| Willow Creek Winery | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | 160-168 Stevens Street,West Cape May,NJ,USA |
| Coordinates | 38.942778 N, 74.946927 W |
| Wine region | Cape May Peninsula |
| Appellation | Outer Coastal Plain AVA |
| Other labels | Wilde Cock |
| First vines planted | 2005 |
| Opened to the public | 2012 |
| Key people | Barbara Bray Wilde (owner) [1] |
| Area cultivated | 40 |
| Cases/yr | 6,000 (2013) |
| Varietal | Pinot Noir,Malvasia Bianca,Chamborcin,Seyval Blanc,Merlot,Pinot Gris |
| Other products | Eggs, flowers, fruits, honey, poultry, vegetables, wormwood |
| Other attractions | Vineyard View Cottages available for farm stays |
| Distribution | On-site, home shipment |
| Tasting | Daily tours and tastings |
| Website | http://willowcreekwinery.com/ |
Willow Creek Winery is awinery inWest Cape May inCape May County,New Jersey.[2][3] Formerly aproduce farm, thevineyard was first planted in 2005, and opened to the public in 2012.[4][5] Willow Creek has 40 acres of grapes under cultivation, and produces 6,000 cases of wine per year.[6][7] The winery has recently purchased Legates Farm Market and is cultivating an additional 68 acres under vine. The winery is named for a largewillow tree near the owner's residence, and the Pond Creek, astream that borders the farm.[8][9]
Willow Creek Winery is in theOuter Coastal Plain AVA, and produces wines fromAlbariño,Cabernet Franc,Cabernet Sauvignon,Chambourcin,Malbec,Malvasia bianca,Merlot,Muscat blanc,Pinot noir,Riesling,Sangiovese,Sauvignon blanc,Seyval blanc, andSyrah grapes.[10][11] The farm also produceseggs,flowers,fruits,honey,poultry,vegetables, andwormwood.[12][13] Willow Creek makes wine from local New Jerseyapples andpumpkins, and has a separatebrand for non-estate wines, named "Wilde Cock" after the owner and theroosters that live at the farm.[11][13] The winery has expressed interest in producingabsinthe in the future.[9][14] Willow Creek is the only winery in New Jersey that produces wine from Malvasia bianca, which is a whitevinifera grapeindigenous to the northwest coast ofItaly.[9][15]
Willow Creek has afarm winery license from theNew Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which allows it to produce up to 50,000 gallons of wine per year, operate up to 15 off-premises sales rooms, and ship up to 12 cases per year to consumers in-state or out-of-state.[16][17] The winery is a member of theGarden State Wine Growers Association, but not the Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association.[18][19] In 1996, the owner of Willow Creek foundedThe Southern Mansion, a24-suitebed and breakfast in the neighboring town ofCape May.[14][20] Food produced at the farm is served at The Southern Mansion.[13][21]
Willow Creek has had conflicts with municipal, county, and state authorities regarding the hosting ofweddings at the winery. The West Cape Mayborough council has expressed concerns about potential noise and traffic from events, and several local and county officials have said that Willow Creek misrepresented how its facilities would be used.[1][6] In 2012, the Cape May County Agriculture Development Board and the New Jersey Agriculture Development Committee stated that because the winery is onpreserved farmland, it could not hold weddings or other non-agricultural events.[1][22] Willow Creek maintains that thedeed of easement granted when the farm was preserved does not prohibit celebratory events.[22] The winery has since sued themayor of West Cape May infederal court, stating that she has aconflict of interest in herland use decisions because she is also amarriage officiant.[23][24] In June 2016, West Cape May decided to settle the lawsuit and agreed to pay Willow Creek Winery $550,000 to prevent a trial. In addition, the borough has had to make payments for violations of the Open Public Records Act due to withholding of requested public information.[25][26]
38°56′34″N74°56′49″W / 38.942778°N 74.946927°W /38.942778; -74.946927