By Ray Spaziani
Wine Talk
Ray Spaziani
The end of July and the beginning of August is a great time to visit some Connecticut wineries. Here is a few I will recommend I think you will really enjoy.
One of the first Connecticut wineries on the Connecticut Wine Trail is Stonington Vineyards. Located in Stonington, midway between New York and Boston, it is known for its Chardonnay and delicious Riesling. It makes a Cabernet Franc that I like and also has some popular blends.
Another great stop for summer activities is Priam Vineyards in Colchester. The wines are great, and they host some wonderful musical events and wine pairing classes. The views are fantastic. This 40-acre farm has 12,000 grapevines in production. It is a perfect place to spend an afternoon tasting wines and enjoying our wonderful New England countryside. The vineyard is named after Andrew Priam, the grandfather whose lands were confiscated during the Russian Revolution in Hungary. It is a fun place to be.
In Gales Ferry, Holmberg Orchards is a nice place to visit for the entire family. There are lots of activities for everyone. They have fruit picking, wine tasting and a great farm market. The pies are excellent. They also produce fruit wines and hard cider, and their tasting room is wonderful. It is a gorgeous spot.
Preston Ridge Vineyards in Preston has some of the most remarkable views of any vineyard in Connecticut. It is located only 15 miles from Long Island Sound and sits on 60 acres. The vineyard is located on the peak of a ridge. The Connecticut countryside can be appreciated wonderfully from this location. They are known for their Rieslings, but you must take in some of their breathtaking views. They have a great tasting room as well.
Jones Winery in Shelton is a winery where the farm’s founder, Philip James Jones, said “Be good to the land and it will be good to you.” Jones Winery features traditional grape wines and specialty fruit wines. Tasting of several different wines and specialty fruit wines is available in their converted dairy barn daily. Jones also has a farm-to-table cooking studio and wine-food pairing classes. It is a great place with great people.
Elijah Hopkins founded a farm in Warren on Connecticut’s Lake Waramaug on his return from the Revolutionary War in 1787. It is currently the home of the Hopkins Vineyards. The first vines were planted in 1979 and the land was turned into a state-of-the-art vineyard. The surroundings are beautiful and the wines very good.
Savino Vineyards is close by in Woodbridge. The wines are great. They are open Saturday and Sunday from May to November. They have live music and special events.
Connecticut has 56 wineries; these are just few. Visit and support our wonderful Connecticut wineries. You will be glad you did.
Ray Spaziani is the chapter director of the New Haven chapter of the American Wine Society. He is on the tasting panels of Winemaker Magazine and Amate del Vino and is a certified wine educator and award-winning home winemaker. Email Ray with your wine questions or activities at realestatepro1000@gmail.com.