A new wine tasting room hits Hunterdon County just right

I like wine but I’m one of many who can enjoy it without being caught up in pretentious knowledge of tannins and dropping terms like “oaky” and “pruny.” Once I went to a friend’s wine tasting party, which was filled with people who took wine too seriously. We were all required to bring at least one bottle hidden inside a taped-closed bag. The host then added a number to each bag and we were to sample various ‘numbers’ and judge them. They even had a section where you’d write haughty little notes on each wine.

The night ended most hysterically for these wine snobs. Someone and it was not me, as a joke had brought Boone’s Farm, the notoriously cheap low-grade wine underage kids would drink at parties just to be drinking something. Wouldn’t you know, in the blind taste test, the Boone’s Farm won for best taste. The hosts were furious. I found it hysterical.

So I was happy to hear about a place in Hunterdon County called Federal Twist Vineyard where they’re extremely knowledgeable about wine yet want you to feel just at home there even if you’re like me.

They don’t think enjoying a glass of wine means it has to be a pretentious, intimidating experience. It’s a vineyard that just wants you to have fun. Imagine that.

For years now they’ve had a casual, outdoor ambiance where customers drank among grape vines. But that’s been seasonal and also couldn’t happen on bad weather days.

All that has changed. Federal Twist Vineyard has opened an indoor tasting room for the first time. Staying true to themselves it doesn’t have that pretentious vibe of most tasting rooms. This is a 70-seater with a contemporary and minimalist design. It’s welcoming. Not intimidating.

“So many places do stereotypical décor and that’s not who we are,” Libbey Junius, who co-owns the 13-year-old winery, told MyCentralJersey.com. “We're new and fresh."

For now their tasting room is open noon until 5pm Thursdays through Sundays. After their grand opening celebration on May 2 the hours will expand.

You’ll find them at 8 Federal Twist Road in Stockton. Their website has more information. Cheers!

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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