Having been to this winery four times in the past year, I have to say hands down this is our favorite in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. My girlfriend, was immediately excited when she heard Danny was doing our tour. Danny has a way of making the story and passion of wine making come alive. He is very insistent that the guests get involved and touch and ask questions. As a family run business that is very accommodating towards their guests, if it's not in the tasting, Danny may pull out an additional taste or two. He has a talent for pairing certain culinary treats with each taste of the grapes' sweet secretion. Of course, we will certainly be back and can't wait to see what the fall season holds for us! read more

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This was a quick ladies trip to relax & enjoy great wine. Atmosphere was great & our greeting was lovely. Our host , Danny was fabulous!!!! Great knowledge of the wines & pairing. Overall a great experience & I will definitely be visiting again. read more

So disappointed. We came here for a bachelorette party and they told the maid of honor they would normally close at 5 but today they would be open until 6. We get here at 5 and they say "they normally close at 4 but closed at 5". It's the bride's favorite winery and I spoke to two people (including the manager) who basically said "you're SOL". What a shame. 12 girls would have been a good night for them and they weren't even willing to see if a bartender would stay. Poor customer service. read more

Valenzano Winery - Letter from the owner about my review ..... - Wineries Near Me - Shamong, New Jersey

We went to the spring craft fair they had. When we pulled up we were confused because I thought it was going to be outside but it was inside. That's okay though! I couldn't believe it was only $10 to try so many different wines and sangrias. My husband who is not a wine drinker at all found a couple that he really liked thanks to the man who was helping us. I tried a wine I really liked on my list but my husband didn't have it on his list so he poured an extra tasting for my husband to try. The only complaint I had was that the girls told us none of the sangrias were available for purchase but they were at the purchase bar. My husband bought extra bottles because the man took the time to help him find ones he liked. Thanks so much! read more

The wine tasting and food were amazing. Danny and staff were absolutely wonderful as was the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere! Would definitely go back again and I look forward to another great experience. DeniseT read more

My mother, aunt and I went on a wine tasting tour offered by a local limo company. Valenzano was the last stop on our schedule. First, let me say the wine is really not that good, but that is up to different tastes. But the way we were treated at the wine tasting was what will make me never return nor recommend this place. All the wineries on our tour were well aware that we were arriving and the number of people in our group. We had about 25 people and the first two wineries, which were very small, graciously accommodated us. We arrive at Valenzano and were at first told to go to the bar, which was empty, in the front right when you walk in. But then, a woman comes out and asks us to please step into the Ballroom where they just started a wine tasting and she will "squeeze" us in. First off, I don't want to be "squeezed in" anywhere, but she said ballroom so I thought maybe it would have more space. It turns out there was a Groupon tour also going on and so we did "squeeze" ourselves in with this group around that bar. So this woman (who I found out later was the head person in charge of these group tours) continues on with the wine tasting, already in progress. There are maybe 30 or so people now around this crowded bar and she gives very long drawn out explanations about each wine before giving us all a taste. To be honest, it was boring and came across as her being someone who just LOVES to hear herself talk. Turns out, I was correct on that hunch. Since it took so long to give everyone their tasting, some conversations would begin between wine "explanations". She started up her speech about the next wine and my mother and I were just at the tail end of what we were saying to each other. I lowered my voice to a low whisper to finish what I was saying, but apparently, this woman could still "hear" us a bit. She SLAMMED the wine bottle she was holding onto the bar, and when she had everyone's attention, said "I'm sorry, but I do not like it when other people are talking while I am talking!" And I'm not exaggerating that she S L A M M E D the bottle down. Everyone was stunned. I was so upset I had to walk away from the bar and did not finish the tasting. My mother replied "You do understand that you have two very large groups of people here..." and she was cut off with the reply "Well, your group was late and this is what happens when you are late." and she continued to berate and scold our group in front of the Groupon group. Everyone was looking around uncomfortable and did not really know what to do. Were we late? I have no clue. But that is something you need to discuss with our tour leader. I have never been so insulted by the way this woman treated the customers. I have worked in the hospitality business for years and I do not know when it is ever acceptable to yell and correct other adults you are working with. Especially in this way - slamming down bottles and demanding attention from the entire group. If ANYTHING, if we were being too loud, you could have asked us to please hold our conversation later or in another location as it was distracting. To make matters worse, she was constantly drinking the sangria that was on the front bar while giving this tasting. I did not know it was customary for employees to drink while on the job. Even at a winery. The best part is when our tour guide went to complain about her behavior, we were informed that SHE was the one in charge. Therefore, I will never go back or recommend this place due to the immaturity of the head of the catering department. Apparently, the owners of this establishment do not have very good judgement on who they hire or put in charge of customer service. read more

