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A2 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017 Grapes sweet on mild winter at Willow Creek Winery By JACK FICHTER burst,” he said. Why did it take Cape May Cape May Star and Wave Celli said what he would County so long to discover it not want to see is fi ve or six had great weather and soil WEST CAPE MAY — The days of 60 plus degrees fol- for growing wine grapes? grape vines are sleeping, lowed by a frost. He said one Celli said the Wildwoods had but you don’t have to tiptoe or two days of frost after the an abundance of wild grapes around the winery. plants have awakened can growing historically. He said Willow Creek Winery has a affect vine growth and can until about 20 years ago, only number of events scheduled result in 10 percent to 20 per- one winery per one million throughout the winter, and cent loss in one or two days. residents was permitted in so far the vines remain snug A dry spring would also be the state. in their beds from a mild favorable to the vines, said “For our peninsula, I think winter. Celli, noting a wet spring there was no one who put two “This mild winter has been can harm bud growth and and two together to see the fantastic thus far,” winemak- development for the follow- sandy soil, the cross breeze er and farm director Kevin ing spring. from the ocean and the bay. Celli said. Last summer and fall pro- I don’t think people were He said the biggest prob- duced a great growing sea- really paying attention. The lem with vinifera vines is son, he said. mindset was California in the they can die if the weather “It was the best I’ve ever ’70s and before that it was gets too cold. Celli said vines seen from our fi eld,” he said. France and Italy,” Celli said. can die if the temperature “I compare it to 2010 for As more wineries pop up drops from a range of 5 de- Cape May County, which in the region, Celli said the grees to 5 below zero for 24 I feel is the best season on attitude in the industry “the hours with no wind. record. more the merrier.” He cites “We like the mild winters “With the grapes that came California’s Napa Valley, and so do the vines. They in from the previous year, where more than 400 winer- sleep comfortably for the I’m excited to see what wines ies coexist. winter when the weather is are going to come of it and I Jack Fichter/CAPE MAY STAR AND WAVE Seven wineries are open like this,” he said. have everything now sitting on the peninsula within 13 During winter, the vines in barrels and tanks,” Celli Christopher and Brittany Williams, of Asheboro, N.C., stop at Willow Creek Winery for a miles of each other, Celli withdraw nu- continued. tasting during their trip to the Cape May area. said. Wine lovers are known trients into ‘We like the mild winters and The winery to go “wine hopping,” visiting the taproots is holding two fresh thyme, bay leaf and the Feb. 14 event offers four blend of cabernet sauvignon, multiple wineries, he said. and store car- so do the vines. They sleep Vintners Val- black pepper placed on a courses. Celli describes each merlot and Chambourcin. Celli said wineries provide bohydrates comfortably for the winter entine Din- bed of garlic mashed red course as well as the wine While the entire West Cape a year-round activity and through the ners, pairing potatoes with a side of grilled and why they were paired to May property is planted in something to do on rainy days rest of the when the weather is like this.’ a variety of asparagus. bring out the fl avor of each vines, Willow’s Creek’s Leg- in the summer season. plant, Celli –Kevin Celli, winemaker dishes with a On Valentine’s Day, the dish. ate’s Farm in North Cape Willow Creek’s tasting said. local flair to dinner features tomato He said he is pleased with May will have 5,000 new room is open every day from “Once the and farm director, their wines. bisque, scallop Ceviche and Willow Creek’s Malvaisia Bi- vines planted in the spring on 11 a.m. Special events at temperature Willow Creek Winery On Saturday, Cape May bronze chicken, anca this year, best described the 68-acre property. the winery include Fire Pit begins to rise Feb. 11, the a boneless chicken breast as a lusty white wine. “We can’t wait for the Fridays and a pasta and wine and the plants dinner fea- stuffed with sharp provo- “That’s an incredible wine weather to break to start dinner on Sundays replete experience four or fi ve days tures Southern Mansion lone cheese and roasted red that you can’t fi nd anywhere planting posts. The vines will with music from Frank Sina- of 60 plus degrees, the plant Master Chef Brian Parker’s peppers topped with a garlic else on the East Coast,” he be here April 15 and we’ll tra. A comedy night is held starts to withdraw those French duck, Italian lob- cream sauce. said. “The Malvaisia has have 5,000 new babies in once a month. stored carbohydrates and ster and Cape May fi let, a Celli said Parker paired been a homerun, people are LeGate’s,” Celli said. For Valentine’s Day res- send the nutrients back up demi-infused filet mignon each course with a Willow crazy about it.” Vines will include mer- ervations and directions, see through the plant to begin sautéed with pure balsamic Creek wine. The Feb. 11 din- Celli said Willow Creek is lot, Albarino and sauvignon willowcreekwinerycapemay. to bud swell and then bud vinegar, garlic, red wine, ner features fi ve courses and also presenting Bacchus, a blanc, he said. com. Beaches Continued from Page A1 not necessary to think about He said during the George gets steeper in front of the has increased, the number “There’s pluses and mi- a massive rise. W. Bush and Barrack Obama beach.” of projects on the East Coast nuses to this but with the economics do not make “Just go with the rate sea administrations, there was He said nature is trying alone, and the West Coast is Corps of Engineers, you can- sense at other beaches. level is rising right now and a growing reticence for fed- to move it back to recreate starting to knock on the door not do a bridge to nowhere,” “What I see as the biggest that’s indisputable, nobody eral funding of local coastal a natural, gradual shoreline with authorized projects,” he said. “You have to have problem is that we don’t argues about that because storm protection projects break and that is not being Marlowe said. a study approved by a civil really have a national plan sea level is in fact rising now such as beach nourishment. allowed to happen. Coastal resilience, which works review panel.” or vision for where or how a little over 3 millimeters a On the topic of Cape May’s “You’re going to have a Cape May falls under, it just He said the study process federal dollars should be year,” he said. “What that shorebreak in the surf zone different beach than nature about the smallest program can exceed three years in spent, no big-picture vision,” tells you is that it’s only that has been blamed for would create. This is now an in the mission of the Army length. he said. “They fund project going to be more difficult injuries to bathers, Young engineered beach, it’s not a Corps of Engineers, he said. “It’s in the hands of middle by project.” in the future to hold your theorized the Army Corps natural beach,” Young said. Marlowe said flooding is management in the adminis- Much money is thrown beach in place and not less would not want the city A moving shoreline is a occurring along the coast tration and middle manage- at the coast after a hurri- diffi cult even at today’s rate “scraping around all the natural process. He said more frequently from “non- ment is career folks who cane, Young said. He noted of sea level rise, forget ac- marine invertebrates that if there were not develop- newsworthy events” and don’t like the Corps of En- Cape May is receiving beach celeration or impact of mas- are in the near shore zone.” ment along the shoreline, the unnamed storms. gineers, period,” Marlowe replenishment as mitiga- sive global warming. You’re He said the city has probably beach would not disappear, He said the Philadelphia said. “They certainly don’t tion for the federal gov- going to need to do it more given the Army Corps a per- it would simply move land- District of the Army Corps like the coastal program. ernment building the Cape frequently and it’s going to petual easement to maintain ward and be located where is looking at beaches along They think you all ought to May Inlet jetty. He said the cost more money.” its projects. buildings now stand. Delaware Bay in a prelimi- be paying for it yourselves.” Army Corps does not have He said municipalities “They are probably not ex- Young said the shoreline nary manner but there is no On the topic of shore a national plan or priorities here would be competing cited about the idea of hav- would like to re-establish a direction from Congress.

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