The Outer Coastal Plain and the Cape May Wine Trail
American Viticultural Area · Cape May Court House, New Jersey
New Jersey is one of the larger wine-producing states in America and essentially nobody thinks of it as one. THE OUTER COASTAL PLAIN AVA, established in 2007, covers about two and a quarter million acres across seven southern counties — sandy soil, maritime moderation from two bays and the ocean, and a latitude that is genuinely comparable to Bordeaux's. THE CAPE MAY WINE TRAIL links a cluster of small family wineries at the southern tip. IN THE 2012 JUDGMENT OF PRINCETON, a blind tasting run by wine economists, New Jersey wines placed competitively against first-growth Bordeaux and Burgundy.
Cape May County, Cape May Court House, New Jersey, 08210, United States
A driving trail of independent wineries rather than a single site — EACH KEEPS ITS OWN HOURS AND SETS ITS OWN TASTING FEES, and several close on some weekdays and reduce hours substantially from January to March. Walk-ins are generally fine at the larger tasting rooms; BOOK AHEAD FOR GROUPS OF SIX OR MORE ANYWHERE, and for reserve or barrel tastings. Tasting flights run roughly $10-$20 and SEVERAL WINERIES CREDIT THE FEE AGAINST A BOTTLE — ask, because it is rarely advertised. Harvest runs late August through October with crush events at several wineries. A CAR IS REQUIRED, there is no public transport between wineries, New Jersey drink-driving enforcement is strict and rural rideshare coverage is patchy — book a wine-trail shuttle from Cape May or the Wildwoods, or bring a driver.
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