Renault Winery

Renault Winery (/rɪˈnɔːlt/ rih-NAWLT)[3] is a winery located in Egg Harbor City and Galloway Township in Atlantic County, New Jersey.[4][5] It is the oldest active winery in the state in New Jersey.[6][7] Renault is one of the larger winegrowers in New Jersey, having 48 acres of grapes under cultivation, and producing 20,000 cases of wine per year.[3][8] The winery is named after its founder.[9]

Renault Winery
Location72 North Bremen Avenue, Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, USA
Coordinates39.544624 N, 74.603557 W
AppellationOuter Coastal Plain AVA
First vines planted1864
Opened to the public1870
Key peopleLouis Nicolas Renault (founder)
Joseph Milza (owner)
Marco Bucchi (winemaker)[1][2]
Acres cultivated48
Cases/yr20,000 (2013)
Other attractionsRestaurants, hotel, golf course
DistributionOn-site, wine festivals, home shipment
TastingDaily tastings and tours
Websitehttp://www.renaultwinery.com/

History
Advertisement for the winery along US 9 in New Gretna

The vineyard was first planted in 1864 by Louis Nicolas Renault, a French immigrant from Mareuil-sur-Ay who brought the original vinifera grapes from France.[9][10] Renault opened to the public in 1870, and for many years was the largest producer of champagne in the United States.[10][11] Renault survived the Prohibition era by obtaining licenses to produce sacramental wine as well as various medicinal wines, including "Renault Wine Tonic" which was sold by pharmacists across the United States.[12][13] Mildred Norman, decades before her treks across the continent as Peace Pilgrim, worked in the winery as a secretary.[14]

After World War II, Atlantic City political boss and racketeer Enoch "Nucky" Johnson was employed by Renault.[11] While the winery once cultivated 600 acres of grapes, and sold 500,000 cases of wine per year, production has decreased substantially in recent decades.[1][10] The winery has instead developed into a resort, opening a restaurant in 1983, a hotel and second restaurant in 2000, and a golf course in 2004.[1][15]

Financial struggles

The winery filed for bankruptcy in 2014,[16] and was purchased by OceanFirst Bank,[17] its primary creditor, in 2015.[18] In late 2018 the bank announced the sale of the property to the newly formed Renault Properties LLC.[19] In 2019 Galloway Township agreed to help Renault Winery with its planned rehabilitation via a tax abatement plan.[20]

Wines

Renault Winery is located in the Outer Coastal Plain AVA, and produces wine from Baco noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cayuga White, Chardonnay, Merlot, Noah, Norton (Cynthiana), Petit Verdot, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Vidal blanc.[13][21] Renault also makes fruit wines from blueberries, and is the only winery in the United States to make a blueberry champagne.[3][22]

Features, licensing, and associations

The winery is located on a 1400-acre site which includes an 18-hole golf course, a 50-room hotel, and two restaurants.[23][24] Renault has a plenary winery license from the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which allows it to produce an unrestricted amount of wine, operate up to 15 off-premises sales rooms, and ship up to 12 cases per year to consumers in-state or out-of-state.[25][26] Renault is a member of the Garden State Wine Growers Association and the Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association.[27][28]

See also

References
  1. Schwachter, Jeff. "Arriving at a Destination" in Atlantic City Weekly (7 October 2004). Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  2. Compian Felicia. "A dinner to celebrate the harvest at Renault Winery" in The Press of Atlantic City (19 September 2012). Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  3. Toms, Charlie. "Renault Winery Review" in American Winery Guide (15 June 2013). Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  4. Post, Kevin. "Renault Winery uses solar power to kill insects" in The Press of Atlantic City (12 October 2011). Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  5. Urgo, Jacqueline L. "Ah, To Get Away To Egg Harbor Don't Laugh. A Luxury Hotel There Expects To Do Well. It's A Trend" in The Philadelphia Inquirer (8 February 2011). Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  6. Corcoran, David. "So Crisp, So Complex, So Unexpected" in The New York Times (17 July 2005). Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  7. Jackson, Bart. Garden State Wineries Guide. (South San Francisco, CA: Wine Appreciation Guild, 2011). ISBN 9781934259573.
  8. Lee, Michelle. "Hot summer has area wineries beginning grape harvest early" in The Press of Atlantic City (8 September 2010). Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  9. Schmidt, R. Marilyn. Wines and Wineries of New Jersey. (Chatsworth, NJ: Pine Barrens Press, 1999). ISBN 9780937996386. Renault Winery is named after Louis Nicolas Renault.
  10. Rignani, Jennifer Papale. Images of America: New Jersey Wineries. (Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2008). ISBN 9780738557229.
  11. Westrich, Sal. New Jersey Wine: A Remarkable History. (Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2012). ISBN 9781609491833.
  12. Mayerowitz, Scott "Experience Boardwalk Empire in Atlantic City" on ABC News (20 September 2010). Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  13. Renault Winery "The History of Renault Winery" (commercial website). Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  14. </http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Creative-Copyright-Bettmann-Corbis-AP-Images-/f329ac90d6934c6488d0414e93ef775a/2/0Associately Press photograph captures then Mildred Norman, future Peace Pilgrim, and fellow workers at the Renault Winery toasting the end of Prohibition on December 4, 1933. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  15. Bull, John V.R. "A Delightful Place Grows on the Vine" in The Philadelphia Inquirer (2 October 1983). Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  16. https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/local/south-jersey/2014/11/14/renault-winery-files-bankruptcy/19046243/
  17. http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20151126_Bank_buys_Renault_Winery_out_of_bankruptcy.html
  18. http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic/oceanfirst-bank-seeks-to-unload-renault-winery/article_d4c375b4-618a-11e6-aff5-7ffc237e3cbc.html
  19. https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/business/oceanfirst-bank-sells-renault-winery/article_70b7ae25-99e4-5504-8cf1-e73ec5080c74.html
  20. https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/business/galloway-township-to-help-renault-winery-financially-with-its-rehabilitation/article_abac1ecb-a8f0-5b92-8122-4031b3f8d3b0.html#1
  21. Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. "2013 Results" (24 March 2013). Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  22. Taylor, David A. "New Jersey Uncorked" in The Washington Post (17 July 2002). Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  23. Strauss, Robert "A Winery Changes Its Face" in The New York Times (22 July 2001). Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  24. Scheller, William. New Jersey Off the Beaten Path, 8th. (Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot, 1991). ISBN 9780762752287.
  25. New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. "New Jersey ABC list of wineries, breweries, and distilleries" (5 February 2013). Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  26. New Jersey General Assembly. "N.J.S.A. 33:1-10". Statutes of New Jersey. New Jersey.
  27. Garden State Wine Growers Association. "GSWGA Wineries." Archived 2013-06-21 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  28. Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association. "Outer Coastal Plain Wineries." Retrieved 27 April 2013.

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