#outercoastalplain

The newest member of the Garden State Wine Growers Association is White Horse Winery, which officially opened its tasting room and winery to the public on July 15 in Hammonton.  Located at 106 Hall Street in Hammonton just down the road from Sharrott Winery, White Horse Winery boasts one of the state’s largest tasting rooms, which is highlighted by a vaulted ceiling and a 22 foot long bar.

White Horse Winery is owned by Brock J. Vinton and his son B.J.  A successful real estate developer, Brock has been involved with fine wines since the 1960’s.  In the 1980’s Vinton became an investor in wineries in Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder and Paso Robles. His wife Yvonne is a native Californian, whose family farms extensive vineyard holdings in the Lodi area. He is committed to selecting the optimal grape varietals for the local terroir, along with giving the utmost attention to their cultivation, fermentation, blending and aging in French, Hungarian, and American oak barrels.

BJ Vinton began working in the vineyards and cellars in Cognac, France when he was 16.  He later studied in Bordeaux and worked in Beaujolais. He also completed an undergraduate thesis on the future of the micro-brewing segment of the brewing industry. He went on to work in manufacturing R&D, eventually started an engineering company and among other projects developed and patented a wind turbine and is looking forward to having a successful vineyard in New Jersey.

The winery boasts over 60 acres with about a third of the area currently planted with plenty of vinifera stock, including Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and a number of hybrids including Chambourcin, Vidal blanc and Traminette. There are plans as well for future expansion, which will provide plenty of great grape varietals for winemaker Seferino Cotzojay to work with.  Cotzojay, a Guatemalan native, comes to White Horse Winery from the award-winning Bedell Cellars on Long Island where he worked as the assistant wine maker.

Cotzojay is looking forward to putting his touch to the grapes of the Outer Coastal Plain region. The winemaker’s style is to provide wines that are naturally crisp and have a nice finish.  

“It’s been a fun transition from Long Island to New Jersey,” notes Cotzojay. “I believe New Jersey has the potential for creating world class wines.  White Horse Winery wines will provide customers with a unique experience.”