Connecticut Wineries

(Originally posted on 4/22/07)

Connecticut has 15 vineyards that you can visit. This weekend, I visited a few of them.

My first stop on my tour was the McLaughlin Vineyards located at 14 Albert's Hill Road, Sandy Hook. This is a small, family-owned winery with about 30 acres of vines. They make white and red wines. The tasting was free. The favorites of the wines I tasted were the 2000 Vista Reposa and the NV Snow Goose. The Reposa is a red blend though it is primarily Cabernet Franc. It is a dry wine, that reminded a bit of popcorn. It might have been the hazelnut flavors in the wine. The Snow Goose is a white blend thast reminds me of a slightly sweet Riesling. It was crisp and would be a good food wine.

Next stop was the Hopkins Vineyard at 25 Hopkins road, Warren. This was a very nice winery and you can even do a self-tour and check out some of their wine making equipment. Tasting costs $5 and you get to keep your glass. The tasting includes 8 wines. There is a $2 extra charge if you want to try their ice wine. They make white and red wines, plus some a peach wine. My favorite of the tasting was their 2005 Vineyard Reserve, a white wine blend of Seyval Blanc and Vidal Blanc. No oak is used. It is crisp and light, with nice fruit. The peach wine had a strong nose of peach though on the palate there was a strong apricot flavor, which is not one of my favorite tastes. Their ice wine also had a strong apricot flavor. They also make sparkling wines though none were available for tasting.

Lastly, went to the Haight Vineyard at 29 Chestnut Hill Road, Litchfield. The tasting cost $6. They have white, red and fruit wines though none of them really impressed me much.