Cape May Peninsula AVA


Cape May Peninsula is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in the southernmost region of New Jersey. It was established on April 5, 2018 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Dr. Alfred Natali, owner of Natali Vineyards, LLC, on behalf of the ad hoc Cape May Wine Growers Association, proposing the viticultural area named "Cape May Peninsula." The wine appellation includes most of Cape May and a small portion of Cumberland Counties. The region is characterized by well-drained sandy or sandy loam soils of low to moderate fertility, and a relatively long growing season. The climate is strongly moderated by the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay. The region is in hardiness zones 6b, 7a, and 7b. The appellation lies entirely within the pre-established Outer Coastal Plain AVA, yet has a unique terroir with a more moderate temperature and a longer growing season. The distinguishing features of the Cape May Peninsula AVA are its temperature and soils.

History

Although the viticultural history of Cape May is recent, the historical origins of the name go back to the early colonial period. Henry Hudson, sponsored by the famous Dutch East India Company, discovered the area between Newfoundland and the Chesapeake Bay in 1609 in search of a water route from Western Europe to the Far East. He spent more time exploring the Hudson River rather than the Delaware because of the deeper water and more protected approach to the natural harbor at present day New York; however, he did lay claim to the entire area on behalf of Holland. Following Hudson's voyages of discovery, the Dutch colony of New Netherlands was founded in what is today lower Manhattan. From 1614 to 1616 Dutch [List of Dutch people|Dutch explorations|explorer] Captain Cornelius May explored Delaware Bay and its surrounding areas including the Cape. In 1620 he was authorized by the Dutch Parliament to explore the area between the 38th and 40th parallels which includes the Delaware Bay. Sailing in the ship Blidje Boodschap he arrived at and surveyed the bay. He built Fort Nassau next to what is present day Gloucester City and traded with the indigenous Kechemeches. The first settlement in Cape May County was the whaling community of Town Bank, just north of Cape May Point, established in 1650. Although there were a number of Dutch explorers who sailed in these waters, Captain May confirmed his legacy by naming the Cape after himself.

There was little activity in Cape May during the 18th Century; however, the introduction of steam powered boats in the early 19th Century provided a fillip to the development of Cape May as a summer destination for wealthy Philadelphia merchants. Large hotels, horse racing on the beach, and gambling casinos attracted visitors seeking relief from the stifling heat and humidity of the city. Several US presidents vacationed there. After a great fire destroyed the city in 1878, Cape May was rebuilt in the Victorian architectural style for which it is known today.
Thus the AVA is connected to a name with roots deep in the early American colonial history. It has evolved over the last 200 years as a summer resort destination, and more recently has developed a vibrant wine industry. The Outer Coastal Plain AVA name, by way of contrast, is a geological formation consisting of a low lying sandy plain of which the Cape May Peninsula forms a portion.

Terroir

Temperature

According to the petition, temperature is the most important distinguishing feature of the Cape May Peninsula AVA. The petitioner compared temperature data from Cape May County Airport, Woodbine Airport, and a U.S. Department of Agriculture site in Swainton, New Jersey, all within the AVA with temperature data from Millville Airport, the southernmost weather station in the Outer Coastal Plain AVA outside the AVA. The petition included information on growing degree days from both
inside and outside the AVA. GDDs are important to viticulture because they represent how often daily temperatures rise above 50 °F, which is the minimum temperature required for active vine growth and fruit development. Inside the AVA, Cape May Airport and Swainton have averages of 3,491 GDDs and 3,331 GDDs, respectively, making the AVA a Winkler Region III, which is defined as between 3,001 and 3,500 GDDs. Millville Airport, outside of the AVA, has an average of 3,516 GDDs per year, making that area a warmer Winkler Region IV, which is defined as between 3,501 and 4,000 GDDs. However, the petition states that comparing only the average number of GDDs within and outside the AVA can be misleading when it comes to determining the length of the growing season and the types of grapes that can grow inside and outside the AVA. For example, the petition notes significant temperature differences in terms of extreme temperatures. The average summertime high temperature at Cape May Airport is, while the average summertime high temperature at Millville Airport is. Average summertime high temperatures for Woodbine Airport and Swainton are not provided in the petition. The average wintertime low temperatures at Woodbine Airport, Swainton, and Cape May Airport are,, and, respectively. The average wintertime low temperature at Millville Airport is. The killing range for all but the most cold-hardy Vitis vinifera vines is. Another significant indicator of the climate difference between the Cape May Peninsula AVA and the existing Outer Coastal Plain AVA is the number of frost-free days. A comparison of weather data from Millville and Swainton shows that the average number of frost-free days at Millville is 179, while the average number of frost-free days at Swainton is 207.7. At Swainton, the last freeze usually occurs around April 15 and the first frost usually occurs around November 1. At Millville, the last freeze usually occurs in late April and the first frost usually occurs in mid-October. Due to the above differences in frost-free days and GDD totals, the Cape May Peninsula accumulates fewer GDDs over a longer growing season than the Outer Coastal Plain AVA accumulates in a shorter season. The combination of warmer wintertime temperatures and a longer growing season explains the AVA's ability to grow cold-tender Vitis vinifera in preference to the hybrids and native plants grown throughout the existing Outer Coastal Plain AVA.

