VUE

Chosen for Wine Enthusiast America's top 100 and winner of Wine Spectator's Grand Award in 2015, the wine cellar at Latour boasts over 9,100 labels from around the world. The alluring cellar is comprised of all the best vintages of chateaux of Bordeaux and Burgundy since the 1950's, and is said to be worth over $30 million if you were to purchase every bottle. Using architectural features like glass-enclosed spaces and private dining rooms, the cellar allows guests to explore the wonders of a great vintage in an appropriate setting. The cellar at Latour was a passion project of Gene Mulvihill, the original owner of Crystal Springs Resort, who told NJ Monthly, "There are no fillers." The statement is a testament to how Mulvihill has polished the vast selection over the past 50 years. What began as a simple love of fine wine has become one of the world's premier collections. With Cava Winery around the corner, it's easy to see why Northern New Jersey is becoming an ideal destination for wine lovers. Among its many other dining options, Crystal Spring features a "garden-to-table" dining adventure in the resort's one-acre, organic garden. Surrounded by fresh vegetables and flowers, guests are able to observe as chefs choose seasonal elements to incorporate into each meal. Because the outdoor kitchen does not utilize gas, the chefs make use of grills and wood- fired ovens to prepare their entrées. Aside from eating fresh fruits and vegetables harvested that day, the Chef's Garden also supplies nearby restaurants with fresh produce, including Restaurant Latour. Featuring massive wooden beams and spectacular stonework, the Grand Cascades Lodge—Winner of the AAA 4-Diamond Award—is built in a nostalgic Adirondack-style, and is the resort's most attractive lodging option. The hotel's hand-carved wooden decor and leather furnishing elevates its organic character. Adjacent to the Kittatinny Mountain Range, Crystal Springs' sumptuous main lodge stands like a beacon which can be seen for miles across the valley. While the spectacular view may be enough for some guests, the lodge also offers many high-end amenities. For instance, within the Grand Cascade Lodge is the Biosphere Tropical Pool Complex which features a cave-themed steam room, sauna, and a grotto-like jacuzzi. The lodge is also home to Reflections Spa, which offers weekend spa packages. Upon entering Reflections, 8,000 quartz crystals hanging from the ceiling, said to encompass healing powers from the earth, refract light and irradiate the fire-inspired glass walls. The luminous, fiery glass flows throughout each room, accompanied by the perpetual calm of cascading water in each hall. Massage therapists adept in rare Thai yoga massages ease away any remaining tensions in the spa's traditional Thai treatment room. Each treatment includes a complimentary foot soak in a personal reflecting pool, steam shower, pink champagne, and specialty chocolates. A T G R A N D C A S C A D E S L O D G E A WORLD RENOWNED WINE CELLAR REFLECTIONS SPA W W W. V U E N J . C O M 101

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