Amalthea Cellars is a winery in the West Atco section of Winslow in Camden County, New Jersey. The vineyard was first planted in 1976, and opened to the public in 1981. Amalthea has 10 acres of grapes under cultivation, and produces 5,000 cases of wine per year.
Founder Louis Caracciolo fell in love with winemaking in the cellar of his Italian immigrant grandfather as a thirteen year old boy. He attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York for his degree in Food Science and Technology, in which he went on to a prosperous career. In 1972, Louis bought the farm where Amalthea is now located. In 1976, the first vineyards were planted at Amalthea Cellars.
At a recent tasting with other industry trade writers I was introduced to the this charming roguish individualist. Lou makes some wonderful wines. Especially reds. One that particularly struck me was the Cabernet Franc Reserve. Its a big, dark, opaque, red wine. With lots of ripe dark cherry, dried cherry, cranberry, and hints of spice. Deep center of the wines. And the fruit lasts a long, long time. If you like California reds, this is your east coast red. And Louis is definitely your man! Great stuff!
