Cape May Winery & Vineyard

Cape May Winery & Vineyard is a winery and vineyard located in Lower Township in Cape May County, New Jersey. The property is outside the North Cape May census-designated place, although North Cape May is sometimes used in descriptions of its address. The winery takes its name from the Cape May region, a coastal area at the southern end of New Jersey that has developed a recognizable wine and tourism identity. The vineyard was first planted in 1992, and the winery opened to the public in 1995. Its development reflects the broader expansion of New Jersey's wine industry under the state's farm-winery framework and the growing importance of winery visits, tasting rooms, and direct-to-consumer sales. Cape May Winery is among the larger winegrowing operations in New Jersey, with approximately 25 acres under grape cultivation and reported production of about 11,000 cases of wine annually. These figures describe the scale reported in reference material and are not a current financial disclosure. The winery operates in the Outer Coastal Plain American Viticultural Area, a designated wine-growing region covering much of southern New Jersey. Its grape portfolio includes both familiar international varieties and grapes used in regional or hybrid styles. Reported varieties include Albariño, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cayuga White, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Colombard, Merlot, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Vidal blanc, Viognier, and Zinfandel. This broad planting mix allows the winery to make white, red, rosé, and other varietal or blended wines suited to the area's coastal growing conditions. In addition to grape wine, Cape May Winery produces wine from apples. It also has a separate brand called Issac Smith, named for an 1820s coffin maker who lived near the site where the winery now operates. The separate label gives the business a way to connect some products with local history while maintaining Cape May Winery as the principal identity. Cape May Winery holds a plenary winery license issued by the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. According to the referenced material, this license permits the winery to produce an unrestricted amount of wine, operate as many as 15 off-premises sales rooms, and ship up to 12 cases per year to consumers within or outside New Jersey, subject to applicable law. The winery is also associated with the Garden State Wine Growers Association and the Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association. The brand's identity is therefore rooted in place, agricultural production, and visitor-oriented wine retail rather than in a national packaged-goods footprint. Its principal business scope is the cultivation of grapes, production and sale of wine, and operation of a winery destination in southern New Jersey. Publicly available reference material does not establish a founding individual, ownership structure, corporate parent, current executive team, or financial results.

Cape May Winery & Vineyard emerged during the expansion of commercial winemaking in New Jersey. The vineyard was first planted in 1992 in Lower Township, Cape May County, in the southern part of the state. The property later opened to the public in 1995, establishing a visitor-facing winery operation in a region better known historically for coastal tourism and agriculture than for large-scale wine production. The winery's location places it within the Outer Coastal Plain American Viticultural Area. The area's relatively flat terrain and coastal-influenced conditions support a range of grape varieties, and Cape May Winery developed a diversified vineyard rather than concentrating on only one or two cultivars. Its reported plantings include Albariño, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cayuga White, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Colombard, Merlot, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Vidal blanc, Viognier, and Zinfandel. This mix includes classic European varieties, hybrid grapes, and grapes suited to regional production, enabling a wide range of styles. Over time, Cape May Winery became one of New Jersey's larger winegrowers by the measures cited in reference material. Approximately 25 acres are under grape cultivation, and annual production has been reported at roughly 11,000 cases. The operation combines agricultural activity with winery production and public access, a model common to New Jersey farm wineries in which tasting, on-site retail, and tourism are important parts of the customer relationship. The business also expanded beyond conventional grape wine by producing wine from apples. A separate label, Issac Smith, was created with a historical reference to an 1820s coffin maker who lived near the current winery site. The label connects a portion of the product portfolio with local heritage while leaving Cape May Winery as the primary name associated with the property and its broader range of wines. Regulation has been an important part of the winery's operating framework. Cape May Winery holds a plenary winery license from the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The license is described as allowing unrestricted wine production, up to 15 off-premises sales rooms, and shipment of up to 12 cases per year to consumers in New Jersey or elsewhere, subject to the relevant alcohol laws. The winery's participation in the Garden State Wine Growers Association and the Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association places it within the organized New Jersey wine sector and the state's regional vineyard network. Public reference material does not identify a founder, parent company, current owner, executive leadership team, financial performance, or major corporate transactions. Consequently, the documented history is primarily one of vineyard establishment, public opening, product diversification, regional industry participation, and continued operation as a Cape May wine destination.

• 1995

  Winery opens to the public

  [1]Cape May Winery & Vineyarden.wikipedia.org

  Cape May Winery began public operations, adding a visitor-facing winery and tasting destination to the vineyard property.

• 1992

  Vineyard planting begins

  [1]Cape May Winery & Vineyarden.wikipedia.org

  The first grapevines were planted at the property in Lower Township, Cape May County, New Jersey.

A regional New Jersey winery centered on Cape May provenance, vineyard-grown grapes, broad varietal diversity, direct consumer sales, and wine tourism.

• Wine

  Cape May Winery grape wines

  The core portfolio consists of wines made from grapes grown in the Outer Coastal Plain region. Reported varieties include Albariño, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cayuga White, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Colombard, Merlot, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Vidal blanc, Viognier, and Zinfandel. The range supports white, red, rosé, varietal, and blended styles.

• Fruit wine

  Apple wine

  Cape May Winery also produces wine from apples, extending the business beyond grape-based products and reflecting the winery's broader use of regional agricultural ingredients.

• Wine brand

  Issac Smith

  Issac Smith is a separate brand associated with Cape May Winery. Its name refers to an 1820s coffin maker who lived near the site of the present winery, giving the label a local historical identity distinct from the main Cape May Winery name.

1. 1Cape May Winery & Vineyarden.wikipedia.org
2. 2Cape May Winery & Vineyard official websitecapemaywinery.com