With the daylight hours growing short and the holidays growing near, it may be time to start looking for activities and gifts close to home. So, what better way to spend time with family and friends than go out and celebrate through local businesses at select alcohol producers.
Locally right now you can plan an outing to one of several locations to celebrate unforgettable experiences. From Cedarvale Winery in Logan Township, to Wagonhouse Winery in South Harrison Township, with DiBella Winery and Independent Spirits Distillery in Woolwich Township, there lies quite a selection of locations to choose from.
Cedarvale Winery
Just off of exit 14 on interstate 295, Cedarvale Winery is located on Repaupo Station Road and is owned by fifth generation farming family, Ed and Marsha Gaventa. For quite some time now, their winery has been distributing wine and good cheer to Southern New Jersey.
The naming behind Cedarvale had to do with family history and the surrounding area. A lot of areas near and around the farm had the name “cedar” in it, dating back to the Gaventa farming trade name, AL Gaventa & Son in the 1930’s, hence the name Cedarvale Winery.
The year 2008 marked a big milestone for the Gaventa’s, as this not only marked their first bottlings, but also the opening of Cedarvale’s tasting room. The winery now provides over 10 different unique signatures like Flight of Fancy (red) and Sunrise Chardonnay (white) wines.
Fruit wines are also sold at Cedarvale, but that usually is during key fruit seasons like spring cherries and fall apples.
Levels of positivity are always high at Cedarvale, seeing that all kinds of events are consistently happening, even during non-alcoholic focused events. A list of common private events are showers, engagement parties, and sometimes corporate events. Public events include comedy nights, chili cookoffs, card readings, and music nights (weekends only).
There is also a book club that Cedarvale hosts. The “Wacky Wino’s That Read” meet once a month.
Other mentionable events are their countless fundraises. October sees some activity, where Cedarvale raises money for cancer awareness, but also donating proceeds to a partnered non-profit organization, Angels Community Outreach through pet parades.
On Nov. 16, the winery will be working with the Salem County Humane Society. According to Ed, the event will consist of “puppies and food vendors” as of writing this. For information about this event, visit the Cedarvale Winery website (cedarvalewinery.com) and click on their “events” tab to learn more.
When asked about the hospitality of the winery, the Gaventa’s, along with a customer, said that the “feeling of coming to Cedarvale feels right at home” and that the tasting room feels like “walking into Marsha’s living room.”
Wagonhouse Winery
At the intersection of Route 45 and Marl Road resides the Wagonhouse Winery and its fourth generation farming family owners, Dan and Heather Brown. Wagonhouse has been distributing wine and smiles to customers for over a decade, and still plans to do so this holiday season.
Wagonhouse’s name originates from an actual wagon house from the old Brown family farm, dating back to the 1950’s. Its current exterior design is identical to the original building, while also being built where said building once stood.
Since their first bottlings in 2008, Wagonhouse has been distributing all kinds of wines, fit for any occasion. With a total of 30 flavors, ranging from Wagonhouse’s popular brands of Sauvignon Blanc (white), Syrah (red), and Shore Thing (cream) wines, the pitch of choices might feel overwhelming.
Wagonhouse will soon be distributing seasonal wine for the holidays. Their eggnog-like wine should currently be available, while Naughty or Nice should release near December.
While at Wagonhouse, you can also nosh on little things under “The Vintner’s Wife” menu. You can try a large selection of bread bites, dips, some cheese boards, and even a few flatbread selections. Additionally, there is a small sweets section to try, like a cruffin, some ice cream, or maybe even a desert sampler of too many things to count.
Once the tasting room opened in 2011, Wagonhouse became a place for events. Such events you can reserve for are engagement parties, birthdays, weddings, showers, even small business venues.
Occasionally, pop-up events like psychic readings, book clubs, and art and craft sessions will be open for the public. Charcuterie board making is one of the most popular pop-up events, according to Heather. During such pop-up events, the consumption of alcoholic beverages is optional.
Wagonhouse is also known to hold seasonal events. Coming up on Nov. 28, a to be determined sales event will occur. Also, Santa Clause will make an appearance between 12 and 3 p.m., returning later on Dec. 7 and 13, but reservations will be required.
Wagonhouse also donates some proceeds towards a good cause. With every purchase of Wagonhouse’s “The Captain’s Punch” Concord red wine, a portion of the sales will go towards The Trauma Survivors Foundation. To learn more about the non-profit organization, you can visit their website (www.thetraumasurvivorsfoundation.org) to see how you can get involved.
