January is the Monday morning of the calendar year. It’s gray and cold, the flurry of December has left us with lighter wallets and thicker waistlines, and spring feels really far away. If you need to shake up your routine or get your colleagues or clients out of their winter ruts, head straight for Hunterdon County’s Beneduce Vineyards. I know what you’re thinking—“a vineyard in the middle of winter?!”—but this charming spot will cure your winter blues for sure. Beneduce is run by the brother-sister team of Mike Beneduce and Justen Hiles. Mike studied viticulture and enology at Cornell University (which means he knows how to make wine—really well) and Justen handles all of the events. The venue has two great spots for events. There is a multitasking barn, which houses their tasting room and production facilities. The barn is equal parts charming—there’s an antique door and three large oval windows that were rescued from an antique shop in upstate New York—and modern, since this is where all of the magic happens and you’ll get to see the equipment and the barrels firsthand. The barn has a bar but events are best held in the Loft that perches above and overlooks the whole interior. The Loft accommodates up to 25 people for a tasting or tour. Of course, the real reason you come to Beneduce for an event is its fantastic Tropical Oasis. As you drive through the entrance, you’ll spot a series of greenhouses (the Beneduces also own Great Swamp Greenhouse and grow many of their plants at the Pittstown vineyard). One greenhouse is reserved for fun, not flowers, though. The Tropical Oasis is just that—brimming with tropical plants, this heated indoor-outdoor space is just what you need to cure the winter blues. Whether you want to organize a tasting or just treat your group out to a drink and some food (they have catering available by gourmet food trucks), the Oasis can handle up to 125 people for a buy-out.
Beneduce Vineyards / Pittstown, N.J.
