NEW JERSEY WINE COUNTRY
Travel Guide
Every 50 of the United States produces wine. With four officially designated American Viticultural Areas and 50+ wineries, New Jersey’s wine country is one worth sipping in.
Our New Jersey Wine Travel Guide shares a brief history of the state's wine country, terroir, where to sip, where to stay and things to do beyond the vines.
Discover NEW JERSEY
Wine Country
New Jersey has about 2,000 acres of farmland dedicated to growing wine grapes, and that is steadily increasing.
Like most states, New Jersey produced wine before Prohibition shut down most of the wineries in the country. After Prohibition it took over half a century for the state to become a wine destination. Hampered by a post-Prohibition law that permitted only one winery per million residents, a Farm Winery Act was put into place in 1981 allowing for more wineries. Now there are over 50 wineries and that number continues to grow each year as does the quality of New Jersey wine.
New Jersey is home to four federally recognized AVA, more than 50 wineries.
Concentrations of New Jersey wineries exist around the state’s main three AVAs. In Cape May in the south by the ocean, in Hammonton in the agricultural south, and in Hunterdon and Warren counties along the Delaware River in the western part of the state, it’s easy to travel from winery to winery.
PLANNING YOUR
WINE COUNTRY VACATION
We have first-hand travel tips and recommendations to help make your New Jersey wine country vacation a GRAPE escape.
Location: The major wine growing regions that have emerged in New Jersey include Warren County/Hunterdon County in the north, Hammonton in the south, and Cape May at the southernmost tip of the state, although there are quality wineries outside of the each of those regions.
When to Visit: The best time to visit New Jersey wineries is in the late spring/early summer when the vines are filling out and the weather hasn’t gotten too hot or humid. Many wineries host outdoor events with live music and food trucks. It’s also the beginning of the festival season when wineries such as Sharrott Winery and Old York Cellars host their annual big wine fests.
See our favorites places to stay in all three of New Jersey’s wine regions – Cape May, Warren Hills and the Outer Coast Plain.
With 50+ wineries, the New Jersey wine country has a lot to sip in. We’ve shared the best NJ wineries for your grape escape.
We have mapped out wine tasting itineraries to help you sip your way through New Jersey.
TRANSPORTATION
Should you rent a car and do it yourself? Hire a driver? Uber Wine? Read on to determine which is the best wine country transportation option for you.
Coming soon!
Getting to know the New Jersey wine country means getting to know those behind the bottle. Meet the winemakers…
New Jersey Wine Festivals Not to Miss
There is a lot to do in the Garden State beyond the vines.
The four distinct wine regions in New Jersey are home to many fun activities, so if you're looking for things to do besides sipping in the 50+ New Jersey wineries, we have you covered. These local attractions that will be of interest to kids, designated drivers and those enjoying the wines of the region. Read more here.
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Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves is a drinks journalist and lifestyle features writer. Her wine writing has appeared in dozens of print and online publications including Wine Enthusiast, VinePair, Courier Post, Spirited magazine, Edible Philly, Edible Jersey, USA Today, and Drink Philly. A champion of wines from the mid-Atlantic region, she co-hosts an East Coast Wine chat on the Clubhouse app Sunday nights at 7pm. Her writer’s website Wine & Wonder has a weekly roundup of East Coast Wine News posted each Monday.