The Best New Jersey Wineries of 2025
- Dawn LeFevre
- Jun 21
- 5 min read
Updated: 11 minutes ago
How do you decide whether or not something is the best? It all depends on your established criteria. Since this list concerns wineries, my number one condition is that each winery on this list must have several great wines. Other considerations include aesthetics, vibe, and value but let’s face it, without good wine to back it up, what’s the point? With over 50 wineries to choose from, compiling this list was far from an easy task. Nevertheless, my picks of the Best New Jersey Wineries of 2025 are:
Whenever I visit Sharrott Winery, my biggest problem isn’t finding a wine to drink, it’s deciding on which one – Dry Riesling, Vignoles, Crimson Sky, Riesling, Summer Sangria, Just Peachy Sangria – all of these make our hearts sing. Yes, my palate runs semi-dry to slightly sweet but, on several occasions when my dry-loving family and friends have tagged along, they too have praised Sharrott’s wines, specifically the Unoaked Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Tango, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Plus they have a great Sparkling Cider too!
The key to Sharrott’s wines is consistency. No matter what year is stamped on the bottle, I know that Crimson Sky is going to have that same blend of tart and sweet that I have loved since 2008. Ditto for all their wines.
Sharrott has an on-site kitchen that makes mouth-watering flatbreads and other lite-bites, not to mention their renowned brunch! Best of all, you can enjoy free live music while you sip and nibble. It is this devotion to consistent, year-round quality entertainment that first hooked Mark and I and keeps us coming back. Sharrott’s regal tasting room sits atop of a hill and offers unforgettable vineyard views (especially at sunset) and an amicable staff ready to cater to your every need.
Somewhat isolated by its Landisville location, Bellview Winery is often overlooked by wine trail enthusiasts. Pity, because Bellview is truly a hidden treasure. A trip to Bellview is like visiting your grandparents in the country – full of love, laughter, and acres of greenery. You can pack a picnic, enjoy food truck fare or indulge in one of Bellview’s fantastic charcuterie boards. You can chill out on the patio or sprawl on the large lawn as you listen to free live music. Bellview is the place for families and furbabies (except during events) and when it comes time to wet your whistle, they have over 30 reasonably-priced wines to choose from.
Bellview is often viewed as a sweet wine lovers’ paradise and while that is true, they have a strong semi-dry and dry contingent as well. My personal favorites include Gruner Veltliner, Nana’s, Under the Arbor, Fiesta, and Dry Rose. But the wine that currently holds my heart is Sunrise, a semi-dry white with notes of citrus. Even better, it’s available on tap. (Be sure to check out Bellview’s growler program, it is quite a bargain!) Bellview may not have a fancy tasting room or an onsite restaurant but it does have the two most important things that warrant its inclusion on this list – heart and great wine.
Despite being located in a tourist hub, Cape May’s wines are surprisingly affordable and, not-so-surprisingly, wonderful. Their Issac Smith Apple is quite simply THE best apple wine in the state. It embraces the natural sweetness of the fruit without being sugary – with the added bonus of being offered both on tap and bottled. I must also confess a weakness for Cape May’s White, Lighthouse Blush, Unoaked Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio as well.
While Cape May’s excellent wine earned them a spot on this list, the heartbeat of the winery is its garden patio. Filled with fragrant flowers with a bubbling fountain as its centerpiece, it is the perfect setting for kicking back with a bottle as you enjoy free live music. And yet, Cape May offers even more. A beach-themed tap room complete with lifeguard boat. An upstairs deck overlooking the lush vineyards. A Tapas Kitchen with delectable shareables. One of my favorite memories of the winery was huddling in front of a roaring fire as an unexpected blizzard rolled in. There was only a handful of customers in the tasting room that day but the staff really took care of us while we waited out the storm. No matter what time of year we visit, Cape May Winery never fails to exceed our expectations.
While my top 3 best winery picks all boast multiple wines that I cherish, my absolute favorite of all the New Jersey wines is White Horse Winery’s Sweet Traminette. This versatile white pairs well with food (especially my chicken tacos) and is equally delightful by itself. Slightly sweet with notes of nectarine, it is the perfect wine for sipping by the seashore or for a candlelight dinner for two.
But White Horse Winery is more than just one fantastic wine. Their Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, Charger and Sweet Rose are also marvelously complex as well. Ironically, back when White Horse first opened, they were all about dry wine and I was all about the sweets. Since then, they have expanded their selection to include several sweets and I have come to learn to appreciate their dry wines.
Inside White Horse Winery’s tasting room you will find polished wood elegance and a friendly, Cheers-like vibe. Outside there are two wooden decks and plenty of shady picnic spaces for your furbabies. Add in free live music, food trucks, and one very friendly winery dog named Macy and you can see why White Horse Winery makes this list.
During my early wine-drinking days, Valenzano was one of my must-stop wineries due to their vast selection of sweets. I was addicted to their Shamong White, Shamong Red, and White Sangria. For years, Valenzano’s Shamong Blush (back then it was called Pinelands Blush) was the “it” wine for me. I still relish all of those sweet wines, only now I can also add Vidal Blanc, Perfect Pear, and Riesling to that list.
Located in the heart of the pinelands (aka, Jersey Devil country), Valenzano Winery is a quest worth taking. Their Bari Wine Pub offers not just the usual winery plates but also gourmet fare such as fillet mignon, grilled tuna, and chicken parmesan.
Valenzano Winery has always marched to the beat of their own drum. Weddings and private parties are their main focus but they also offer unique events such as goat yoga, vineyard runs, car shows and the mother of all festivals – Wine Fest NJ. This jammed-packed weekend has everything from wine-tastings to craft vendors to bands and food trucks. Like Valenzano Winery itself, Wine Fest is something that can’t be described by mere words alone.
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