Ventimiglia Vineyards offers a taste of New Jersey's grapes

WANTAGE — Take a turn down a gravel road and into the woods and you will come across fields of grapes grown straight from Sussex County soil that will soon be fermented and bottled into wine. Gene Ventimiglia owner of the family-run Ventimiglia Vineyards in Wantage takes great pride in being a New Jersey winery and the only farm winery in Sussex County.

"All of our wines are 100 percent Jersey grown, with the exception of two wines," Ventimiglia said. Those two wines — Carignane and Fratelli Ventimiglia — are crafted in Ventimiglia's grandfather's honor using the Carignane grape grown from his grandfather's village in Italy.

"I was always around wine growing up," Ventimiglia said. "My grandfather made wine and I helped."

After Ventimiglia's grandfather died, he looked to his father to teach him how to replicate his grandfather's passion with grapes. What started as an at home hobby soon became a business in 2006.

Ventimiglia who lives in Totowa, purchased 50 acres of land in Wantage many years ago.

"I love the hills," Ventimiglia said as he toured the property. "I always wanted a farm."

Thirty acres of the property are used as a tree farm, but the rest are open for Ventimiglia's grapes. He has a wide variety growing including Sumoll, Vidal and Concord. But the majority of the grapes Ventimiglia uses to craft his wines come from other New Jersey growers such as in Monmouth County.

Ventimiglia's son, Anthony who works in the cellar takes care of the chemistry part of the process — keeping track of the wine as it ferments.

"We bottle about 15,000 bottles a year or 1,000 cases," said Anthony in the 42 degree cellar. The cellar is underground so it stays nice and cold without the need for air conditioning.

Some of their wine offerings include the Rocky Ridge Red made from grapes on the property; the High Point White and the Wantage White. Adding another personal touch, each bottle has a painting depicting a local landmark in Sussex County — such as the High Point tower — created by Anthony's wife.

To promote their wine, Ventimiglia is out almost every weekend at a local wine festival or farmers market including the Sparta Farmer's Market on Saturdays.

Gaining popularity, Ventimiglia wines are now on sale at Gary's Wine & Marketplace in Wayne, Madison and Bernardsville. It is also served at Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg.

Ventimiglia is a member of Vintage North Jersey, a collaboration of nine northern New Jersey wineries in Sussex, Warren and Hunterdon counties that offer events, tours and trails. It is supported in part by a grant from New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.

An upcoming event is the Vintage North Jersey “Sangria Challenge” Wine Trail this Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30. For more information on the event visit VintageNorthJersey.com.

Ventimiglia also offers public and private wine tastings at the vineyard.

Ventimiglia Vineyards is located at 101 Layton Road, Wantage. For more information call 973-875-4333 or visit VentiVines.com.