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Discoveries and Rediscoveries at The Connecticut Wine Festival

August 2, 2011 By

It was a perfect summer day for the throngs of people who streamed into the Goshen Fair Grounds to partake in the third annual Connecticut Wine Festival this weekend. Over 8,000 attendees tread the grounds during the course of the weekend, a remarkable 50% increase from last year’s event, according to Festival Chairman, George Motel. Mr. Motel’s winery, Sunset Meadow Vineyards, was one of fourteen Connecticut wineries represented, all of which are members of the Connecticut Wine Trail. (http://ctwine.com/) Specialty food vendors, jewelers and musicians were also represented. Upon entering the grounds, friendly women clad in purple tee shirts handed out programs, wine totes and wine glasses etched with the words “Connecticut Wine Festival.” This would be the one and only glass I would use throughout the event so I made sure to baby it as I headed out on my wine quest. The wineries were set up inside two buildings, segregated by their location in the state – Eastern Connecticut and Western Connecticut. One hour into the event, and the crowds were already gathered four rows deep in front of every winery. Each winery was strictly limited to pouring only four of their wines. Most wineries opted for a combination of white and red wines, with the occasional rosé making an appearance. Water pitchers and spit buckets were at the ready. Friendly and knowledgeable people poured briskly, trying to keep pace with the eager tasters. Many of the winery owners, themselves, were pouring the wine and answering questions. If a taster found something she particularly cared for, she could opt to buy a glass of it for drinking right on the spot, or purchase a bottle to consume on the grounds or at home.

Jonathan Edwards Winery

Jamie Jones of Jones Winery

My first stop was Jonathan Edwards Winery where they offered pours of both Connecticut grown and Napa grape wines. Jones Winery brought crisp chardonnay and refreshing First Blush, a blend of apples, pears and black currants and the perfect antidote to the heat. Sunset Meadow Vineyards, always a crowd pleaser, had Sunset Blush and Cayuga White on hand. I was especially excited to visit their table after recently spending an evening at their vineyard for a beautifully put-together and well-paired farm to chef wine dinner. Other interesting finds included the Hungarian grape, bianca, and the pinot noir mutation, corot noir, at Land of Nod, a 100% riesling flavored with natural peach essence from Taylor Brooke Winery, and a lovely Alsatian-style riesling from Priam Vineyards, bottles of which were just flying out of the booth. I made sure to stop by Sharpe Hill Vineyard for a taste of

George Motel of Sunset Meadow Vineyards

Gary Crump of Priam Vineyards

their renowned Ballet of Angels, a semi-dry white that is a proprietary blend of 12-14 grapes. Most, if not all, of the wineries offered the off-dry to semi-sweet wines so popular in this state, with only the occasional truly dry wine being found. Bishop’s Orchards Winery and White Silo Farm, both fruit wine specialists, saw a steady stream of sippers.

As I navigated the lines from winery to winery, I stopped to chat with as many people as I could to find out where they had come from and what wines they were enjoying the most. All corners of the state were represented and every guest had their own wine preference – some sweeter, some drier, some fruit. Some guests seemed knowledgeable about Connecticut wineries, already professing a favorite from prior visits along the Connecticut Wine Trail, while others were discovering our state’s wineries for the very first time. One Connecticut resident out supporting local agriculture on Sunday was Governor Malloy, who made a personal appearance at the Festival and visited all 14 of the wineries. Apparently, he was so inspired by what he found that, after the Festival, he paid a visit to Sunset Meadow Vineyards for a tour, and returned to the Governor’s mansion with at least a few bottles in tow. Overall, the crowd was very young, comprising approximately 60-70% of the total guests. According to Mr. Motel, last year’s group comprised a similar makeup. I stopped to talk to two women taking a momentary hiatus from imbibing. Lynn Allen and Carrie Traverse, from Wallingford and East Haven, respectively, were visiting the Festival for the second year. And although they remarked, as many did, on the number of people present, it was clearly not an obstacle to an enjoyable time. They were especially appreciative of the appearance of the fans this year. Both women had previously been to the two wineries in Wallingford, Gouveia Vineyards and newcomer Paradise Hills Vineyard, and were hopeful to see Paradise Hills included in next year’s Festival.

