Fifty years ago, the famous “Judgement of Paris” proved American wines were just as good as French and Italian counterparts, leading to boom in west coast winemaking. In 2012, the Judgement of Princeton provided a similar impetus for New Jersey wines, and the positive reviews keep coming in.
Wine Enthusiast recently named New Jersey as one of seven “up-and-coming” wine regions, and one of just two in the United States, with the other being Texas Hill Country. Decanter Magazine recently ran a feature on the growth of New Jersey wines.
The garden at Hopewell Valley Vineyards.
Central Jersey’s Unionville Vineyards (pictured above) participated in the 2012 Judgement of Princeton and was joined by Old York Cellars for a reunion in 2023. Other notable Central Jersey winemakers include Hopewell Valley Vineyards, that recently won the Governor’s Award for its NV Estate Chocolate Porto Rosso, while one of the region’s newest wineries, Federal Twist Vineyard, founded by an award winning horticulturist.
Unionville General Manager John Cifelli compares the soil and climate in Central Jersey to that of the Rhone Valley and France. That may be the reason why wine critic Stuart Pigott once said of Unionville’s Syrah: “the best American Syrah I ever had! A pepper kaleidoscope and so elegant, so fresh.” Already in 2025, Unionville has received awards from the Cork Report for its 2023 vintage Sauvignon Blanc Reserve and its 2022 Hunterdon Mistral Rose.
Old York Cellars was recently named New Jersey Winery of the Year from the New York International Wine Competition. They offer a full schedule of festivals, comedy nights, food and wine pairings, and special edition wines including a collection with Run-DMC’s Darryl McDaniels.
Owned by a Greek and Italian couple, Hopewell Valley Vineyards’ owner-winemaker is an accomplished jazz pianist, and they offer live music every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, either indoors or in the garden, depending on the weather.
A wine cabana at Old Yok Cellars.
Family-owned Federal Twist Vineyards has just opened its tasting and barrel rooms on the banks of the D&R Canal and Delaware River in beautiful Hunterdon County. The new venue will be available for special events as well as everyday visitation.
And Terhune Orchards, the incredibly popular agritourism destination for apple- and pumpkin-picking also has a winery and a wine garden in the middle of an ancient orchard.
Besides wineries, you can also find in Central Jersey a wide variety of craft beverage makers including brewers and distillers, who, like the winemakers, offer great experiences including music and great atmosphere. You can also find family-friendly farms with local cheeses to pair with wine, as well as open-air farmers markets and on-farm markets. The Garden State is for real!
While in Central Jersey wine country, we highly recommend you visit our great downtowns, including Princeton, which boasts about a dozen farm-to-table restaurants, ice cream shops, and bakeries, as well as its world-famous university and arts scene. Downtown Flemington offers farm-to-table restaurants, and a local brewery and distillery, and a remarkable number of historic register homes and buildings, including the newly restored Historic Hunterdon County Courthouse, home of the Lindbergh Trial of the Century.
Terhune’s winery offers “Sips and Sounds” in an old apple orchard.
Visit for a long weekend or longer, while taking advantage of the increasing number of charming places to stay overnight, such as the National Hotel in Frenchtown, Lawrence’s Glencairn Inn, or Princeton’s Chauncey Hotel.
Central Jersey only recently became an official tourism region of the Garden State, with an emphasis on agritourism, heritage tourism, and ecotourism. Central Jersey’s wine and beverage makers are among the great reasons to explore Central Jersey!
This article is supported in part by a grant from New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.
Sunset at Federal Twist Vineyards.