Move over, Napa Valley – Connecticut is fast becoming part of the United States’ collection of established wine-making regions. If the best pizza in the country is found in Connecticut, perhaps the next great wine is in the making in this fertile region. Let’s get to know the Connecticut Wine Trail.
About the Connecticut Wine Trail
In 1978, commercial wineries are finally permitted in Connecticut through the Connecticut winery act, allowing wineries and vineyards to reap the benefits of the state’s mild climate and fertile soil. Seeing the great potential of the region, the Connecticut Wine Trail was then established about 10 years later.
Traversing through 25 different wineries, the Connecticut Wine Trail is every oenophile or aspiring sommelier’s dream. Taste your way through a variety of flavors, from barrel-aged reds and crisp whites to locally made fruit wines. Common varietals grown in the area, however, include Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Seyval Blank, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and St. Croix.
Those who wish to complete the Connecticut Wine Trail can start in several points, mainly the Connecticut or Housatonic River Valleys trailhead, the Litchfield Hills, the so-called Quiet Corner, or along the coast. Aside from a wide range of wines, visitors will also get to some of Connecticut’s different geographical features, and of course, a plethora of dedicated and passionate farmers and winemakers.
Wineries and vineyards
The following wineries and vineyards are part of the Connecticut Wine Trail. Get ready for your great grape escape.
- DiGrazia Vineyards
- Bishop’s Orchards Winery and Farm Market
- Chamard Vineyards
- Connecticut Valley Winery
- Gouveia Vineyards
- Holmberg Orchards & Winery
- Haight-Brown Vineyards
- Hopkins Vineyard
- Jones Winery
- Jonathan Edwards Vinery
- Jerram Winery
- Paradise Hills Vineyard
- Land of Nod Winery
- Miranda Vineyard
- Maugle Sierra Vineyards
- White Silo Winery
- Priam Vineyards
- Taylor Brooke Winery
- Preston Ridge Vineyard
- Saltwater Farm Vineyard
- Sunset Meadow Vineyards
- Sharpe Hill Vineyard
- Stonington Vineyard
- Rosedale Farms & Vineyard
- McLaughlin
Are you ready to embark on a delicious journey? For more information about the Connecticut Wine Trail, including year-round events, log on to http://ctwine.com.