Wineries' sales in S. Jersey dry towns are a hit

The sun was soon to set one evening last week, and the late-summer breeze was soft as friends Kendall Ratterree, 27, and Laura Rhoads, 28, sat at an outdoor table of a corner cafe enjoying glasses of Pinot Grigio.

"This is our first time," Ratterree, a nanny, said.

"We heard about it, and we figured we'd check it out," said Rhoads, a Realtor.

An evening in Paris? A hot new cafe in Rome?

Try Jersey Java & Teas in Haddonfield. Dry Haddonfield.

Two weeks ago, the Haddon Avenue cafe became the first Haddonfield establishment to become part of a phenomenon that is growing statewide:

Businesses like cafes, restaurants, and shops that agree to provide space to one of the state's wineries so the wineries can sell bottles of their wine. They can't sell by the glass. Wineries apply to the state for permission to open a wine-selling outlet, but the idea for a partnership may come from the host business or a winery.

Because it is provided for by state law, permission to open one supersedes local dry ordinances, according to the state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which takes local sentiment into account before giving wineries permission to open an outlet. The wineries pay their host businesses some form of fee for their space, but the money from the sale of the wine - many of the bottles sell for $20 or less - goes back to the wineries.

Arrangements like the one between Jersey Java and Auburn Road Vineyards, the Salem County winemaker whose bottles are sold at the cafe, have been allowed for years.

But the rising number of outlets - 133 now operating and 46 pending, according to the state - has to do with a number of relatively recent factors, including the growing number of New Jersey wineries and law changes that permit the wineries to operate more outlets.

In 2009, there were 29 Jersey wineries; now there are 50, according to the alcohol control division.

"The pioneers proved it could be done," said John Cifelli, executive director of the Garden State Wine Growers Association.

In addition, before a state law change in 2012, wineries were limited to six single-winery outlets. Now the wineries are allowed up to 15 outlets, besides selling on their own premises.

"The legislation has allowed the industry to grow," said ABC spokesman Zachariah Hosseini.

Scott Donnini, a former senior lawyer for the Philadelphia Stock Exchange who operates Auburn Road with his wife, a former litigator, sees additional causes for the growth.

"I think it has everything to do with people's attitudes changing about local wine and what wine is all about," said Donnini, who chairs the growers association's legal and legislative committee.

Donnini said he wasn't sure how the Haddonfield outlet would go over. "I mean, it is a dry town."

He was pleasantly surprised.

"From Sept. 5 through the 14th, we sold 79 bottles at Jersey Java, grossing over $1,200," he said. "That is terrific for a new outlet, and I think it greatly exceeded all of our expectations."

Ken Kouba, manager and owner of Jersey Java, said having wine available was getting a positive response - and more than a few double takes.

"A lot of people come in and ask, 'Is this not Haddonfield?' " he said. "It's definitely generating conversation."

Some other local dry towns already have restaurants with outlets. The eateries continue to be BYOBs, giving customers options.

Fred Kellerman has had Auburn Road wine sold at his Elements Cafe in Haddon Heights for almost two years.

"It's been received very positively," he said. "It's another service to my customers."

If anything, he said, it has brought new customers - people interested in Auburn Road wines.

Bistro di Marino and Tortilla Press in Collingswood, another dry town with a lively BYOB dining scene, both carry wine from the Sharrott Winery of Hammonton.

Tortilla Press manager Charlotte Dunn said her customers "love it, they just love it. They think it's great."

This season's preferred quaffs?

Just Peachy Sangria and Summer Sangria were hits, she said.

Collingswood Mayor James Maley had no objection to the outlets and has gotten no complaints from residents.

The two residents agreed this was something they could get used to.

"We say we're a dry town, but we have restaurants full of bottles of great wine," he said.

Jeff Kasko, Haddonfield's mayor since 2013, said he had gotten a few inquiries, but no real push-back. He's for the outlet.

"We thought it was good to be out front and supportive," he said, "because we think it's good for restaurants and businesses in town."

That's good for MiaMare owner Walt Viejewski and Marcus Severs, owner of the Little Tuna. Both are expecting final state authorization for their outlets. Both say they will start as soon as they are allowed to.

Viejewski, whose restaurant will host the Coda Rossa Winery from Franklinville, said it's a bonus for his customers.

"Recently we had party in here, a rehearsal dinner, and the folks ran out of wine," Viejewski said. He jumped into his car and fetched them some bottles.

Severs has made wine runs for his customers, too. He said he had wanted an outlet in his restaurants for several years but previous administrations did not support it.

He is now envisioning open houses and tastings with Amalthea Cellars, the Atco winery that will have an outlet at his restaurant. He hopes other restaurants take advantage of the option.

"I hope everyone jumps on board," he said.

Back at Jersey Java's wine garden, friends Ratterree and Rhoads were contemplating taking their remaining Pinot Grigio to a restaurant to enjoy with dinner. But with night falling and a canopy of little white lights glowing overhead, they didn't seem to be in too much of a hurry.

One, they agreed, could get used to this.

But what about when the warm weather ends?

"When it gets cold," Rhoads said, "we'll just have to switch to red and sit by the fireplace."