Last week I attended one of the biggest wine tasting events in New Jersey, The Wine Library Super Wine Tasting held at The Manor. This has got to be one of the biggest wine tasting events in the country. I have written about the Wine Library in an earlier post, one of my favorite places to shop, hands down. Well, they know how to throw a wine tasting party! There were over 400 different wines, beers, champagnes and liquors available for attendees to try during my four and a half hours of uninterrupted tasting. Yes a number of guests came in limos to insure that they returned home safely. I had my trusted designated driver which allowed me to fully enjoy all of the spirits I could sample.
This was my second year attending this event…I must tell you it is worth every penny I spent on the tickets. In addition to all of the liquid refreshment, each tasting room has every kind of food you can imagine. From pasta dishes to beef tenderloin in a red wine reduction. There are wagons filled with steamed shrimp and others filled with raw oysters. Food glorious food, from a dessert and coffee bar to a cheese and spreads bar. The spreads included various fruits, pestos, flavored olive oils and vinegars. There were servers walking around with everything on their trays from salmon tartar in sugar cones to beef wellington in puffed pastry.
My glass is empty in this picture because I was taking a food and dessert break. There was so much to eat that I believe some attendees came to eat instead of drink.
I really enjoyed tasting the sparkling wines and champagnes. There are a lot of good California sparkling wines. One of my favorites is Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc. I visited the Schramsberg Vineyards a couple of years ago while traveling in Nappa Valley. What a great experience.
This event is a must do even if you are a wine tasting novice such as myself. I have included a few vodkas, wines, champagnes, beers and cheeses that I tasted and think are pretty good. So give them a try if your looking for something new.
Vodkas / Wines / Champagnes
- Sobieski Espresso Vodka
- Sobieski Black Cherry Vodka
- Inniskillin – Vidal Icewine
- Verity – Lebrun Servenay Vintage Brut Grand Cru
- Fedway – Rosa Regale
- Skurnik Wines – Gruet Brut
- Royal & Rietman – Moet Imperial Rose
- Allied – Charles Heidsieck Brut Rose
- Frank Family Reserve Cabernet
- Beam Inc. – DeKuyper Crave Chocolate Cherry
Beer
- Kristen – Anchor Liberty Ale
- Kristen – Anchor Humming Ale
Cheese
- InterSource – Goat Log
- InterSource – Dunbarton Blue
- InterSource – Red Barn Hertiage Weiss Reserve
- Atalanta Foods – Pesto
See you next year!