Lynn Allen & Carrie Traverse

For those requiring some sustenance to get them through the afternoon, food vendors could be found both inside the

Homemade Potato Chips

buildings and elsewhere on the grounds. Lunch selections included chicken and beef on sticks, fresh potato chips, organic beef burgers and, of course, cheese platters. I noticed there was a constant crowd of people at Little Sister’s Grilled Cheese truck where one could get a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches, including goat cheese with honey, or tomato, mozzarella and basil. After bumping into winery owner, Eric Gorman, at the Blue Moon booth buying cheeseburgers for his staff, I was persuaded to head back inside to sample some rhubarb wine from his winery, White Silo Farm. I was greatly rewarded. The white rhubarb wine was delicate, slightly tart and quite pleasing.

Little Sister's Grilled Cheese Truck

Back outside, I came upon a tented section showcasing several specialty food vendors, including Ola! Granola, Cato Corner Farm and Peace Tree Desserts. I picked up a few items at each of these tables, including some heavenly Applejack Cajeta Caramel from Peace Tree. Owner, sustainable pastry chef, Robyn Eads, told me this authentic Mexican style caramel sauce was handcrafted with goat’s milk from Connecticut family farms. It was so delectable, I decided to bring home the Curry Cajeta Caramel, as well.

Robyn Eads of Peace Tree Desserts (right)

Although not a recreational activity for those shy of crowds, the Connecticut Wine Festival provides a wonderful opportunity to see and taste what Connecticut wineries are creating in a festive and friendly atmosphere, as well as sample some of Connecticut’s specialty food offerings. Will the Connecticut Vineyard & Winery Association be sponsoring a fourth Connecticut Wine Festival? Absolutely. As Mr. Motel explains, “This is a great event for (Connecticut wineries) to showcase our wines and create better awareness of the Connecticut Wine Trail.” Current plans are to keep the event at the Goshen Fair Grounds and to spread the wineries out a little more to better effectuate flow of traffic. I have no doubt that I will be heading back up to Goshen next year to participate in this fun and well-run event.

Taking a siesta under the perfect sky

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Wild Wines

July 31, 2011 By

Wildman Steve Brill has been leading foraging tours since his first public excursion in Central Park on April 24th, 1982. The fact that he was arrested in Central Park in the mid ‘80s for eating a dandelion did more to boost his career than all of his knowledge, good story-telling and self-promoting combined. After receiving feedback from followers that his looks did not seem “wild” enough for a man who combs the forest for food, Wildman grew a beard and purchased a pith helmet to fit the part. Foraging for wild edibles is Wildman’s passion and, when you follow your passion, good things happen. In addition to providing a 30-year long career, foraging is what led the Wildman to his wife. The couple met when Steve led a foraging tour for singles, and the two have been foraging together ever since. These days, the outings include their 7-year old daughter, Violet, who has a knack for spotting wild edibles, and has even led a tour with her father for her former first grade class. One of Wildman’s best moments came when the great grandson of the brother of jazz musician, Bix Beiderbecke, attended an outing. Wildman is a great lover of jazz and performs his own version of the music in a technique he calls “Brillophone.” “Its legitimate jazz,” Steve says. On several occasions, he has been invited to jam with bands playing in Central Park.

So what drew Wildman into the world of foraging? A love of cooking and ethnic foods played a large role. He remembers seeing a group of Greek women picking something wild in his hometown in Queens one day. He ended up heading home with a handful of grape leaves which he stuffed and enjoyed that evening. A self-taught forager, Steve feels his most impressive credential is that he hasn’t lost a tour member yet to a poisonous plant. And the tour members keep coming. Several people called to reserve spots in upcoming outings while Steve and I spoke. The day I went on my tour, 62 other people showed up. Wildman has a talent for storytelling and is a natural educator, especially of children. Three young boys hiked alongside Wildman for a large portion of our 3-hour journey, asking questions and soaking in the stories. When I called to interview Wildman, he informed me that he had just returned from a bicycle tour with inner-city kids. The bikes they used were made up of recycled parts. I told him my day’s outing had been cut short by the unfortunate disturbance of a wasp nest and several painful stings. “Did you find some jewel weed?” Steve asked me. “It cuts the pain in half.” I had, in fact, just learned this on the recent outing he led, but did not have the presence of mind to forage for it in my wounded state. Maybe next time.

