MNN - Mother Nature Network

I spent a bit of blog space last year here on MNN and on my South Jersey Locavore blog writing about New Jersey’s wine shipping bill. The antiquated shipping laws in the state needed to be changed, and after several attempts by the liquor distributors in the state to stop the bill, N.J. lawmakers passed a bill that would allow the state’s wineries to ship to residents in and out of the state, and also allow out-of-state wineries to ship to N.J. residents.

 

Today, I received my first delivery of local wine to my front door, and I’m thrilled. Heritage Vineyards in Mullica Hill, N.J., is one of the state’s wineries that has started to ship, and I ordered three bottles of the 2011 Rose that makes one of the best sangrias I’ve ever tasted.

 

One of my pro-shipping arguments was that allowing direct shipping would increase tourism. Why? Tourists who follow wine trails or travel to a state’s wine regions want to know that if they find a wine they love, they’ll be able to get it once they get home. Now that having N.J. wines shipped to their homes is a possibility (not in all states – some other states prohibit shipping), tourists are more likely to hit the Garden State Wine Growers Association Wine Trails on a weekend excursion.

 

If you’re within a few hours driving distance of N.J., think about taking a day trip or a weekend getaway to the state to visit our wineries. Find a wine you love. Take it home with you. Then, order it again and have it shipped to your home.

 

If you can’t make it to the state, and you’re willing to take my word on the sangria from Heritage’s Rose, head over to South Jersey Locavore for the recipe and more information.