Came in with my family on May 7th, 2019 and had an amazing experience!!! The customer service was absolutely amazing, the wines were hit and miss but we found several we liked, and the wine tastings were free after a bottle purchase. The winery was beautiful and highly recommend this for all families. The food was also delicious. We have a 4 year old and a 6 month old and they were very accommodating. read more

This review will come off a bit bias because I have been an avid lover of Valenzano since I could drink. Their wines are all eclectic and fruity. Everyone has its own group it belongs to, the harmony collection is my favorite. The last outing here was for the Holiday Trail Weekend! I did not know what to expect. We bough tickets for 10$, it was included in the price that we could do barrel tasting which was very cool being able to taste different wines at different ages. We had as much wine as we wanted to sample, and then sat down for some snacks which consisted of a cheese plate, mac n cheese bites, and crabcakes. Everything was great and we also ordered our own bottle of wine for the table. There was a great live band, merchants outside in tents set up, and so many tasting tables for everyone. The cases of wines were on sale that day and you could tell it was a hot commodity. I am so glad I went and will be returning as soon as I can. read more

Every once in a while you meet a person (or people) that renew your faith in mankind. I met those people here at the Valenzano Winery in the persons of Tony and Barbara Valenzano, their son Mark, and Al who runs the tasting bar. The Gf and I decided it would be a great idea to take my cousin Andre, who is here visiting from Italy and who's last name happens to be Valenzano, to the winery that bears his name. We can score some free wine during the tasting, he could buy some bottles with his name on the label, and we could have an all around good day. After all when copious amounts of wine are flowing how can you not have a good time? So the three of us along with my sister and uncle started for the nether reaches of Jersey. After what seemed like 57 pee breaks we arrived at the winery. We took all the standard photos of my cousin in front of the Valanzano signs then headed inside for some much needed booze. We expected to be treated cordially, with some polite hellos and hand shakes, have some wine and then be on our way. What we got was an amazing experience that we will all remember. When we mentioned to Al the bartender that we all had Valenzano blood and my cousin still beared the last name he immediately began working the phone, calling Tony and Barbara the vineyards owners, and alerting them to our presence. Barbara is a woman you feel like you've known your whole life, warm, friendly and gentle. Tony Valenzano is a tough talking, built like a fire hydrant type of guy with a heart of gold, and Mark is a quiet and devoted son who runs most of the day to day operations at Valenzano. The Valenzano clan treated us as if we have known each other for 20 years. They spent the entire afternoon with us, took us on a private tour of the wine making facility, walked us through the rows and rows of grapes, even allowing us to pick and eat them right off the vine. Then back to the main house where the vino began to flow. Plans were made for a December visit phone numbers exchanged and hugs and handshakes abounded. I have never met a nicer group of people. People you want to give your business to, people you want to be your friends. Oh, and the wine is pretty good too! read more

Just went to our first wine tasting tour at Valenzano's and this was our best winery tour to date. Danny was the best host, the Willy Wonka of Wineries! We thoroughly enjoyed the tour, the wine, and the food. An added plus was the discount for military and first responders when we made purchases afterwards. We will be back and we can see why there were so many repeat customers at our tasting. A big 2 thumbs up! read more

072317 I'm writing this review as second party. My wife absolutely, positively hands down loves this winery. We've been here a few times and travel 2 hours to come. I'm her professional Designated Driver. But to see how she enjoys the wine makes it worth it. As she calls 'the best winery in the world'. Today she and her friend really enjoyed the Red White & Blueberry' Sangria. The staff is always phenomenal. The lady at today's wine tasting ( i don't remember her name ), blue jeans, brown t-shirt, petite attractive.... very knowledgeable very informative about their products. The winery & vineyard grounds are outstanding. We saw a wedding party arriving. Great place for a reception. So best wishes to them. We'll be coming back. read more

