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Mushroom Farm to Table Wine Dinner

August 12, 2017 By

Wine Institute of New England

presents

~ A Perfectly Paired Event ~

Mushroom Farm to Table Wine Dinner

Join us for an unforgettable farm to table wine dinner inspired by the mushrooms and other fresh edibles of Chatfield Hollow Farm. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception with amuse-gueules, followed by a four-course dinner. Each course will be expertly paired with wine by director Renée Allen and presented with food and wine pairing tips.

Saturday, September 23rd, 2017

5:30 pm

Chatfield Hollow Farm

10 Firetower Road

Killingworth, CT

Menu

Cocktail Reception

Amuse-Gueules

featuring cheese from Cato Corner Farm, Colchester, apples and pears from Chatfield Hollow Farm, Killingworth, and pumpkin flowers from Upper Pond Farm, Old Lyme

paired with

Wine Institute of New England’s Shroom ‘n Bloom Cocktail

&

Wines from Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen

Dinner

Appetizer

Applewood Roasted Royal Trumpet Mushrooms over Homemade Egg Pappardelle with Bacon Crème

featuring mushrooms from Chatfield Hollow Farm, Killingworth

paired with

Jones Winery Pinot Gris 2014, Shelton

Salad

Study of Mushrooms: Fall Mushroom Medley with Kale, Goji Berries, Roasted Walnuts, and Ginseng Vinaigrette

featuring mushrooms, kale, goji berries & ginseng from Chatfield Hollow Farm, Killingworth and micro greens from Upper Pond Farm, Old Lyme

paired with

Réserve de L’Abbé Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2016, France

Entree

Shiitake Mushrooms with Orange & Star Anise Braised Short Ribs and Lotus Leaf Purse of Emperor’s Rice and Mushroom Mélange

featuring beef from Four Mile River Farm, Old Lyme and mushrooms & lotus leaves from Chatfield Hollow Farm

paired with

Los Haroldos Mendoza Estate Blend 2014, Argentina

Dessert

Chanterelle-Apricot Cheesecake with Vanilla-Genmai Crème Anglaise, White Chocolate Shavings & Raspberry Droplets

featuring cheese from Calabro Cheese Corp., East Haven, CT

paired with

Quady Winery Orange Muscat Essensia 2015, Madera, Central Valley, California

$125.00/person

Please note ~ menu items are subject to change due to the fresh, local & seasonal nature of our ingredients.

Filed Under: Connecticut Corkers, Tastings & Events Tagged With: , , , ,

The Connecticut Wine Festival

July 16, 2017 By

Wine Institute of New England

presents

A Free Wine Tasting & Seminar

at

The Connecticut Wine Festival

at

The Goshen Fairgrounds

Saturday, July 22, 2017

at 2:00 pm

Filed Under: Connecticut Corkers, Tastings & Events Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

CT Wine Festival at the Durham Fair

September 23, 2016 By

Wine Institute of New England

presents

A Connecticut Wine Tasting:

Discovering Our Local Vines

The Connecticut Wine Festival

at

The Durham Fair

Saturday, September 24th, 2016

at 4:00 pm

Filed Under: Connecticut Corkers, Tastings & Events

Eighth Annual Connecticut Wine Festival

July 17, 2016 By

The Connecticut Wine Festival will be returning to the Goshen Fairgrounds in Litchfield County on Saturday and Sunday, July 23 and 24, for its eighth year of showcasing some of Connecticut’s best wines. Sponsored by the Connecticut Vineyard and Winery Association (CVWA) and presented by the CT Wine Trail, the festival features fine wines from a wide variety of local vintners. The festival also features wine classes, specialty food vendors, and artisanal crafts, as well as a variety of live musical entertainment.

Daily admission to the CT Wine Festival ($35 at the door), include free wine tastings, a commemorative festival wine glass for the tastings, and a tote bag. Guests under 21 and Designated Drivers can attend for a reduced admission price of $10. Photo ID with proof of age is required for the wine tasting. Hours for the Festival are 12:00 to 7:00 pm on Saturday, July 23, and 12:00 to 6:00 pm on Sunday, July 24. More information and a complete list of participating wineries can be found at www.ctwine.com.

Festival proceeds are used to promote the CVWA Wine Trail and the Connecticut wine industry. The CT Wine Trail, a state approved winery and vineyard awareness program, features trails that wind their ways through some of the most scenic and historic regions of Connecticut.

“We are very pleased to once again host 14 of Connecticut’s wineries and allow patrons to sample some of the many wines that are produced right here in Connecticut,” said Sherrie Palmer, Festival Manager.

