Wines of S. Jersey draw fans

The two earned professional certificates in viticulture and enology from the University of California, Davis, over three years of coursework both online and in visits to California. The studies gave them the foundation to begin at a high level, trying to get the best out of the six acres planted in grapes on their 35-acre farm in the Outer Coastal Plain (OCP), an officially recognized wine region (or AVA) that covers the lower southeastern third of the state. Its mild maritime climate has been likened to Bordeaux's, but the OCP's sandy soils are markedly different from the clay-rich and gravelly earth of its French counterpart.

Larry Sharrott Jr. said, "One of the questions we have: What is the best expression of our terroir? The soils? The climates?"

So far, with a total production of 3,500 cases made from 50 percent estate fruit in 2008, Sharrott has had obvious success with its 2008 cabernet franc, an earthy ruby swirl of black cherries, red bell pepper, smooth tannins, and oak that has a live-wire acidity perfect for a roast. Its 2008 unoaked chardonnay won Best Chardonnay at the 2009 Finger Lakes International Competition, but its 2009 successor was considerably less impressive, with too much heat in the middle where fruit should have been. It points to a major disadvantage East Coast vintners must compensate for that Californians generally need not: significantly inconsistent weather from vintage to vintage. And for most, 2009 was a difficult, rainy year.

For Sharko, who worked with hand-crafted furniture before buying Alba out of bankruptcy in 1997, the key has been to plant densely, prune with abandon, and let the fruit ripen as long as possible before harvest - a challenge for winemakers on the humid East Coast, where rot is a persistent concern.

"We're asking every vine to do a little, but do its very best - and it's paid off," said Sharko, who has 45 of his 97 limestone-rich acres planted in grapes. His annual production of 15,000 cases is made from 80 percent estate-grown fruit.

Finding a good selection of the wines on retail shelves might be the biggest challenge. Some of Sharrott's wines are available at a handful of South Jersey outlets (Canal's Wines Unlimited in Medford, Hops & Grapes in Glassboro, ShopRite in West Berlin, and Canal's Bottlestop in Marlton online). But most large distributors won't carry wines made in quantities of fewer than 1,000 cases, which means that some of Alba's most interesting small-lot batches, like its barbera, a Dijon clone chardonnay, and that intensely aromatic award-winning gewürztraminer will have to be purchased at the winery, where, like Sharrott, it sells 80 percent of its stock.

"It's a nice day trip," said Sharko.

Even better news for all you local vino skeptics: The wine's good, too.

Restaurant critic Craig LaBan was a judge at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition on the panel that awarded the New Jersey wines gold medals. It was a blind tasting. Contact him at 215-854-2593 or claban@phillynews.com.