On the Trail of Great Wineries in Connecticut

So you’ve finally gotten around to tasting wine from such far-flung places as New Zealand, Chile, and South Africa. Get your corkscrew back out: Connecticut wineries are vying for your attention and your taste buds. The Nutmeg State is one of the fastest-growing wine regions in the U.S. and today boasts nearly 40 wineries. That’s more than enough to justify having its own official “wine trail” program. Whether you take up that wine trail challenge or just focus on enjoying a visit to a single lovely vineyard, keep in mind this sampling of great wineries in CT.

Great Wineries in Connecticut

SHARPE HILL VINEYARD | POMFRET

Connecticut’s largest and most award-winning winery — as well as one of its most venerable — Sharpe Hill is situated on more than 100 acres of rolling farmland. Pair your wine sampling (don’t miss the famed citrusy-floral Ballet of Angels) with a meal on the terrace or in the charming upstairs dining room, both overlooking the picture-book vineyard. Named a 2009 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Wine Tasting Venue.”

SUNSET MEADOW VINEYARDS | GOSHEN

With roots going back to 2001, this estimable 50-acre vineyard is still in the hands of founders Judy and George Motel, with son George IV managing the operations. Fan favorites include the crisp Cayuga White and the fruity Sunset Blush, which you can sip alongside a variety of cheeses and chocolates from local artisans. Named a 2010 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Family Winery.”

GOUVEIA VINEYARDS | WALLINGFORD

As you sip smooth seyval blanc, smoky cabernet franc, or Stone House Red — a blend starring the only zinfandel grapes grown on the East Coast north of Virginia — survey the 140-acre estate surrounding this fertile hilltop and give thanks for the hard work, dreams, and generosity of founder Joe Gouveia, who shined shoes when he arrived in New Haven from Portugal at age 15. A bring-your-own-food (but no beverages) policy makes this the rollicking gathering spot Gouveia and wife, Lucy, conceived: a place to converse, celebrate, and connect old-world-style. Named a 2017 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Vineyard.”

JONATHAN EDWARDS WINERY | NORTH STONINGTON

A visit to Jonathan Edwards has been compared with visiting a winery in Napa or Sonoma — and for good reason. This 48-acre hilltop winery is proudly “bicoastal,” producing both Napa wines and “estate” wines made with Connecticut-grown grapes, all available for tasting in a restored 1880 dairy barn. Bonus: a robust lineup of summer music events.

HOPKINS VINEYARD | NEW PRESTON

Location, location, location: Thanks to its next-door neighbor, Lake Waramaug, Hopkins Vineyard enjoys a special microclimate that extends its growing season and allows it to grow grapes that normally falter in the Northeast. It also enjoys spectacular lake views, which are almost as much of a draw for visitors as the lineup of top-shelf, small-batch vintages, including a much-heralded ice wine.

CHAMARD VINEYARDS | CLINTON

The fine wines here come from European wine grapes, ideal for Chamard’s gently sloping, rocky fields and proximity to Long Island Sound. Its leading wine is chardonnay, but the vineyard’s 20 established acres also include cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and cabernet franc. Bonus: The acclaimed Bistro at Chamard, opened in 2012, offers top-notch French-American cuisine with a farm-to-table ethos.

JONES WINERY | SHELTON

Situated on some 400 acres of land that has been owned and worked by the Jones family for six generations, this winery is part of a thriving farm that grows everything from strawberries to Christmas trees, as well as offers cooking classes via its Harvest Kitchen. More than a dozen wines are on offer here, but be sure to look for the much-heralded dessert wines featuring local blueberries, raspberries, and black currants.

STONINGTON VINEYARDS | STONINGTON

It was an article in, of all places, Yankee magazine that helped inspire Nick and Happy Smith to buy this picturesque 58-acre property and launch Stonington Vineyards in 1987. Winemaker Mike McAndrew presides over the production of Stonington’s European-style vintages, led by a terrific barrel-fermented chardonnay. Bonus: Visiting food trucks on summer weekends.

BISHOP’S ORCHARDS WINERY | GUILFORD

Though this farm has been a Guilford fixture since 1871, it didn’t branch out into the wine business until 2005 — and when it did, it drew on what it already had in abundance: top-quality, fresh-from-the-field fruit. Bishop’s produces a cornucopia of about a dozen fruit wines, plus hard cider, as well as entices visitors with a sizable farm market (with bakery and kitchen) and seasonal pick-your-own programs.

HAIGHT-BROWN VINEYARDS | LITCHFIELD

Located just down the road from Litchfield’s classic-New-England town center, Haight-Brown has a special pedigree. It’s considered Connecticut’s first vineyard (c. 1975) and a pioneer in offering wine-education events and classes. Not to mention the fact that original owner Sherman Haight is credited with proposing that Connecticut create a wine trail. And as overseen by today’s owners, Amy Senew and Jacques Muratori, Haight-Brown has become one of the trail’s most popular stops. What are your favorite wineries in CT? Let us know! This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated. 

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