1. Renault Winery – While Renault Winery is gorgeous no matter what time of year you visit, it transforms into a true wonderland in the winter. Or shall I say, a Vintner Wonderland? Renault’s Vintner Wonderland is a can’t-miss, family friendly event featuring ice skating, tractor rides, craft vendors, a festival of Christmas trees, a wine/beer garden with fire pits and live music and of course, plenty of delicious food! For those seeking shelter from the cold, Renault offers a Champagne Bubble/Igloo experience or you can simply warm up inside their huge tasting room that also houses a coffee bar. Inside or outside, you are guaranteed to have a great time at Renault Winery!
2. Laurita Winery – Laurita Winery goes all out for the holidays, hosting such events as a Holiday Tree Workshop, the Scrooge Musical and the Laurita North Pole Express Train Ride as well as their renowned Holiday Brunch. Post December, Laurita exudes a quiet charm where you can relax with a bottle of your favorite wine and enjoy sandwiches, soups and special from their Marketplace. Laurita’s historic two-story tasting room is stunning and spacious with high ceilings and large windows overlooking exquisite views of the snow-covered vineyards.
3. Cape May Winery – Cape May Winery is unique in that it offers 3 separate experiences. Heartier souls will adore Cape May’s wonderful, dog-friendly garden patio with vineyard views and firepits. Those seeking shelter from the cold will relish their tap room which features live music every Saturday and delicious tapas. And if you’re seeking romance, there nothing more romantic than snuggling by a roaring fire with a glass of wine in their main tasting room.
4. Sharrott Winery is the place to be for fantastic wine and year-round live music Fridays through Sundays. While Sharrott has more indoor space than the average New Jersey winery, reservations are strongly recommended due to their popularity. While I love their flatbreads, all of their food is excellent and the Sunday brunch is downright legendary.
5. Brook Hollow Winery - While many northern New Jersey wineries close down after the holidays, Brook Hollow Winery in Columbia keeps the party going year-round with events such as Comedy and Trivia nights. Don’t miss their famous Friday Food and Live Music night which is held on the first of every month. Be sure to arrive early, as seating in their intimate tasting room is limited.
Honorable Mentions:
Need a place to hang with your furry family members this winter? Check out the dog-friendly White Horse Winery and Autumn Lake Winery. Both White Horse and Autumn Lake have fire pits to keep you and your furbaby warm as you indulge in a bottle outside. For those without pups, both wineries also offer live music on the weekends inside their cozy tasting rooms and reservations are recommended. Are you an outdoorsy type? Hawk Haven Winery has plenty of outside seating in front of their vast vineyards. Less hardy souls can warm up inside Hawk Haven's large tent with a good bottle of wine.
Fire pits at White Horse Winery
Outside seating at Hawk Haven Winery