In May of 2008 we wrote about the Coastal Wine Trail of Southeastern New England and we were reminded by a few readers about the Connecticut Wine Trail just further along the coast. Today I’ll make amends by covering this wonderful way of seeing Connecticut if you’re a wine lover – and I am!

Commercial vineyards have been legal in Connecticut since 1978 and since then wineries have sprung up around the state and currently total nineteen.

The vineyards are split between western Connecticut with a number clustered around the Housatonic Valley and the rolling hills of the Litchfield region, and the remainder in the Connecticut River Valley and coastal region in eastern Connecticut.

While wine making has become serious business in Connecticut, nonetheless a number of these wineries are on agricultural farms that have been in families for generations and offer seasonal vegetables and fruits for picking and selecting as well.

This map provides more details on the locations of the vineyards as of May 2009; use it as a guide for planning your Connecticut Wine Trail trip…

The climate of Connecticut is more temperate than other areas in New England. The winters are not as harsh and spring comes earlier providing a longer growing season for the grapes. For example the climate of coastal Connecticut on Long Island Sound is similar to Central France or the Burgundy region.

The Connecticut Wine Trail itself is marked by blue signs and it is a free and open tour you can organize and spread out over a number of weekends, or group some together and spend just one weekend. While you can see all the wineries in a whirlwind 2/3 days it is suggested you schedule no more than four wineries in one day so you can sample the many facets each winery offers such as walking trails and special events during the season.

Most of the wineries offer tours and wine tasting but you should call ahead to reserve and to get exact times. There may be a small charge for wine tasting sessions.

In addition to visiting the vineyards the trail takes you through historic Connecticut villages and regions, scenic roads with rolling hills and open meadows, and the states famous coastal and river areas. The Connecticut Wine Trail offers a wonderful getaway opportunity for couples with no kids to entertain, and the chance to sample great wines and stay and dine at Connecticut’s finest lodging and restaurants.

Once you have planned out your trip use our where to stay in Connecticut resource here for searching good deals.

For more information on each of the vineyards together with directions, hours of operation and contact information download the Connecticut Wine Trail brochure at the official web site here.

Connecticut has many outstanding destinations and attractions and for more suggestions check out our special Connecticut Getaways section here.

Another New England post by one of our writers is being prepared right now so be sure to visit again or just subscribe to our RSS Feed here and get notified automatically of events and news.

Yankee Traveler
Staff Writer
New England Online Magazine

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