When we first visited the eastern loop of the Connecticut Wine Trail in November 2007, we were delighted to find several outstanding wineries sprinkled amid the strip malls and gambling casinos. We also encountered some not so outstanding wine. And we wrote about all of it. (http://blog.vinoduo.com/2007/11/23/along-the-eastern-connecticut-wine-trail.aspx) Apparently, that broke some kind of unspoken code of honor—writers should never speak ill of run of the mill wine produced by small, local wineries. One reader chastised us for our “profound and very transparent snobbery,” and implied that holding Connecticut wine to the same standard as wine produced in California or Washington was absurd.

We were stung by the criticism. As champions of smaller wineries in lesser-known regions, we regularly shine a light on wine that deserves a wider audience. But we also believe that good wine is good wine, no matter how big or small the producer. So along the Connecticut Wine Trail three years ago, we crowed about Priam Vineyards and Jonathan Edwards Winery and were less charitable about others.  Re-reading our post, however, we were struck by the snarky tone that did not reflect favorably on VinoDuo. So, as we planned our return trip to Connecticut to visit the wineries we missed in ‘07, Lisa and Gary made a pact: speak well of the good stuff and…speak our mind about the rest, but, you know, politely.

What We Bought

If you’d rather skip the tasting details and just want to know what to buy, here’s our Connecticut weekend haul:

Jones Winery

• Stonewall Chardonnay 2009  ($16.95)
• Merlot 2009  ($17.95)
• Ripton Red ($15.95)
• Black Currant Bouquet  ($15.95)

Heritage Trail Vineyards

• Chardonnay  ($32)
• Cabernet Franc ($32)

Where We Stayed

You might say we slept in the vineyards during our visit. Fitch Claremont Vineyard Bed in Bozrah is surrounded by four acres of vines, lovingly planted by proprietor Warren Strong.  Warren and Nora are amateur winemakers and excellent innkeepers; our room was comfortable and clean as a whistle and the breakfast was out of this world! We’re still trying to figure out how to make the stuffed blueberry egg soufflé dish that graced our plate.

What We Tasted

Our first stop took us to McLaughlin Vineyards in Sandy Hook, at the far western reaches of the Eastern Wine Trail. In a bit of time-travel freakiness, we drove down a long and dusty road past a field where two teams clad in vintage uniforms played old-timey baseball with wooden bats and larger balls.  We had stumbled on a regular weekend game of the Newtown Sandy Hook Vintage Baseball Club , founded in 2005 to “provide wholesome recreation to those who wish to experience our national pastime played in the style and traditions of the 19th Century.” 

After that surreal introduction, we anticipated McLaughlin Vineyards staff greeting us in bonnets and aprons. But while the winery sits on a160-acre farm with a homey, old-fashioned New England feel to it, the tasting room and wine were very 21st century. 

The young tasting room staffer walked us through the wine offerings.  McLaughlin produces 2500 cases of wine each year, much of it not to our taste. Gary suggested there was too much of the limestone terroir shining though the wines, “adding imbalance and a dissatisfying aftertaste on the finish,” particularly with the Merlot. (The best part of the Merlot tasting was the marvelous Thompson Chocolates from Meriden, CT served with it.) We preferred the Vista Reposa (non-vintage,) a Cabernet Sauvignon/Cab Franc blend whose deep flavors show true promise.

Our second stop was the Jones Family Farms, 13 miles from McLaughlin in Shelton, CT. Founded in the 1850’s and now in its sixth generation of family farming, Jones is better known in Shelton as “the place you get your Christmas tree.” With 200 acres of evergreens and a giant wooden Santa Claus on the premises, we assumed that winemaking was Farmer Jones’ hobby. We assumed wrong. Winemaker Jamie Jones is no amateur. He produces complex, drinkable wines that we happily tasted, bought, and cellared.

                          

In a beautifully renovated tasting room (2009) with a centered rectangular bar, Bob Sember walked us through the Jones tasting menu. Bob has worked at the farm for over 18 years. He was incredibly generous with both his knowledge and time and provided one of the best tasting experiences we’ve had in quite a while.

Of the three white varietals (Cayuga, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris) we were partial to the 2009 Stonewall Chardonnay ($17.)  This unoaked Chard featured hints of honeysuckle, peach with a slight minerality. The crisp, clean palate prompted Lisa to say, “So that’s how Chardonnay is supposed to taste.” The ’09 was Jones’ first vintage; we bought two bottles and look forward to seeing how year 2 turns out.