Wine Institute of New England will be presenting a free wine seminar  – A Connecticut Wine Tasting: Discovering Our Local Vines – on Saturday, July 23, at 2:00 pm.

The specialty food vendors are primarily members of the Connecticut Specialty Food Association, an association that is part of the Connecticut Food Association. They feature local foods made in Connecticut. Adams Hometown Market, a Platinum Sponsor of the Festival, will also sell advance tickets at its stores throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts and also through its Better Valu and Tri-Town locations.

For more information, visit www.ctwine.com. You can also email info@ctwine.com or call (860) 216-6439.

Filed Under: Connecticut Corkers, Tastings & Events

2016 CSFA Products Award Wine Competition

April 4, 2016 By

The annual Connecticut Specialty Food Association’s Products Award Competition took place on March 22, 2016 at the Aquaturf in Plantsville. Below are the results of the Wine Competition.

2016 Wine Product of the Year 

Hopkins Vineyard Ice Wine 2014

 

Wine – Blush

1st Place           Jones Winery, Shelton, CT First Blush, NV

2nd Place          Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT Apple Raspberry Blush, NV

3rd Place           Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT Sunset Blush, 2014

 

Wine – Dessert

1st Place           Hopkins Vineyard, New Preston, CT Ice Wine, 2014

*This wine received high enough marks from all of the judges to be placed in the Exceptional category, the highest category in which a wine could place.

2nd Place          Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT Pyrrha’s Passion, 2011

 

Wine – Dry Red

1st Place           Hopkins Vineyard, New Preston, CT Cabernet Franc, 2012

2nd Place          Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT New Dawn, 2014

3rd Place           Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT St. Croix, 2014

 

Wine – Dry White

1st Place           Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT Cayuga White, 2014

*This wine received high enough marks from all of the judges to be placed in the Exceptional category, the highest category in which a wine could place.

2nd Place          Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT Chardonnay, 2014

3rd Place           Jones Winery, Shelton, CT Pinot Gris VS, 2013

 

Wine – Fruit

1st Place           Jones Winery, Shelton, CT Blueberry Bliss, NV

2nd Place          Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT Celebration, NV

3rd Place           Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT Highland Red, NV

 

Wine – Hard Cider

1st Place           Holmberg Orchards &Winery, Gales Ferry, CT Cortland Hard Cider, NV

2nd Place          Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT New England Hard Cider, NV

 

Wine – Other Red

1st Place           Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT Root 63, 2014

*This wine received high enough marks from all of the judges to be placed in the Exceptional category, the highest category in which a wine could place.

 

Wine – Other White

1st Place           Jones Winery, Shelton, CT Woodlands White, NV

2nd Place          Holmberg Orchards &Winery, Gales Ferry, CT Thamesview White, NV

3rd Place           Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT Blustery Blend, 2015

 

Wine – Rosé

1st Place           Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT Rosé, 2014

 

Wine – Sparkling

1st Place           Holmberg Orchards &Winery, Gales Ferry, CT Bubbly Blanc, NV

*This wine received high enough marks from all of the judges to be placed in the Exceptional category, the highest category in which a wine could place.

2nd Place          Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT Rubus Nightfall, NV

 

Filed Under: Connecticut Corkers

CT Wine Festival at the Durham Fair 2015

September 21, 2015 By

Wine Institute of New England

presents

Loca-Pours for Locavores!

at

The Connecticut Wine Festival

at

The Durham Fair

Saturday, September 26th, 2015

at 1:00 pm

 

Filed Under: Connecticut Corkers, Tastings & Events

Connecticut Wine Festival 2015 in Goshen

July 12, 2015 By

Wine Institute of New England

presents

Loca-Pours for Locavores!

at

The Connecticut Wine Festival

Goshen Fairgrounds

Saturday, July 25th, 2015

at 3:00 pm

Hands Holding Wine

Filed Under: Connecticut Corkers, Tastings & Events

Photos from A New England Wine Dinner

June 23, 2015 By

Thank you to all our friends, both old and new, for making our New England Wine Dinner such a tremendous success. Cheers!

Filed Under: Connecticut Corkers

A New England Wine Dinner

April 13, 2015 By

Wine Institute of New England

presents

A New England Wine Dinner

with

Chef Daniel Chong-Jiménez

dcjpic

Join us for an unforgettable wine dinner focused on the wines and cuisine of New England. Chef Daniel will prepare a delectable 5-course meal based on seasonal native foods. Each course will be expertly paired with regional wines by WINE’s director, Renée Allen, and presented with food and wine pairing tips and techniques.

Saturday, June 20th

6:30 pm

The Crush Club

65 South Colony Road

Wallingford, CT

Menu subject to change based on availability.

