2024 Makers Profiles: New Jersey's Local Drinks Movement 

A close-up look at the people, products and techniques behind New Jersey’s fast-growing drink local movement.
September 19, 2024
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WINE MAKERS PROFILES

AUBURN ROAD VINEYARDS

117 Sharptown-Auburn Rd., Pilesgrove
215.625.4863
www.auburnroadvineyards.com
HOURS:
Sun-Wed 12-5pm, Thurs-Sat 12-9pm

Aurburn Road Vineyards logo

Auburn Road Vineyards

Auburn Road Vineyard & Winery was founded in 2004 by former Philadelphia-based lawyers Scott and Julianne Donnini. A long way from life in the city, Julianne is now an entrepreneur, mother, and self-taught winemaker with a passion for creating high-quality wine—the centerpiece of the agritourism experience at Auburn Road. Hers is an old-world style: small batch fermentation, gentle use of oak, and a keen sense of balance as a frame to present the fruit’s beauty. Along with Auburn Road’s world class wine, you’ll find The Enoteca—a European-style wine bar and patio with a cool, downto- earth vibe. Relax and escape to a table among the vines while you’re served amazing woodfi red pizza, gelato, and cappuccino.

Auburn Road wine

 RECOMMENDATIONS 

  • Dry Rosé
  • Gaia
  • Barrel Reserve Chardonnay

“I realize sometimes I am recognized because a woman winemaker is not the usual thing. But I don’t want false accolades because I am a woman. I just want real accolades because I’m making freaking good wine…” —Julianne Donnini, Owner and Winemaker

FOUR SISTERS WINERY

783 County Road 519, Belvidere
foursisterswinery.com
908.475.3671
HOURS:
10am-6pm (Closed Wed)

Four Sisters logo

Four Sisters winery

Four Sisters Winery sits nestled in the Warren Hills Region of New Jersey, just a stone’s throw from the Delaware Water Gap. This boutique winery offers guided tastings and flights on its covered deck, plus live music every weekend. Enhance your visit with a cheese and charcuterie board any day or a dish from the Vineyard View Bistro on weekends. Enjoy a bucolic atmosphere with warm, knowledgeable, and passionate staff .

Throughout the year, Four Sisters hosts a variety of events, from barefoot grape stomping to murder mystery evenings. Wines are always available by the glass, bottle, or case. Although recommended, no reservations are needed.

Four Sisters wines

 RECOMMENDATIONS 

  • Proprietor’s White
  • Country Blush
  • Tao Red

“Our goal is to continue delivering exceptional value while expanding our off erings. We are most excited about the growing recognition of New Jersey as a serious player in the wine industry.” —Rob Rudko, Interim CEO

REBEL SHEEP WINE CO. 

15 North Rd., Chester
www.rebelsheepwineco.com 
HOURS:
Thurs 1-8pm; Fri & Sat 12-8pm; Sun 12-6pm

Rebel Sheep logo

Rebel Sheep wine label

Stony Hill Farms has been in operation for more than 25 years, but a er being le with an abundance of fresh apples at the end of the 2021 harvest, the farm decided to explore the avenue of fruit wines and hard ciders. Opened in 2024, Rebel Sheep Wine Co. hopes to bring recognition to fruit wines as well as New Jersey’s wine industry. Rebel Sheep makes all of its fruit wines using fruit grown right on its own farm, with no use of wine grapes. Visit the tasting room to experience unique fl avors of this fruit wine and hard cider

Rebel Sheep wines

 RECOMMENDATIONS 

  • Hopposites Attract: Strawberry hopped cider
  • Shifting Gears: Tart cherry cider
  • Bohemian Raspberry: Raspberry dessert wine

“Wine isn’t only made from grapes.” —Dana Ronyack-Davis, Owner and Winemaker

SHARROTT WINERY

370 S Egg Harbor Rd.,
Hammonton
609.567.9463
www.sharrottwinery.com
HOURS:
Sun 10am-5pm; Mon-Tues 12-6pm; Wed-Sat 12-9pm

Sharrott winery logo

Sharrott winery

At Sharrott Winery, visitors can indulge in more than just wine—Sharrott’s scratch kitchen offers artisanal cheese plates and plenty of gourmet dishes. Sharrott Winery is one of the few in New Jersey to offer table service; plus, customers can enjoy live entertainment while sipping wine on a patio overlooking the vineyard.

Sharrott looks forward to continuing to grow and build the reputation of the New Jersey wine industry and now off ers a full line of sparkling wines. Whether you’re a sommelier searching for the perfect vintage for your menu, or you simply want to enjoy a beautiful day in the countryside, Sharrott Winery off ers it all.

Sharrott wines

 RECOMMENDATIONS 

  • Come hungry—great food in the wine bar
  • Live entertainment 5 days a week
  • Check sharrottwinery.com/ events for details

“There is nothing better than sharing our hard work with our customers. Awards are great, but nothing is better than someone sharing how our wines played a part in one of their celebrations.” — Larry Sharrott III, Founder

CIDER & SPIRIT MAKERS PROFILES

BLUE RASCAL DISTILLERY

8 West End Ave., Hammonton
609.878.3578
www.bluerascaldistillery.com
HOURS:
Thurs-Fri 5-9pm; Sat 1-9pm; Sun 1-6pm

Blue Rascal logo

Blue Rascal spirits

Opened in 2021, Blue Rascal is making the best of Blueberry Country. Located in Hammonton, Blue Rascal has award-winning blueberry brandy, blueberry liqueur, gin, coff ee whiskey, and other specialty liqueurs and spirits in theirrobust product line. Visit their beautiful tasting room to enjoy their products on their own, or taste the spirits and liqueurs at work in custom cocktails designed to showcase how both work together for a truly unique flavor.

