Pheasant Hill Vineyard began in 1999 when Bob Wilson planted the first chardonnay vines in the south facing field located below the Hunt House. His goal was to develope a vineyard that would produce best in class wines. The first wine was made in 2004 and hand crafted chardonnay wine has now been available in small supplies since 2007. Other vines that have now been planted are pinot noir, syrah, grenache, mourvedre, and viognier. Additional vines have been added each year since 1999. The limited supplies are available through the tasting room at Unionville Vineyard, near Ringoes, NJ.

Pheasant Hill Vineyard began in 1999 when chardonnay vines were planted in the south facing field located below the Hunt House. There are now four acres of chardonnay and the only wine we have made has been chardonnay from this vineyard. The first wine was a small, experimental 2004 vintage. The 2005 was a success but also relatively small volume. In 2006 we were prepared for an excellent vintage with wonderful ripe fruit and a larger crop but suffered extensive bird damage a day or two prior to harvest which greatly reduced the usable crop. The 2006 wine is a success but limited in supply. The 2007 was an all-round success. We acquired additional new netting to reduce bird damage and the weather cooperated with ample rain and then sun in late August and early September. The grapes were harvested on September 13 at a brix of 22.5. This, again, is in limited supply. We look for even better wine in 2008 as the weather again was excellent and damage from disease and the birds was minimal. We picked the grapes on September 12 at a brix of 22.8. This wine appears to be our best yet.

   We have more chardonnay vines coming of age for harvest each year. We do not pick until the vines are at least four years old. During May and June when the vines bloom we pick the blooms off to prevent fruit from forming and direct all the energy into producing deep healthy roots.

  In 2004 we planted our first red grape vines. We now have four clones of pinot noir from burgundy and from the Rhone valley three clones of syrah, two clones of grenache and some mourvedre. We have only made experimental red wines so far but hope to have enough grapes for some delicious small production of reds soon.

Pheasant Hill Vineyard is located at Hunt House farm, site of the famous ‘Council of War’ in June of 1778 when General George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette and 15 other Continental Army Generals made the decision to engage the British in what became the Battle of Monmouth. Pheasant Hill is a specialist in award winning chardonnay grown on the south sloping vineyard in front of the Hunt House. The location of the vineyard provides excellent water and air drainage along with a wonderful sunny southern exposure. These fine natural features of the land, along with careful tending of the vines, insure healthy ripe grapes year after year.

The new nets are up (along with pictures)! We have switched from black netting to a smaller mesh white netting that is also more visible. With any luck this will keep the birds away from the grapes allowing us to have another full harvest.

  Our partner in wine making is Unionville Vineyard on Rocktown Rd near Ringoes, NJ. The premium wine within the Unionville line of fine wines is the Pheasant Hill Single Vineyard Chardonnay, which is available at the Unionville tasting room and through local retailers. The 2007 Pheasant Hill Chardonnay is delicious right now...Try it!