution system, wherein wineries sell to wholesalers and retailers rather than directly to consumers.[12][13] Alba has a plenary winery license from the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which allows it to produce an unrestricted amount of wine, operate up to 15 off-premises sales rooms, and ship up to 12 cases per year to consumers in-state or out-of-state.[14][15] Alba is not a member of the Garden State Wine Growers Association.[16]
Controversy
editAlba has had conflicts with nearby residents regarding noise from the use of cannons. The cannons are discharged regularly during the autumn in order to keep birds away from the crops.[17][18] The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has attempted to mediate a resolution between Alba and its neighbors.[18]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Stoneback, Diane. "The Grape State of New Jersey State Regaining Impetus Squeezed Out By Prohibition" in The Morning Call (22 August 1990). Retrieved 20 September 2013.
- ^ Rignani, Jennifer Papale. Images of America: New Jersey Wineries. (Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2008). ISBN 9780738557229.
- ^ Goldberg, Howard G. "New Jersey Vines; For Those Hot Days Left, a Cool White" in The New York Times (7 September 2003). Retrieved 18 April 2013.
- ^ Westrich, Sal. New Jersey Wine: A Remarkable History. (Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2012).[permanent dead link] ISBN 9781609491833.
- ^ a b Sullivan, Kathy. "Alba Vineyard and Winery" on Wine Trail Traveler (blog) (3 July 2011). Retrieved 15 April 2013.
- ^ Schmidt, R. Marilyn. Wines and Wineries of New Jersey. (Chatsworth, NJ: Pine Barrens Press, 1999). ISBN 9780937996386.
- ^ Auteri, Stephanie. "Ultimate NJ wine tour" in Inside Jersey (published by The Star-Ledger) (12 August 2010). Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ a b Jackson, Bart. Garden State Wineries Guide. (South San Francisco, CA: Wine Appreciation Guild, 2011). ISBN 9781934259573.
- ^ "N.J. Vines: A Glass of Raspberries" in The New York Times (13 June 1999). Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- ^ Alba Vineyard. "Alba Estate Vineyard" and "Chelsea Cellars Wines" Archived 2013-05-14 at the Wayback Machine (commercial website). Retrieved 11 June 2013.
- ^ Alba Vineyard. "Alba Vineyard: Dessert Wines" Archived 2013-05-14 at the Wayback Machine (commercial website). Retrieved 11 June 2013.
- ^ Sharko, Thomas M. "N.J. liquor-law changes would hurt vineyards, wineries" in The Express-Times (27 May 2010). Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- ^ Suthard, Tom. "What You Need to Know, Part II – Size Matters" Archived 2013-02-02 at the Wayback Machine on NJ Wines Uncorked (blog) (5 June 2011). Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- ^ New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. "New Jersey ABC list of wineries, breweries, and distilleries" (5 February 2013). Retrieved 20 August 2013.
- ^ New Jersey General Assembly. "N.J.S.A. 33:1-10". Statutes of New Jersey. New Jersey.
- ^ Garden State Wine Growers Association. "GSWGA Wineries." Archived 2013-06-21 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ^ Wojcik, Sarah. "Vineyard blasts chase birds, peace" Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine in The Express-Times (22 September 2008). Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- ^ a b Brill, Douglas B. "Warren County vineyard gets complaints over loud cannons" in The Express-Times (9 September 2012). Retrieved 22 May 2013.