From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warmth and made to feel like part of the family. Dan, our tour guide was not only knowledgeable, but it was obvious he loved every aspect of the winery and it's history. Our tasting consisted of wines paired with interesting snacks. Everything was delicious! It was obvious that a lot of time and effort was put into it. Dan and the staff chatted, laughed, and kept us engaged in lively conversation. A fantastic experience! read more

Valenzano Winery - Wineries Near Me - Shamong, New Jersey

What's up with the crappy rating people? Valenzano is a great winery with wonderful people at the helm. Their wines are very varied in style, and while they don't have a lot of the more upscale types of wine (the most expensive bottle is $17 while most of them are $10) their wines are very approachable. The Shamong Red is a Concord grape type and seems to be what they are famous for. My favorite was the Shamong Reserve, which was a slightly more dry version of the red. The tasting room is beautiful and has a Tuscan feel. I really love their tasting situation too...basically you can taste all of their wine for free as long as you buy a bottle. No problem! Oh, and Jen doesn't mess around when it comes to the pours! read more

Danny is always the best I can't think of him doing anything else. He has the perfect personality for the winery, he is 80% of the reason I visit. Today Dana helped him and she is sooo sweet and nice. read more

Signed up for a Groupon tour here not too long ago. It was pretty cute, they showed us how they made their wine; I don't remember the tour particularly well, but I remember that I was digging it. Obviously, there was an Alanis Morissette cover artist there, and there were some cute girls to be seen, and they were the type who had jobs (which is kind of cool). I didn't like their wine, and furthermore it wasn't good wine. There was really nothing to it and they had a lot of fruity infusions that drowned out any complexity. But like I said, it was pretty cute, and I just have a hard time appreciating wine for what it is up here. read more

We did the tour which included wine with some food pairings. Dana and Dan did an AMAZING JOB! Both are very knowledgeable and entertaining as well as informative. If you have done a tour I would HIGHLY recommend it. We will be back for the different seasons as the food pairings change with the seasons. Valenzano is my favorite wine and with the tour today definitely my favorite winery! read more

Had a great experience wine tasting last week. Our host Sebastian was excellent. He was very knowledgeable about every wine that we tried. And the wine omg I've never had such amazing tasting wine in my life. My favorite was the shamong wines and the plum of plums (Both were sweet.) So much so that my sister and I bought 4 bottles while there. And the cheese platter (which was complimentary) was the best pairing to the wine. The only downside was there weren't any barstools to sit on while we wine tasted. So just wear comfy shoes. Love this place. Will definitely recommend for a date night. read more

This is a must stop when in central NJ. Danny did our tasting and his personality was awesome. We tasted 8 wines for $5! We decided to enjoy the Artisan meats and cheese plate with a glass of wine. Great prices and great wines! read more

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Attended a wine tour and tasting today and was absolutely blown away by the awesome experience! Everyone was friendly and knowledgeable! The wine was delicious and paired perfectly. We received a delicious bottle of wine with two souvenir wine glasses and learned so much!!! It was a beautiful day and we stayed after just to sit in the picnic tables and enjoy the peace and setting. Our guide was funny, engaging and obviously passionate about what he does. This was an awesome experience, we will definitely return in the Fall to see what is next! Cheers! read more

Valenzano Winery - Wineries Near Me - Shamong, New Jersey

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I went here for a wedding during the summer and it was absolutely gorgeous. Before the wedding it was raining pretty bad, but by the time the wedding started it had stopped, which was a good thing since it was held outdoor. For the most part the staff was able to dry most of the chairs for the guest, which was great so no ones clothes were messed up as for shoes that is a different story! After the wedding, the reception was held inside and we had appetizers and drinks in the "bar area". I fell in LOVE with the Berry White Cranberry, and I ended up taking two bottles home with me that night! The wine had a tart taste with a hint of sweetness, which is what I liked about it. The rest of the reception was held inside of the main room you wouldnt be able to tell you were in a winery. The dance fllor was a perfect size for the event as well. Overall I had a great time and the staff was very nice. I wouldnt mind coming here again for another event. I heard they have wine festivals so hopefully I can go to one!!! read more

I am writing only about the wine. We have not been able to time it for a meal yet. Walking in the front door and you already feel at home. The people that handle the wine tasting are knowledgeable and friendly. The owners are veterans, so they offer a discount if you have an ID Card. Very nice of them to offer. OK - now to the wine. Not many we don't like but we have our favorites like the Shamong Reserve - Red and White - both smooth and easy to drink especially with Italian and Greek food. Worth a trip if you are in the area or coming back from the shore. Thanks! read more

