This is the third installation of Passport to Connecticut Wineries, or Sophie and Cecelia’s adventures tasting their way through Connecticut wineries!
On Saturday, August 1, 2009, we visited Miranda Vineyard, Sunset Meadows Vineyards, and Haight-Brown Vineyard. Coincidentally, this was the weekend of the Connecticut Wine Festival at the Goshen Fairgrounds in Goshen, CT.
Miranda Vineyard
42 Ives Road, Goshen, CT 06756, (860) 491-9906Marilyn was our server. Tastings are $6:56 and include all six wines and the Miranda wine glass.
We tasted their Seyval Blanc (crisp), Chardonay (light), Woodridge White (just ok–get the Seyval Blanc), Woodridge Red (a nice blend of Merlot and Cab Franc), Merlot, and Rosé (sweet).
All of their wines are made from estate grapes except for the Merlot, which is from California grapes.
This was quite an enjoyable tasting.
Join them on October 17 for their own wine festival with grape stomping!
Sunset Meadows Vineyards
599 Old Middle Street Route 63 Goshen, CT 06756, (860) 201-4654Rebecca was our server. For the $5.83 tasting, you can choose five of their eight wines and keep the SMV wine glass.
I tasted Blustery Blend (Cayuga White and Seyval Blanc), Sunset Blush (very refreshing), Merlot (half CA and half CT grapes, not peppery though), Twisted Red (blend of Cab, Cab Franc, Lemberger, and Chamborcin), and St. Croix.
The Twisted Red was my hands-down favorite. The St. Croix was a close second and is made entirely of tehir grapes. All wines except the Merlot and Twisted Red is 100% from estate grapes.
We decided to take our lunch here, under an umbrella on the patio. We’d brought local cheeses and bread, and along with their Merlitas (frozen Merlot Margarita) and made a small picnic of it.
Another incredibly enjoyable tasting!
Haight-Brown Vineyard
Chestnut Hill, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4045Michael was our server. For the $7 tasting, you can choose eight of their thirteen wines and keep the Haight-Brown wine glass.
I had the Railway White (Seyval Blanc), Riesling (nice), Nouveau Foch (a Beaujolais style), Picnic Red (best for Sangria), Morning Harvest (likely better with food) , Big Red (the best of the day), Apricot Moon (a dessert wine), and Media Noche (sherry-like). Their grapes are predominantly from elsewhere.
