The Garden State Winegrowers Association, a member organization of 28 wineries located across the state, will present the Jersey Fresh Food and Wine Festival on the weekend of Aug. 11 and 12 at Hopewell Valley Vineyards in Pennington. The event will run from noon to 5 p.m., rain or shine.
The festival will feature hundreds of award-winning New Jersey wines and an array of fresh gourmet dishes to be served by the Central New Jersey chapter of Slow Food, a member organization of some of the region’s leading restaurants and culinary producers. Slow Food encourages "slow" cooking traditions on the local level and supports small food and beverage producers, especially those from the Garden State.
The annual festival showcases the partnership between the Garden State Wine Growers and Jersey Fresh, the statewide initiative that supports the production of food and agricultural products and the state’s rich farming heritage while helping to encourage the preservation of agricultural lands.
New Jersey has been producing wine since 1864. While not yet as well known as other wine-producing states, New Jersey is home to many premiere varieties, including award-winning Chardonnay, Syrah, Marechal Foch, Viognier, Traminette, Merlot and Cabernet. Particularly noteworthy are New Jersey’s array of fruit wines, such as raspberry, cherry and blueberry, which are exported by some wineries all over the world.
Southern New Jersey was recently recognized by the U.S. government as an official American Viticulture Area (AVA), encompassing 2.25 million acres. The area, which has been designated "the Outer Coastal Plain," includes 20 commercial vineyards and 16 wineries, many of which have been operating for decades. Encompassing the majority of the southern part of the state, the Outer Coastal Plain region includes all of Cape May, Atlantic, Ocean and Cumberland counties, and portions of Salem, Gloucester, Camden, Burlington and Monmouth.
Just as diverse as the state’s vineyards are New Jersey’s winemakers. Some have studied under distinguished great oenologists and have earned advanced degrees in the intricate art of wine making. Others came to wine making through generations of European tradition, and others have applied careers in chemistry and farming to the nuances of creating excellent wine.
Admission to the festival is $20 and includes wine tastings. The event will feature live music from The Craig Thatcher Band, The Gashouse Gorillas and The Larry Stevens Band. Artisan vendors and activities for kids will be available.
Particpating Slow Food restaurants include Tre Piani of Princeton, The Underground Café of Princeton, The Brothers Moon of Hopewell, High Street Grill of Mount Holly, The Bent Spoon of Princeton, Number 9 Restaurant of Lambertville, The Lawrenceville Inn and Nomad Pizza of Princeton. The restaurants will be selling prepared foods using locally produced ingredients.
A few of the foods from former festivals have included Cape May Salt Oysters, Heirloom Tomato Salads, Local Organic Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Organic Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, Grilled Corn on the Cob, gelati and sorbets, and "kid-friendly" fare.
On the Web: www.newjerseywines.com.