We just got back from the Wine Festival and I have to say what a Blast me and my Family had. And every Valenzano wine we tried was exceptional! The Peach Pinot Grigio was so flavorful and light! And I had to take home a bottle of the Jersey Devil Port! Such an array of Vendors and Food Trucks. Our particular Favorite was Top Shelf Mobile Cuisine. The food was Great and paired perfectly with our Valenzano Wine! We will definitely come back here again!!! read more

Began dinner with delicious appetizers. Crostini, bacon wrapped scallops, thinly sliced filet mignon, and crab stuffed shrimp were all fantastic! Had the best bone in veal parmigiana! The chefs outdid themselves with this incredible dinner! The staff were fabulous! They were attentive and did a great job! The wines went beautifully with our meals! Then to end the night we had a homemade white chocolate blueberry cobbler cheesecake! All I can say is... YUMMY!!!! read more

Valenzano Winery - Bone in Veal Parm was amazing!!!! - Wineries Near Me - Shamong, New Jersey

The best wine tour I have ever been on! Wines and food were amazing!!! I loved the wine tour stewards, the made it feel like an experience, not just a tasting. read more

Great wine!! Check out our vlog from our visit!! https://youtu.be/OI6W6yKwaQI

I recently had a visit to Velanzano and let's just say I will never again visit this establishment. I choose to spend my money at businesses that appreciate my time and my money and don't treat me like a number. In this day and age with everything going on this country I want to ensure the businesses that genuinely care about their guests will be the ones that succeed! Too much competition in this industry for business owners to not know and practice this golden rule of the hospitality industry. Everyone who walks through your doors is to be treated as a guest who is appreciated. It's amusing to me how many owners forget this and then this sentiment trickles down to their staff members. What a terrible example to set. Read the filtered reviews for this business and see these reviews for yourself...and I'm not talking about the 5star reviews that are obviously written by their staff. So sad to reach like that. Also, read the review of the woman whose bachelorette party was ruined and how the owners responded to her...she posted their text in her review...how they responded? The arrogance is unimaginable coming from people in the hospitality industry. Unbelievable. Moreover, with the beautiful setting, incredible selection of great wines and phenomenal service offered at Sharrots winery which is only a few minutes away....you would think that the owners at Valenzano would want to offer the most hospitable environment and set themselves apart? Apparently not. Well, through the grapevine, lol, I have learned that there is another winery coming to this region and an existing one that has just received a large cash infusion that will be building a new tasting room and banquet facility so the competition in this area is about to really step up. Good luck to all and sincerity and hospitality trumps all. read more

I totally echo Mallory D's review below! I love that their prices are so much more reasonable than the typically winery. You can do a $5 tasting where you try ALL of their wines (just not their champagnes). And if you buy at least 1 bottle they waive the $5 fee. Win!! They offer a nice cheese platter, no restaurant though. Great patio area out back (although you can't get to it if there's a party). The employees are very nice, too, and will chat you up just the right amount during tastings. You should keep in mind most of their wines are on the sweet side. read more

Valenzano Winery - Wine tasting area - Wineries Near Me - Shamong, New Jersey

Great experience. Dan was an amazing tour guide. Very informative. Got to see the grapes on the vine followed entering the tasting room were we sampled 15 wines and got pair them with cheese and crackers, chicken and waffles, peanut butter pretzels, chocolate cake. Was given a bottle of Shamong Red and two glasses to take home. Highly Recommend! read more

Valenzano Winery - Wineries Near Me - Shamong, New Jersey

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The wine taste at Valenzano Winery is a total experience. The best me was the blueberry one. You can also enjoy dinner every Thursday

Have been buying their wine for years. Terrific stuff. Their tasting room is great too.