Menu

Domestic Cheese, Nut & Fruit Display

paired with Hopkins Vineyard Gold Label Sparkling Wine*

New England Cheddar Apricot Tartlet

paired with Sunset Meadow Vineyards Blustery Blend*

Stonington Scallops on a Bed of Brussels Sprouts Sauerkraut topped with Red Pepper & Bacon Relish served with Mini Arugula Salad with Egg Crumble

paired with Sunset Meadow Vineyards Cayuga* or St. Croix

Tenderloin of Beef with Twisted Connecticut Butter Emulsion Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, Rosemary New Potatoes, Connecticut Butter Cabernet Emulsion

paired with Jones Winery Cabernet Franc*

~ Study in Chocolate ~

Mini Lava Cake with Pana Cotta Quenelle & Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Bark

Westford Hills Eau de Vie Chocolate Cherries

paired with Hopkins Vineyard Night Owl

$99.00/person

*These wines won 1st place in their categories at the 2015 CT Specialty Food Association’s Product Awards Competition.

About the Chef

Chef Daniel won many awards and pleased many palates as the Executive Chef of the Norwich Inn & Spa for 11 years. One of his signature dishes made Connecticut Magazine’s 50 Dishes To Try Before You Die. In addition to his award winning cuisine and innovative approach to nourishment, Chef Daniel is well known for his entertaining hands-on cooking classes.

Filed Under: Connecticut Corkers, Tastings & Events

2015 CT Specialty Food Association Wine Competition Results

April 2, 2015 By

IMG_3349-1On March 24, the CT Specialty Food Association held their annual CT Product Awards Competition, which included Connecticut wine. All wines were required to be made from 100% Connecticut grown fruit. I was pleased to put together an expert panel of wine judges, including several newcomers this year. We spent several hours in each other’s company contemplating 34 Connecticut wines, and engaging in a few lively debates. When the dust settled, some clear winners emerged. Sunset Meadow Vineyards in Goshen had a very strong showing, placing first in 4 categories, and competition newcomer Preston Ridge Vineyard in Preston secured a second place finish in the Dry White category.

IMG_3362

L to R: Roger Collinge, CSW, Doug Croll, CSW, Renée Allen, CSW, FWS, Ken Turcotte, CSW, WSET Adv. Brad Haywood, WSET Adv.

And the winners are…

2015 Wine Product of the Year

Sunset Meadow Vineyard, Goshen, CT   Blustery Blend, 2014

Wine – Blush

1st Place           Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT   Sunset Blush, 2013

Wine – Dessert

1st Place           Hopkins Vineyard, New Preston, CT   Ice Wine, 2013

*This wine received high enough marks from all of the judges to be placed in the Exceptional category, the highest category in which a wine could place.

2nd Place          Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT   Midnight Ice, 2013

3rd Place           Jones Winery, Shelton, CT   Seven Generations, NV

Wine – Dry Red

1st Place           Jones Winery, Shelton, CT   Cabernet Franc, 2012

2nd Place          Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT   New Dawn, 2012

3rd Place           Hopkins Vineyard, New Preston, CT   Lemberger, 2012

Wine – Dry White

1st Place           Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT   Cayuga White, 2013

2nd Place          Preston Ridge Vineyard, Preston, CT   Estate Vidal Blanc, 2013

3rd Place           Hopkins Vineyard, New Preston, CT   Vineyard Reserve, 2013

Wine – Fruit

1st Place           Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT   Celebration, NV

2nd Place          Jones Winery, Shelton, CT   Harvest Time, NV

3rd Place           TIE

Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT   Apple Raspberry Blush, NV

Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT   Enchanted Apple, 2013

Wine – Fruit/Sparkling

1st Place           Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT   Rubus Nightfall, NV

*This wine received high enough marks from all of the judges to be placed in the Exceptional category, the highest category in which a wine could place.

2nd Place          Holmberg Orchards & Winery, Gales Ferry, CT   Macintosh Hard Cider, 2013

Wine – Other White

1st Place           Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT   Blustery Blend, 2014

*This wine received high enough marks from all of the judges to be placed in the Exceptional category, the highest category in which a wine could place.

2nd Place          Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT   Vidal Blanc, 2013

3rd Place           Hopkins Vineyard, New Preston, CT   Westwind, 2013

Wine – Rosé

1st Place           Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT   Rosé, 2013

Wine – Sparkling

1st Place           Hopkins Vineyard, New Preston, CT   Gold Label Sparkling Wine, NV

2nd Place          Holmberg Orchards & Winery, Gales Ferry, CT   Bubbly Blanc, 2013

Filed Under: Connecticut Corkers, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,
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