Now it was time to discuss the reason for my call – to learn more about what Wildman calls his “wild wines,” wines made from wild edibles. The very first wild wine Steve made was a dandelion wine in the 1980s. He had seen books that talked about making wines from foraged edibles, including those by Euell Gibbons, author of books on natural foods and proponent of natural diets during the 1960s, and he knew that dandelion wine was being made in Italy. For this inaugural wine, Steve foraged dandelions from Cunningham Park in Queens during the peak of their growing season, mid-April. A very labor intensive wine, only the yellow parts of the flowers were used because the green sepals are too bitter. For citrus flavor, he added some lime, poured boiling water over everything and let it cool to lukewarm. He then blended in a wine yeast purchased at a winemaking supply store in Little Italy and fermented the mixture in an open plastic food tub. Apparently, the wine came out great. Steve is not much of a wine drinker himself, but he enjoyed experimenting with several varieties of wine, some of which he used for cooking. Ramp wine was one reserved solely for cooking as the wine had a garlicky flavor that worked well in recipes, but was not pleasant to drink. Other more potable wines created by Wildman included those made from wisteria, black locust, red bud, pink mulberry, wine berry, autumn olive, wild currant, day lily, pineapple weed, apple blossom and, Steve’s favorite, oak leaf. He is not currently making wild wines because the many gallons he created have a long shelf life. For those of you inspired to try this at home, several recipes for wines made from wild edibles can be found in Wildman Steve Brill’s, The Wild Vegan Cookbook. For a list of upcoming outings, go to wwww.wildmanstevebrill.com.

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Any Port in a Storm

July 18, 2011 By

For those of you unable to finish a bottle of red in one sitting and tired of having opened wine sit around until it goes bad, why not consider sipping a Port instead? Most Ports will last anywhere between 1 week and 6 months after opening, depending on their type and how they are stored. A ruby or young tawny will last 2 weeks to 3 months, while an aged tawny can last anywhere from 1 month to 1 year.Traditional Late Bottled Vintage Port (LBV) is not quite as hardy, lasting 1 day to 2 weeks. Port should be stored in the refrigerator or at least in a cool place for best longevity. And if you happen to have a bottle of vintage Port more than 30 years old, make sure to seek out a pair of Port tongs. Corks of that age can be quite fragile and unable to withstand the use of a corkscrew. Traditionally, Port tongs are heated until red hot and then clamped around the bottle neck just below the cork for ten seconds. The tongs are then removed and cool water is poured over the neck which causes a single crack that severs the neck from the bottle. The bottle neck with the cork still inside is lifted off the bottle and discarded. What an exquisite gift the tongs would make for the wine lover on your gift list who has everything. Cheers!

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Bishop’s Orchards Winery

June 20, 2011 By

Just ten days after the passage of a bill that will allow Connecticut farm wineries to sell their wines at farmer’s markets around the state, I caught up with one of the Connecticut winemakers instrumental in the creation of this bill, Keith Bishop. In addition to being a staunch advocate of our state’s wineries, this month’s Connecticut Corker is, himself, a winemaker, producing award-winning wines from apples, peaches, raspberries, pears, strawberries and blueberries, all grown on his farm at Bishop’s Orchards. Mr. Bishop’s most recent awards include medals for 13 of his wines entered into the 18th Annual Amenti del Vino International Wine Competition, including a Gold Medal for his Semi-Sweet Hard Cider and a much-coveted Double Gold Medal for Strawberry Delight.

If there is one misconception that fruit winemaker, Keith Bishop, could correct, it is that not all fruit wines are overly sweet. “(Fruit wines) can be sweet, but they don’t have to be, and they definitely all aren’t.” Gone are the days of the early Boone’s Farm Apple Wine, which might be remembered by some baby boomers out there as that cloyingly sweet, mildly alcoholic fruit juice. Fruit wines can be just as elegant as grape wines and can be paired with an entire panoply of foods. When it comes to fruit wines, Mr. Bishop should know. It is the only kind of wine he makes and he is quite successful at it.

