We’re from Jersey, Baby! New Jersey Wines Honored at the Governor’s Cup Awards

Earlier this week at the Governor’s Mansion, Drumthwacket, First Lady Tammy Murphy and Governor Phil Murphy hosted the Governor’s Cup awards, celebrating advancements in the New Jersey wine industry.

Attendance at the event was robust and included elected officials Senator Anthony Bucco, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, Assemblyman William Moen, Senator Mike Testa and New Jersey Department of Agriculture Secretary Ed Wengryn, as well as Secretary of State Taheesha Way – a testament to the importance of winegrowing and vineyards to the Garden State’s economy.

The Governor’s Cup is a celebration of the vitality of New Jersey’s wine industry, its impact on travel, tourism and agriculture, and the fine wines produced in the Garden State. New Jersey wineries submit bottles of their choosing to The Beverage Tasting Institute where judges blind taste the wines and score them. The Governor’s Cup competition has been held since the 1980s; Governor Murphy and the First Lady were the first to invite the winners to Drumthwacket for the awards ceremony.

Seven wines were honored at the 2024 competition, including:

● Governor’s Cup for Best in Show and Best New Jersey Dessert Wine 2024: William Heritage, Mullica Hill (2023 Ice Cider)
● Governor’s Cup for Best New Jersey Vinifera White Wine 2024: William Heritage, Mullica Hill (2023 Limited Release Chenin Blanc)
● Governor’s Cup for the Best Red Vinifera Wine 2024: Meadowbrook Winery, Oldwick (2022 Reserve Cabernet Franc)
● Best New Jersey Fortified Wine 2024: Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington (NV Estate Chocolate Porto Rosso)
● Best New Jersey Hybrid White Wine 2024: Working Dog Winery, Hightstown (2023 Estate Traminette)
● Best New Jersey Hybrid Red Wine 2024: William Heritage, Mullica Hill (2022 Burn Pile Vineyard Reserve Chambourcin)
● Best New Jersey Rosé Wine 2024: White Horse Winery, Hammonton (2023 Painted Estate Grown Rosé)

Seven wines were also honored from the 2023 competition, including:

● Governor’s Cup for Best in Show and Best New Jersey Dessert Wine 2023: Tomasello Winery (2021 Ice Wine, Vidal Blanc)
● Governor’s Cup for Best New Jersey Vinifera Red Wine 2023: Cape May Winery (2021 Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon)
● Governor’s Cup for Best New Jersey Vinifera White Wine 2023: White Horse Winery, (2022 Estate Albarino)
● Best New Jersey Red Hybrid Wine 2023: William Heritage Winery (2021 Reserve Burn Pile Vineyard Chambourcin)
● Best New Jersey Sparkling Wine 2023: Beneduce Vineyards (2022 Estate Grown Gewurz Pet Nat)
● Best New Jersey Rosé 2023: William Heritage Winery (2022 Reserve Grenache Syrah Rosé)
● Best New Jersey White Hybrid Wine 2023: Bellview Winery (2021 Estate Grown Traminette)

For NJIB’s Guide to New Jersey Wine, click here.

About the Garden State Wine Growers Association

The Garden State Wine Growers Association is a non-profit organization of New Jersey-based wineries, vineyards and allied businesses. It serves as a centralized information repository, resource and clearing house for industry members, and offers a unified voice advocating for issues important to the entire range of New Jersey winery and vineyard operations. Central to this mission are efforts toward branding, marketing, public relations, education, and legislation and regulation for the furtherance of the vineyard and wine industries in the Garden State. For a list of New Jersey wineries and regular events taking place at wineries and vineyards throughout the state, visit www.newjerseywines.com