DiBella Winery
Owned by fourth generation farming family, Will and Julie DiBella, DiBella Winery is neatly tucked away on Davidson Road in the rural farming community. DiBella has been distributing wine and hosting events to the South Jersey community for several years and counting.
DiBella had its humble beginnings by selling their wines through local festivals, fairs, and liquor stores after their first bottlings in 2008. This would continue for the next nine years, and by 2017, DiBella had parted ways from their original distribution roots when their tasting room had finally opened to the public
“We never drank wine before the business” said Julie, saying that the winery was founded through “self-teaching” and a can-do attitude.
Today, DiBella sells over a dozen different types of wines that sell quite quickly. One could try their popular signatures like Sunset (red) or Merlot (white) wines, blended with a unique South Jersey charm.
There are also some specialty wines that DiBella sells, reflecting the businesses creativity. For those craving a bold, rich flavor, try one of their “Dragon” wines, but be warned, it packs quite a punch. If a sweet fix is more your style, try a fruit spritzer, popular for its extreme sweetness, to the point where the first trials sold out in a matter of five weeks.
Besides the wine, the winery also hosts an assortment of events. From small private bridal and baby shower venues to public adult-only Easter Egg hunts to support small businesses, DiBella does just about a little bit of everything.
At the participation of most events at DiBella Winery, the consumption of alcoholic beverages is completely optional.
During November, DiBella caters out for the annual “Jeeps on the Vine” event. Run by the non-profit organization 13c Cares Foundation, tickets and other proceeds are used to fund the purchase of toys for children in Southern New Jersey.
For some of their events, DiBella’s tries to ensure that non-profit organizations held on the grounds are free of charge. “We wish to share our land,” said Julie, adding that she and her husband don’t want to burden non-profit organizations with any hassles, as they wish to give back to those serving a good cause.
Independent Spirits Distillery
Another location which finds itself stationed out on Davidson Road is Independent Spirits Distillery, owned by Kerry Breen, and her sons, Mark Breen and Erik Thomsen. This family has been hard at work providing their South Jersey spirits to its customers for seven years.
At first Kerry didn’t “know anything about” distilling, but did find it interesting seeing prohibition laws were changed in New Jersey on distillation back in 2013. Wanting to find herself and a business to have, she ventured into the craft, and hasn’t looked back since Independent Spirits Distillery’s grand opening in 2018.
Spirits are the livelihood of the business, and this family business doesn’t hold back with what they’re best at. Customers give high props towards the distillery’s signatures, like their Bourbon, aromatic and flavorful, or the selection of crowd pleasing liqueurs, such as their Limoncello, Espresso, or Blackberry flavors.
The tasting room floor also provides a selection of cocktails to pair with Kerry and her son’s spirits. Old Fashions and Espresso Martinis are quite the craze, meanwhile John Dalys are a massive kick during the summer months.
There are also non-alcoholic beverage options provided at Independent. Try some freshly squeezed and brewed lemonades and teas, or maybe the “My” Thai, the non-alcoholic version of a Mai Thai, rum replaced with a bit of honey.
All grains and fruits are purchased through locally grown farms. Contributors include Rabbit Hill, Mood’s Farm Market, Hill Creek Farms, and MC Farms.
When visiting Independent Spirits Distillery, you can count on Kerry and her sons to cater to most events. Such events one can plan in advance for are showers and weddings, but also engagement parties too. According to Kerry, one of her favorite events people can book are surprise birthday parties.
Other events that are welcome at the distillery are fundraisers, which Kerry is always welcomed towards. Notable drives which were or are currently held at Independent range from dog adoption and fostering campaigns from Woof Love Rescue, to the non-profit 4 Heroes Charity group whose goal is to help provide proceeds towards law officers, firemen, military personnel, and other first responders who “put others before themselves” on a daily basis.
When asked about any upcoming events in November and December, she said events including art classes, gift basket making, and a marketplace for the holiday season will be held, but made mention that everything is still undecided on what the dates will be.
When asked about Independent Spirits Distillery’s charm and appeal, Kerry had to say, “We want everybody to enjoy being here. The spirits speak for themselves and our [the family’s] effort put into making them.”
We weren’t able to get additional information from Swedesboro Brewing and Death of the Fox, but we still wanted to mention them.
Swedesboro Brewing, located on Woodstown Road, offers a wide variety of beers, including popular IPAs, ales, and stouts, and is open at select times throughout the week.
Death of the Fox, on Berkley Road, uniquely combines a coffee house and brewery under one roof. “Details are available on our website,” says founder and president Chuck Garrity, for those interested in visiting.
By Gerald Philipp
