Bill & Mary DeBardeleben's Wine Journal Entries

Nassau Valley Vineyards (written Nov 06, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Favorite Wine: Redneck Rouge

Wines were very good, owner was friendly & knowledgeable and the winery was impressive.

Cape May Winery (written Nov 06, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Favorite Wine: Reisling

An excellent winery in the arrogantly shabby village of Cape May. Run by a husband & wife team, we were impressed with the friendliness of the wife, the knowledge of the wines and the excellence of the wines.

Bellview Winery (written Nov 06, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Favorite Wine: Fiesta - a tasty red - great with pasta

This was a very handicap-accessible winery and the wines were delicious. It is family run and the son was very knowledgeable about the wines. We tasted and talked for a long time & thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

Shady Lane Cellars (written Nov 06, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Visited in 2006 - can't remember it

Brotherhood Winery (written Oct 24, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Favorite Wine: Holiday Spice Wine

Wines were very reasonably priced and very good but the other charges were a distraction. The charge for tasting & the charge of a dollar for a real wine glass instead of a little plastic cup was a downer. The staff was friendly & knowledgable. The Holiday spiced wine was served heated and was clearly Mary's favorite.

Warwick Valley Winery (written Oct 24, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Favorite Wine: Port

Excellent winery, wines, ambiance & staff. Connected with a bakery & restaurant. Staff was very friendly and helpful. They charged $5 for a tasting & threw in a glass so that wasn't bad. They make a wonderful port that is as smooth as I have ever tasted. I bought a bottle of all six of the wines I tasted.

Newport Vineyards (written Oct 24, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Favorite Wine: Gewurtztraminer

This was the first winery on our 2009 tour which charged for tasting. The wines were good but overly expensive. The staff seemed snobby and disconnected. The ambiance was good.

Russell Orchards and Winery (written Oct 24, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Favorite Wine: Dandelion (hopefully)

This was a real tourist winery. It was in a barn/farmers market that sold lots of stuff other than wine. The tastings were limited to the 3-4 types they were offering that day - not the full range of the wines they make. All the wines were made of some kind of fruit other than grapes. We didn't like any of the wines we were allowed to taste. We purchased two bottles & hope they will be better than what we tasted. It was interesting to see cider made.

Bishop's Orchards Winery (written Oct 24, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Favorite Wine: Amazing Grace

Wines were all made from some kind of fruit other than grapes. Taste was mediocre. Tasting room was is the back of a grocery store/farmer's market and the staff seemed distracted & not as knowledgeable as you would like. The best wine was called "Amazing Grace" - some kind of apple/cranberry mixture. It wasn't too bad.

Bar Harbor Cellars (written Oct 17, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Favorite Wine: Black current apple

Excellent wines and most interesting old restored barn as the winery. Staff was friendly and knowledgable.

Presque Isle Wine Cellars (written Oct 02, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Favorite Wine: Riesling

Excellent winery. Beautiful setting along a rippling brook, staff was very well educated on their wines and all the wines I tasted were wonderful.

Tennessee Valley Winery (written Oct 02, 2009)
Wine: Winery: Ambiance:

Favorite Wine: American Riesling

Wine was pretty good but tasting in little plastic cups took a lot of the fun of tasting out of it.