Make Wine With Us offers a simple, yet unique, concept: New Jersey residents of legal age make their own wine for personal consumption and, if they want, sharing with others.
The process begins around late September, on into October, with the arrival of literally tons of grapes in refrigerated tanks, directly from vineyards across the country. At stages through the following months, students squeeze out the juice using a filtered press, blend, test, adjust and eventually bottle their own wine.
“We’ll guide you in registering a wine-making license, help you choose the grapes, provide all the tools and equipment, teach you how to produce a fine vintage, and supervise you in bottling it,” says co-owner Diann Greco. “We even have an artist on staff to help you design your own custom label.”
Making wine is a highly social operation. It’s not unusual to see 10 or more students sharing the work of producing one oak barrel. Each barrel will yield 20 cases of 750ml bottles.
“All through the year we have tastings and testing and tutoring sessions that are great fun,” Greco says.
Also on the calendar are an Open House and tasting every Wednesday evening, plus an annual Pig Roast and Wine Tasting in early May followed by a Wine Harvest Kickoff in late August. The Pig Roast features the students’ best work, and according to partner John Gizzi, “draws hundreds of happy visitors.”
Make Wine With Us is located at 930 Newark Ave. Call (201) 876-9463 or visit www.makewinewithus.com.