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W i n e s & V i n e s J U n e 2 0 1 4 79 WineEast out that it had already been the subject of a trademark application. Further discussion and evaluation resulted in the name "Coeur d'Est" (pronounced "Ker-Dest"), which is French in origin and loosely translates to "Heart of the East." The name recognizes the French origin of the grape varieties in the blend, and the meaning of the term itself evokes the location of the OCP AVA in the center of the eastern Atlantic seaboard. Background on the OCP AVA In 2002, the owners of four New Jersey wineries or vineyards—Jim Quarella of Bellview Winery in Landisville, Larry Coia of Coia Vineyards in Vineland, Frank Salek of Sylvin Farms Winery in Egg Harbor City, and myself, owner of Panther Branch Vineyard in Vineland—started the process of drafting a petition to the TTB to recognize their region as an American Viticultural Area. Their col- lective decades of grapegrowing and wine- making experience—along with the wines then being made by area winemakers—had proven to them that their area not only had a rich winemaking history, but that the future as a winegrowing region could be bright. The boundaries of the OCP AVA follow the southern New Jersey coast, with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Delaware Bay to the south, both of which heavily influence its climate. The AVA is triangular in shape with the western boundary running diagonally, starting roughly from the mouth of the Dela- ware River in the south then to the north- east, where it once again meets the Atlantic coastline and encompasses a total of 2.25 million acres. The AVA takes its name from the Outer Coastal Plain geologic formation adjacent to the Atlantic. It is characterized by well-drained soil of low to moderate fer- tility, thus making it very suitable for viticul- ture. Underlying it is the largest freshwater aquifer in the mid-Atlantic region. After the AVA was recognized, these same four individuals moved to the next step by forming a regional growers' organization, the Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Associa- tion (OCPVA), in 2008. They hoped the organization would become a resource for winegrowers and help establish the AVA as a quality winemaking region. Other OCPVA projects Since the OCPVA was founded, it has undertaken a long list of projects and ac- complishments in a relatively short period of time. These have been possible through the energy and commitment of OCPVA members and the relationships they have formed with other individuals and organizations. One of the first things the group did was to establish a working partnership with the Rutgers Agricultural Research & Extension Service, which helped the association leverage its limited resources. It then applied for and ob- tained a number of USDA grants, from which the group received funding for viticultural research and promotion of the region. These grants have been instrumental in Sales Representatives Chris & Liz Stamp info@lakewoodcork.com Lakewood Cork 4024 State Route 14 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 lakewoodcork.com 607-535-9252 607-535-6656 Fax Natural Corks Champagne Corks Twinline Corks Bartops VISION ® Wine Stopper G-Cap ® Screw Cap As good As it gets. WINES & VINES DIGITAL EDITION View this issue on your tablet, smartphone or online at winesandvines.com/digitaledition The AVA takes its name from the Outer Coastal Plain geologic formation adjacent to the Atlantic.