Blue Rascal blueberry liqueur

 RECOMMENDATIONS 

  • Hammhattan: Wheat whiskey, black cherry liqueur, simple syrup, bitters 
  • Rascaltini: Vodka, blueberry liqueur, lemonade, simple syrup 
  • Aged Gin: Limited edition aged gin, now available for bottle purchase while supplies last

“Blue Rascal Distillery is thriving. We’re excited to bring the vibrant flavors of the fruits grown in the local area to your glass.” —Kelly and Curtis Perone, Founders

NAUTI SPIRITS DISTILLERY

916 Shunpike Rd., Cape May
609.770.3381
www.nautispirits.com
HOURS:
Sun-Wed 12-8pm; Thu-Sat 12-10pm

Nauti Spirits logo

Nauti Spirits

Nauti Spirits, now in its eighth year, is a true 60-acre working farm-to-bottle distillery boasting a broad line of internationally acclaimed spirits handcrafted from raw ingredients grown on their farm and other local farms. Nauti's creations include: two delicious bourbons; an impossibly smooth white whiskey; a beautifully aromatic sweet potato and corn vodka, along with a popular jalapeno variation; three distinctly tasteful gins, and a whiskey barrel-aged golden rum, with a lovely cold-weather spiced cousin. Visit the nautically-inspired tasting room to sip artisan cocktails and enjoy great music. Kids and canines love Nauti's massive outdoor spaces (bring a chair or two!). Informative tours of the production facilities detail how Nauti makes spirits the real way—from scratch. Spirited gifts and gear are abundant!

Nauti Spirits

 RECOMMENDATIONS 

  • Old Fashioned: Cornelius Mey’s Atlantic Bourbon, bitters, simple syrup, garnished with cherry and orange peel
  • Shark Tooth: Nauti Vodka, fresh lime juice, house-made orange oleo, garnished with fresh lime
  • Shunpike Punch: Nauti Rum, house-made orange oleo, fresh pineapple, lemon, and lime juices, garnished with an orange.

“We’ve worked tirelessly to perfect our farm spirits and are proud to have been repeat winners of Gold and Double Gold medals from the finest spirits competitions in the world, including San Francisco and New York World Spirits Competitions, LA Int'l, 50 Best, and others. We are at the heart of what ‘craft’ is all about, and we love sharing our passion for excellence and fun with our fans.” —Steve Miller, Owner

BREW MAKERS PROFILES

MUDHEN BREWING COMPANY

127 W Rio Grande Ave., Wildwood
609.846.7918
www.mudhenbrew.com
HOURS:
Mon-Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri-Sun 11am-11:30pm

Mudhen Brewery logo

Mudhen Brewery

Located in Wildwood, MudHen Brewing Company is Cape May County’s only brewpub! Once a Harley Davidson dealership, the facility is now home to an award-winning brewery, featuring 10 to 12 rotating cra beers on tap that are all brewed right on-premises.

MudHen has become a destination for locals and tourists alike, holding down the heart of Wildwood all year long by hosting special events, weekly live music, and so much more. The space provides year-round indoor and outdoor dining areas, and in addition to their delicious dra selection and extensive cocktail and food menu, there are also four fully-equipped bars, along with firepits and a roof-covered biergarten— they even host weddings!

Mudhen Brewery craft beer

 RECOMMENDATIONS 

  • Shore Trip: SMaSH IPA
  • Nummy Pumpkin Ale
  • Pumpkins on the Beach: Crop Organic spiced pumpkin vodka, Rumchata, Bols pumpkin spice liqueur, and sprinkled with cinnamon

“Our tiny county of Cape May is home to 10 breweries who are producing some of the most delicious liquid out to the market. MudHen Brewing Company is a proud contributor of that, as we look forward to growing with the state of New Jersey and the craft industry as whole.” —Colin O’Brien, Director of Sales & Distribution

TRIUMPH BREWING COMPANY

Locations in Princeton,
Red Bank (NJ), and New Hope (PA)
www.triumphbrewing.com
HOURS:
Vary by location;
visit www.triumphbrewing.com

Triumph River logo

Triumph River Brewery

For nearly three decades, Triumph Restaurant & Brewery has provided patrons with highquality craft beer, locally sourced food, and live entertainment. Its first Princeton location opened in 1995; since then, Triumph has expanded to New Hope, PA and Red Bank, all while maintaining its reputation for brewing traditional ales and lagers and offering exceptional food across all three locations. Triumph is pleased to announce the reopening of its Princeton location in the former post office building on Palmer Square!

Triumph River craft beer

 RECOMMENDATIONS 

  • Keller Pilsner
  • Bengal Gold IPA
  • Vienna Lager

“As the first brew pub licensed in the state of New Jersey, Triumph has remained at the forefront of the communities we serve. Through working with the arts and local nonprofit organizations, and cultivating relationships with local farmers, Triumph continues to lead toward a more sustainable future. Craft beer, a thoughtfully curated menu, and knowledgeable service awaits you at Triumph.” —Eric Nutt, Director of Corporate Sales