Soils

The soils in the Cape May Peninsula AVA are mostly loamy sand, whereas the soils in the existing Outer Coastal Plain AVA are a sandy loam. According to the petition, soils best suited to viticulture are well-drained, where the water table is a minimum of six feet or deeper. These types of soils include Downer, Evesboro, Sassafras, Fort Mott, Hooksan,
Swainton, and Aura. All of these soils are present in the AVA and in the Outer Coastal Plain AVA; however, the Outer Coastal Plain AVA contains additional soils not found in the
proposed AVA, including Hammonton, Waterford, Galetown, and Metapeake. The soils in the AVA are as follows:

  • Hydric : ;
  • Arable : ;
  • Well-drained : ;
  • Municipal parks, airports, freshwater lakes, ponds, and tidal creeks:
The Cape May County Planning Department has identified the areas with the most well-drained soils as prospective sites for viticulture. The New Jersey Pinelands to the north
and west of the AVA is an area of dense pine forest with acidic soils that are unsuitable for most farming, including viticulture. The Pinelands cover 22 percent of the state
and nearly half of the existing Outer Coastal Plain AVA. The Pinelands consist of pygmy pines, swamp cedars, insect-eating plants, orchids, unique species of reptiles, endangered birds, self-contained springs, lakes, streams and bogs, and a sandy, extremely acidic and nutrient-poor surface soil. The only serious commercial crops in the
Pinelands are acid-loving cranberries and blueberries. The petition states that
during colonial times, people attempted to farm this land but failed due to the
infertility of the soil and the low pH. In order to improve the quality of the soils in the Pinelands, one would have to apply and incorporate large amounts of lime over a long period of time.

Wineries

, there are 9 wineries in the Cape May Peninsula AVA. Most of the wineries are also members of the Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association, an industry trade organization "dedicated to the establishment and promotion of sustainable and economically viable viticulture in the Outer Coastal Plain.

Boundary

The Federal Register describes the Cape May Peninsula AVA as having the following boundaries:
The beginning point is on the Ocean City quadrangle at the intersection of the 10-foot elevation contour and the Garden State Parkway, on the southern shore of Great Egg Harbor, northwest of Golders Point. Proceed southeast, then generally southwest along the meandering 10-foot elevation contour, crossing onto the Marmora quadrangle, then onto the Sea Isle City quadrangle, to the intersection of the 10-foot elevation contour with an unnamed road known locally as Sea Isle Boulevard; then
Proceed northwesterly along Sea Isle Boulevard to the intersection of the road with U.S. Highway 9; then
Proceed southwesterly along U.S. Highway 9 to the intersection of the highway with the 10-foot elevation contour south of Magnolia Lake; then
Proceed generally southwesterly along the meandering 10-foot elevation contour, crossing onto the Woodbine quadrangle, then briefly back onto the Sea Isle City quadrangle, then back onto the Woodbine quadrangle, to the intersection of the 10-foot elevation contour with the western span of the Garden State Parkway east of Clermont; then
Proceed southwest along the Garden State Parkway to the intersection of the road with Uncle Aarons Creek; then
Proceed westerly along Uncle Aarons Creek to the intersection of the creek with the 10-foot elevation contour near the headwaters of the creek; then
Proceed easterly, then southwesterly along the 10-foot elevation contour, crossing onto the Stone Harbor quadrangle, then onto the northwesternmost corner of the Wildwood quadrangle, then onto Cape May quadrangle, to the intersection of the 10-foot elevation contour with State Route 109 and Benchmark 8, east of Cold Spring; then
Proceed southeast, then south, along State Route 109 to the intersection of the road with the north bank of the Cape May Canal; then
Proceed northwest along the north bank of the Cape May Canal to the intersection of the canal with the railroad tracks ; then
Proceed south along the railroad tracks, crossing the canal, to the intersection of the railroad tracks with the south bank of the Cape May Canal; then
Proceed east along the canal bank to the intersection of the canal with Cape Island Creek; then
Proceed south, then northwest along the creek to the intersection of the creek with a tributary running north-south west of an unnamed road known locally as 1st Avenue; then
Proceed north along the tributary to its intersection with Sunset Boulevard; then
Proceed northwest along Sunset Boulevard to the intersection of the road with Benchmark 6; then
Proceed south in a straight line to the shoreline; then
Proceed west, then northwest, then northeast along the shoreline, rounding Cape May Point, and continuing northeasterly along the shoreline, crossing onto the Rio Grande quadrangle, then onto the Heislerville quadrangle, to the intersection of the shoreline with West Creek; then
Proceed generally north along the meandering West Creek, passing through Pickle Factory Pond and Hands Millpond, and continuing along West Creek, crossing onto the Port Elizabeth quadrangle, and continuing along West Creek to the fork in the creek north of Wrights Crossway Road; then
Proceed along the eastern fork of West Creek to the cranberry bog; then
Proceed through the cranberry bog and continue northeasterly along the branch of West Creek that exits the cranberry bog to the creek's terminus south of an unnamed road known locally as Joe Mason Road; then
Proceed northeast in a straight line to Tarkiln Brook Tributary; then
Proceed easterly along Tarkiln Brook Tributary, passing through the cranberry bog, crossing onto the Tuckahoe quadrangle, and continuing along Tarkiln Brook tributary to its intersection with the Tuckahoe River and the Atlantic-Cape May County line; then
Proceed easterly along the Atlantic-Cape May County line, crossing onto the Marmora and Cape May quadrangles, to the intersection of the Atlantic-Cape May County line with the Garden State Parkway on the Cape May quadrangle; then
Proceed south along the Garden State Parkway, returning to the beginning point.

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