The Bishop family, one of the founding families of Guilford in 1639, began this farm in 1871 and six generations have worked the farm throughout the years. Bishop’s Orchards has grown from a roadside farm stand in 1910 to the bustling market it is today, selling, among other things, meat, dairy, baked goods, wine, and fruits and vegetables, many of which have been grown on their own 320 acres of farmland. Standing at the wine bar, the site chosen by Mr. Bishop for our interview, I was struck by both the history and charm of my surroundings. Our discussion was intermittently interrupted by customers in search of assistance, and I was impressed by the grace and good nature with which Mr. Bishop responded. This is a man who keeps his finger on the pulse of his business. At one point in our conversation, a woman carrying a couple of well-worn books approached us. She had discovered a dozen scrapbooks at a local tag sale that contained newspaper clippings of the Bishop family. She offered to temporarily leave all of the books with Keith for his enjoyment. Keith took a moment to browse through one of the books. He paused at a picture of his father taken after he won a national junior vegetable grower contest. The history here was indeed palpable. [Read more…]

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Rising Star!

September 2, 2010 By

Amarone is finally a DOCG, Italy’s highest quality category. The promotion was finalized on March 24, 2010 and is effective with the 2010 harvest.

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The Sun, Moon & Stars…and a biodynamic cup of wine

September 1, 2010 By

I admit, I have been known to knock on wood to avoid tempting fate, and have even caught myself stepping over a crack in the sidewalk on occasion, but the last time I read my horoscope was in junior high school and it was for a lark. So how could I possibly buy into the philosophy behind biodynamic wines?

I first heard about biodynamics while studying for the Certified Specialist of Wine exam. It was afforded one paragraph right after organics and sustainability. I confess to snickering ever so slightly when I got to the sentence about phases of the moon and alignment of the planets. I was confident that, should a question arise regarding biodynamics, I would have no trouble remembering which theory it was and that I need not know any more about it.

Many weeks later, I happened to see a wine denoted as being biodynamic on a wine menu at my favorite oyster bar. It was a Sauvignon Blanc and I was in the mood for one, so I ordered it. I was very pleasantly surprised. The taste of mangos and melons married on my tongue and flowed through my mouth in perfect harmony, leaving nothing but an echo of their fresh, lively flavor for an aftertaste. I had a similarly pleasing experience with a biodynamic pinot grigio the next week. The floodgates opened. I attended a local “Taste of” and perused the wine tables. One table of Italian wines caught my attention. Upon tasting a couple of the wines there, I was inclined to sample the rest. After knocking back the final wine, I was receptive to hearing more about them. The national sales manager who had been pouring was all too happy to tell me about the biodynamic methods used in growing the grapes and making the wine. I did not hide my skepticism of what I termed these “quasi-religious” practices. He was nonplussed. I was impressed.

I wanted to know more. I knew the original movement was begun in 1924 when a group of farmers sought the help of Austrian philosopher and spiritual scientist, Rudoph Steiner. The farmers wanted to learn how to grow grapes without depleting the earth of its nutrients through the use of agrochemicals. But where did biodynamics stand now, 86 years later? My search brought me to a book on biodynamics by one of today’s leading advocates and an avid practitioner of the method, Nicolas Joly. Mr. Joly’s vineyard, Coulee de Serrant, is held in extremely high regard by wine experts. I was on the precipice of conversion

Knowing I had been on a biodynamic wine kick for weeks, a colleague contacted me with a request for a list of my favorites. He had a friend with a self-diagnosed allergy to the sulfites in wine and suggested he try biodynamic wine. This was turning into quite the miracle wine! I told my friend that, while the “spiritual science” techniques practiced in biodynamic agriculture did not in and of themselves render these wines any safer to drink for one with sulfite allergies, the fact that biodynamics demand organic vinification and vitification processes would indeed produce a lower sulfite wine. Although sulfites are a natural byproduct of the fermentation process and will be found in all wines to some degree, organic winemakers do not add any additional sulfur dioxide to the wine. SO2 is often added to prevent browning from oxidation and to prevent microbial spoilage.

So, was I ready to permanently suspend my disbelief and jump on the biodynamic bandwagon? No, that was not in the stars. But I now have a better understanding of the principles behind biodynamics, and a greater appreciation for the many benefits biodynamic agriculture has to offer. Not least among these benefits is the organic methods employed, which not only serve to maintain a healthier ecology, but have the added bonus of producing wines that are truer representations of their terroir. I am no longer snickering.

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