Chardonnay is one of the most divisive wines. While some dismiss it as too oaky and buttery, others love it for being more full-bodied and fruit-forward. At Unionville Vineyards in Ringoes, New Jersey, general manager John Cifelli introduced me to three well-rounded Chards from 2022 that I think will change your mind if you don’t already love Chardonnay.
The 2022 Home Vineyard Chardonnay is from the original estate vineyard of the winery. The terroir results in a well-balanced Chardonnay that features the flavors of apple pie and just a touch of creaminess. Unionville uses oak but this wine is not the 90’s version of oaked Chardonnay you’re thinking of. The first sip reveals a bright and light wine that’s anything but buttery.
The 2022 Pheasant Hill Chardonnay is made from grapes hand harvested from the vineyard in Hopewell, New Jersey. The wine was aged 9 months in 100% neutral French oak barrels. This was a more citrus-forward wine that revealed candied lemon and lime flavors.
The 2022 Coventry Vineyard Chardonnay is made from grapes harvested at the vineyard in Princeton, New Jersey. This was a much richer tasting wine than the other two Chardonnays.
Cifelli says that Unionville approaches winemaking with an attitude of experimentation. While the wineries in the Garden State are relatively young, there are exciting things going on. He urges visitors in the tasting room to sample the different Chardonnays and if he can at least get them to agree that each are distinct, he considers that victory. For me, Chardonnay will never be automatically crossed off my list of wines to drink and enjoy.
You can purchase the trio of Chardonnays here for $120 to try them for yourself. If you’re local, stop into Unionville March 16-17 for Grilled Cheese Weekend, featuring wine, live music and yes, cheesy sandwiches from local eateries. On this special weekend Unionville will release the 2022 Petillant-Naturel of Riesling and the 2023 Dry Rosé. On Saturday sandwiches will be by Metá Café in Lambertville, NJ while Sunday’s sandwiches will come from Olsson’s Fine Foods in Princeton. Food is sold a la carte, wines are available in tastings, flights, by the glass, bottle or case to go and there is no cost to attend.
Unionville Vineyards is located at 9 Rocktown Road, Ringoes, NJ and they are open 12-5pm daily.