Wine Season Is Under Way with Spring Events (NJWineWithMe Post)

Special article contribution by Ashley Rowe, Blogger of www.njwinewithme.com

As the weather breaks, Spring wine events in NJ really getting going. April and May are filled with exciting and fun activities. Some vineyards are celebrating the season with events each weekend. Beneduce Vineyards (their site), a young winery in Pittstown, features Group Therapy every Saturday and Sunday with a full band on Saturday evenings and solo acts on Sunday afternoons. When the weather is suitable, music will be on their outdoor patio with a relaxing bonfire and a backdrop of grape vines. Auburn Road Winery (their site) also combines music and wine with their LIVE from the Vineyard Stage series, taking place on Saturday nights. Earlier in the weekend, you can participate in their What's for Dinner Friday's, including a 5 course meal with different entrees every weekend and a wine tasting. On Saturdays in April, Alba Vineyard & Winery (their site) continues their educational wine experience, From Vine to Glass, which is an introductory wine class. This is a great time to learn about wine tasting, so you can learn how to fully enjoy your wine experiences for the rest of the year.

In April, you can find yoga in the vineyard with the Yoga Wine Trail presented by Unique Yoga Events. The trail kicks off April 26th and visits 6 different wineries, including Bellview Winery in Landisville, Beneduce Vineyards in Pittstown, Cedarvale Winery in Logan Township, Cream Ridge Winery in Cream Ridge, Cava Winery & Vineyard in Hamburg, and Plagidos Winery in Hammonton. Visit www.yogawinetrail.com for specific dates, locations, and tickets. You will also find a monthly yoga and wine series at Old York Cellars Winery in Ringoes. Their next event takes place on May 10.

Wineries bring even more events in late April, on the 26th and 27th. Villa Milagro Vineyards (their site) in Finesville will be hosting an Appetizer Workshop, where you can learn how to make easy tasty snacks that complement the wines you're serving. Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery (their site) in Cape May features a special Barrel Tasting of 2012 Reds. This is a unique opportunity to taste directly from the barrels before they're bottled. Six Flags Great Adventure is also getting in on the action with Fast Tracks and Food Trucks Festival. If you're up for more adventure, you can Run the Vineyards at Heritage Vineyards or keep things calm with an Opera Gala at Tomasello Winery (their site) on the following weekend.

The first weekend of May kicks off with a number of festivals. Cream Ridge Winery hosts their 24th Annual Folk Festival, Old York Cellars Winery presents their Vine to Wine Spring Festival, Hammonton Wine Festival takes place at the Carmel Fairgrounds, Waterloo Village Wine Festival will be going on in Stanhope, NJ, and a Cinco de Mayo event is happening at Bellview Winery. May 3rd & 4th is certainly a weekend to get outside!