Connecticut Wine Trail: Part I

If you live anywhere in Connecticut and like wine even just a little bit, it's time to pick up your Connecticut Wine Trail Passport. There's just no excuse for NOT hopping on this bandwagon.

My tattered Wine Passport.

This baby's gonna send me to Spain!

Across the state of Connecticut, there are roughly 30 wineries operating today. Think red wine, white wine, fruit wine, ice wine. And amazingly, some of them are pretty darn tasty. 

Between May and November, visit any of these wineries to pick up your very own passport, issued by the Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council. Then start making the rounds. Whenever you stop by a winery for a tasting, you simply ask the friendly folks behind the bar to stamp your passport. Collect 16 stamps from any of the 30 participating wineries, then hand in your passport (be sure to fill in your name and contact info on the first page) by November 13, 2011, and you'll be entered into a drawing for some amazing prizes. 

And I mean seriously a.ma.zing.

There are TWO grand prizes: This year, they're two-week trips to Benalmadena Costa, Spain, which includes airfare AND a 13-night stay at a four-star property "with amazing views of the Mediterranean Sea," according to said passport. Sounds good to me.

On top of that, there's a 1st-place prize: A chaffeured limo ride for you and seven friends to Connecticut wineries. 

And then, yes, more prizes: 15 2nd-place prizes and 30 3rd-place prizes. 

Are you doing the math here? Your chances have got to be good.

If you're drinking wine regularly already, there's simply no reason not to check this out.

Of course, if you're not up for a two-week trip to Spain (who are you?!), you can still enjoy a perfectly pleasant afternoon at any of these lovely wineries. Many of them are open late on weekends, offer free musical performers, and invite you to bring a picnic to enjoy on their grounds. Go for a tasting, buy a bottle to enjoy with your baguette and cheese, or order a case (or 10) for your wine cellar (and then invite me over). 

In terms of stamps, I'm not ashamed to say that I've done quite well for myself this summer; I've got 13 out of 16 stamps, and it's only August. (Here I come, Spain!)

In future posts, I'll be sure to chronicle my recent winery visits so you know just what you're getting yourself into. Stay tuned!