Connecticut supplies the grapes for all of the white wines. For his reds, Jamie Jones draws from his own vineyards (Cab Franc), other Connecticut producers (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon), and California’s Central Coast (Merlot, Sangiovese). Importing grapes is a touchy subject in Connecticut (see our previous post re: Jonathan Edwards Winery.) So we’ll leave the moralizing to others and simply discuss the wine.

We loved the Jones 2009 Merlot, ($18) which blends some locally grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with the Central Coast Merlot. A nice balance of fruit and tannins interlaced with hints of oak and leather. Ripton Red ($16) is a Jones Winery favorite, comprised of 80% California Sangiovese and 20% Connecticut Merlot and assorted “other” varietals.  The nose had hints of cherry Twizzlers and the taste was “kapow,” with big fruit and tannins to match. Gary said he couldn’t wait to pair it with his homemade eggplant and chicken parmesan (which, Lisa will note, beats the local red sauce Italian joint any night of the week).

Our final stop of the day was at Gouveia Vineyards in Wallingford.  Goueveia has a drop-dead gorgeous setting, with 360-degree views of rolling woodlands and centuries-old farms. It looks the part of a sophisticated wine operation. Step inside and it’s Saturday Night in Wallingford…or Tanglewood without the BSO or the brie. (Oh, there’s that snark again. Bad Lisa)  Couples, families, groups are spread out on picnic tables, enjoying their pizza, Chinese take-out, or homemade treats. One couple was playing Yahtzee; others dealt cards for a friendly game of gin rummy.  And they were all drinking Goueveia wine, purchased at the winery, of course.

                 

It was controlled pandemonium, so we forgave the tasting room staff for being a bit distracted. Conversation was short and, frankly, a bit uninformed. On its 28 acres, Gouveia cultivates 13 varietals, from Connecticut favorites like Cayuga and St. Croix to Merlot, Cab Franc, and Pinot Noir. We tasted six wines, including two Chardonnays (one oaked, the other steel), a super-sweet Rosé, a Cab Franc, Merlot, and Stone House Red. We liked the Stone House Red ($20,) a blend of Merlot, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 12 months in US and French oak. Gary thought it would be a terrific “burger wine” but at $20 he lamented that there are plenty of choices that go for closer to $10. We also liked the 2009 Merlot with its deep plum nose, fruit-forward taste and spice/pepper finish. Perhaps if we weren’t so rushed at the tasting bar, we might have enjoyed the wines a bit more, and maybe even had some of our questions answered.

On Day Two we chucked our plan to re-visit wineries from the 2007 trip and headed to Lisbon, CT to scope out the newest winery on the Eastern loop, Heritage Trail Vineyards .  If walking into Gouveia was like date night in the ‘burbs, the vibe at Heritage Trail was Sunday Brunch in SoHo. More a restaurant that serves homemade wine (but oh, what wine) than a winery with some food, Heritage Trail is the brainchild of Harry and Laura Schwartz. Malibu transplants, the Schwartz’s have found the ideal division of labor: Chef Harry (of Public Television and cookbook fame) runs the restaurant and Laura is winemaker and winery manager.

         

At Heritage, set aside your winery expectations. There’s no tasting bar. The staff is young, hip, and a little green around the gills when it comes to understanding wine. But Harry and Laura were warm, gracious hosts. The palate cleansers were divine: a trio of toppings for crackers and breads including goat cheese from the Schwartz’s farm, Tuscan black olive tapenade, blueberry compote, and, wasabi-flavored goat cheese flatbread crisps. Oh, and did we mention that Laura makes phenomenally good wine?

While we tasted seven wines, Lisa and Gary agreed on two examples of terrific, serious wine made with Northeastern-grown grapes. The unoaked Chardonnay ($32) was a big hit. In the glass the wine is light-colored straw; almost translucent. But with its sweet pear and peaches on the nose, a balance of fruit, acid, and tannin structure, and a long finish, we could have sworn we were drinking a classic California deck wine.

Heritage’s Cabernet Franc ($32) was our other favorite. The fruit is from the North Fork of Long Island (another favorite weekend destination for VinoDuo,) with a lovely color a bit light for a Cab Franc. This fruity charmer grew in complexity as it opens (it took @15 minutes in our glasses). There were notes of vanilla, toasted oak, and tobacco on the nose, bright berry flavors, and enough acidity to stand up to lamb and veal. This is one of the best Cabernet Franc’s we’ve tasted from Northeast producers and only stands to improve in our cellar.