Connecticut Wine Festival set for July

Visitors to last year's tasting event.

FARMINGTON, CT -- The Nutmeg State bumps up against a wine powerhouse, New York State, but it isn't hiding its own wines despite the competition.

The 3rd annual  Connecticut Wine Festival is being put together by the Connecticut Vineyard and Winery Association (CVWA) for a July 30-31 run at the Goshen Fairgrounds in Litchfield County.

The event will feature local wines, specialty food vendors, artisanal craft from jewelry to wine racks, and live music.

This will be a good chance to learn about Connecticut wines, which range from Chardonnays to Merlots. As George Motel, owner of Sunset Meadows Vineyards and chairman of the festival, concedes, "Connecticut is not the first place one would think of for wines, yet, its moderate climate and sloping topography in fact is well-suited for growing grapes, and its wineries are attracting a growing legion of fans ... ."

Daily admission is $20 in advance, available at any participating CVWA winery, online or by phone; $25 at the door. Guests under 21 and designated drivers will be admitted for $10. Photo ID with proof of age is required for the wine tasting. Hours for the festival will be noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 30, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 31. More details and online access are available here. Phone: (860) 677-5467.

Proceeds from the festival will support promotion of the CVWA Wine Trail and the state's wine industry. The Trail is a state-approved winery and vineyard awareness program marked with blue signs that identify the location of all participating wineries that welcome visitors.

The Trail members are:

Bishop’s Orchards Winery and Farm Market
Chamard Vineyards
Connecticut Valley Winery
DiGrazia Vineyards
Gouveia Vineyards
Haight-Brown Vineyards
Holmberg Orchards & Winery
Hopkins Vineyard
Jerram Winery
Jonathan Edwards Winery
Jones Winery
Land of Nod Winery
Maugle Sierra Vineyards
McLaughlin Vineyards
Miranda Vineyard
Paradise Hills Vineyard
Priam Vineyards
Rosedale Farms & Vineyard
Saltwater Farm Vineyard
Sharpe Hill Vineyard
Stonington Vineyards
Sunset Meadow Vineyards
Taylor Brooke Winery
White Silo Winery

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Go here to browse all wine trails in the U.S.

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