Today we used our groupon for the wine tour. This surpassed any expectation we had. Danny was an AMAZING tour guide. The pairings were out of this world and he truly made you feel like family. We cant wait to go back for the dinner tour!! read more

Ed was amazing. Really attentive and focused on giving a great wine experience. Recommend great wines and knowledgeable about the wines and company. Would come back just for him. read more

Weird experience today with the Valenzano satellite location at Columbus Market. The winery has a great, albeit small storefront right at an exit door at the market. Most weekends they gave a nice size bin at their location, full of $5 bottles. They also have most of their other varieties and tastings are available. We always stop by when we are at the market and snag a few of their $5 bottle. Walked in at I am to see no $5 bin. My husband asked the older woman manning the counter. "No $5 bottles today?" and she said they have not had $5 bottles in 6 months. Knowing that to be incorrect, as we are at Columbus monthly, I jokingly said, "no, not possible," in a jokey, friendly tone to indicate we should know because we buy them all the time. She snottily replied, "oh, you're right. I just work here" So weird, I turned and immediately left. My husband, trying to give her an opportunity to apologize, made a little small talk, she was silent, and he left too. This business sometimes forgets a customer with cash in hand is a pretty valuable commodity nowadays. read more

From the first time we went to Valenzano Winery, we have had nothing but great times. From tastings, tours, party's and their Winefest. You can also go for a nice lunch with a bottle or a glass of wine with tasty food, in a nice relaxing atmosphere. Danny and the crew are very professional and so nice, they treat you like family when you are there. The wine is great but the staff keeps us coming back. If you are looking for a good winery I definitely recommend Valenzano Winery. read more

My mom, sister, dad & I had a wonderful experience at the winery today. We attended the winery tour & tasting. Our guide Dan was incredibly thoughtful in his description of each step of wine making & the various drinks we tasted. He was very entertaining, funny, and made an effort to engage the guests in the tour. In comparison to other wineries we have visited, we thought that Valenzano Winery put far more thought into making the experience enjoyable for their guests. We really enjoyed the food pairings (honey & cheese, chicken & waffle breading, cheesecake, apple pie) to complement our wine. It truly added to the overall experience. Everyone was extremely friendly & welcoming, and we will certainly return again! read more

Love having Valenzano only a few miles from my house! The grounds are gorgeous, the wines are tasty, and everyone there is super-friendly -- no snobs. My favorites are the Chambourcin, White Cab, and the seasonal Red White & Blueberry for sangria. (Gotta laugh at the person who gave it three stars because she "heard" it tasted like Boone's.) Cool place for weddings, too -- I recently photographed a wedding there and it ran smoothly and the staff was one of the most helpful I've ever worked with. Great place all-around. read more

My boyfriend and I just attended a wine tasting that we bought through Living Social. He's always raved to me about their Shamong Red, but since I've always been a devout dry wine girl (and since I buy the wine ;) ) I didn't really budge. Julie, our wine tasting host, definitely changed my mind! Let me first start off by saying that you should get there early. Julie waited about 15 minutes for any stragglers (we were missing 4), which was very nice of her, but in my opinion if you're late, you're late, regardless of who's fault it is. My boyfriend and I enjoyed the time of walking around their gorgeous ballroom, seeing their outside patio and generally enjoying the surroundings. Everything was so beautiful! Once we started, Julie made us feel welcome. She was very informative about the wine, answered all of the group's questions and didn't rush us at all. I had an excellent time and was thoroughly surprised that I enjoyed most of the sweet wines that were offered! The Shamong Reserve is my new favorite wine and yes, the original Red is tasty as well. There was an, "I told you so," from my boyfriend on that one. Overall, the host, the people and our surroundings made it an excellent visit! At Julie's urging, I'm now on their e-mail list and look forward to their July fireworks and Wine Fest coming up! I'm definitely telling all of my friends to attend. Only complaint? Bigger wine bottles! Thanks guys! read more

We just had a really awesome time at the Valenzano Winery wine tasting. You have the opportunity to try 8 different wines and the cost is covered when you buy a bottle of wine(which you surely will!). Danny is phenomenally knowledgeable and so personable, he made the tasting truly special. I would definitely recommend this and I know we will be back. read more

Don't miss this winery! Excellent customer service, excellent wine, tasting is free with purchase and they are not stingy with number of tastings. Very military friendly, with a very generous military discount. Great mix of dry and sweet wines! We wanted to buy them all!!! Make sure to ask for Al, he was extremely helpful and friendly! They also offer Thursday dinner, we decided to come back an hour after our tasting for dinner thanks to Al's customer service! read more

I love Valenzano Winery. I have been there several times. We had a tent at the festival last year & it was a great time. I also like to go every year, the weekend after Thanksgiving, & stock up for the holidays. read more