By Ray Spaziani
Wine Talk
Ray Spaziani
Just a few years ago the wine industry in Connecticut was in its infancy. Today there are 45 farm wineries in Connecticut that employ over 1,000 people. They produce over $85 million in direct sales. Each year the quality is improving.
How do you find them? Go online and get a wine passport, or you can get a wine passport app.
Every year the farm wineries get together and produce an annual passport. The wineries are generally gorgeous places with great views. Many of them have wonderful prizes to entice you to visit.
Here are some of my favorites.
The Central Grown Connecticut Trail includes wonderful restaurants and great places to visit. In Simsbury you can stop at Rosedale Farms & Vineyards. Here you can enjoy farm-to-table dinners and try some fresh fruits and vegetables. They have handcrafted wines as well.
Gouveia Vineyards is in Wallingford, but it looks like you are in the south of France. You can purchase a charcuterie board and enjoy the view while you taste the wines.
In Clinton you can enjoy wines at Chamard Vineyards. They have a great bistro that features many ingredients from local farms.
The Eastern Grown Connecticut Trail includes many places to visit and many wonderful restaurants. Some of my favorite wineries include Cassidy Hill Vineyard in Coventry. They have live music on Fridays during the summer, and they have a large selection of wines.
The Taylor Brooke Winery and Brewery is a beautiful spot located in Woodstock. They have special “meet the winemaker” events.
In Colchester there is Priam Vineyards. They have delicious wines and many special events.
At the Western Grown Connecticut Trail stop at the Community Table on Monday for wines and enjoy burger night. Community Table is in New Preston and is a fun place to be.
Hopkins Vineyard is in Warren, where you can enjoy some nice wines overlooking Lake Waramaug.
Jones Family Farms & Winery is in Shelton. They have a selection of enjoyable wines, as well as pies and fresh fruit.
Stappa Vineyard is in Orange off Route 34. The tasting area has a European flair.
Savino Vineyards is a family-owned winery in Woodbridge. It has a scenic tasting room and great hand-crafted wines.
There are about 40 other wineries in Connecticut. Go online to see pictures and check out specials and promotions.
Ray Spaziani is the former chapter director for 25 years of the New Haven Chapter of the American Wine Society. He is a certified wine educator who worked for the American Wine Society, Amete de Vino and Winemaker Magazine judging wines and conducting wine judging. He is an award-winning home winemaker and has written wine articles for newspapers and magazines for the past 20 years. Spaziani teaches wine classes for the Milford Board of Education at Citrus Restaurant in Milford. Email Ray with wine questions and anything wine at realestatepro1000@gmail.com.