Gouveia Vineyards, Wallingford, CT - 06/19/2010

Exit 14 off 91 South

We kicked off our summer wine tours with this lovely vineyard in Wallingford, CT.  It was $7.50 for each of us we got to taste 5 wines that they chose and then we got to pick one to taste.  We also got to take home an etched wine glass with the vineyard's name/logo. 

Picnicing on the hillside

The grounds are very pretty and there is a good view from the hill it is located on.  The inside of the tasting room/bar/restaurant is simple and elegant.  People had brought tables and picnic lunches and were sitting outside enjoying some wine.  You can also order food here.  You CANNOT bring your own beverages.  I would definately consider going back here to try a few more wines as well as enjoy the scenery.

Before I get into the wines, a few more notes for the wine scene in general:
-It is good to go as a couple or with someone you are comfortable sharing drinks with... this way you get to sample more wines if you both pick different offerings.  We took full advantage of this.
-Some of the vineyards are offering tours. Sometimes they cost extra, sometimes they are free. Unless you are doing a tour or planning on eating a meal there (whether you picnic or order), your trip to the vineyard will probably be really short.  It only takes about 20 mins max to sample 5-20 wines.  I would recommend planning to visit more than 1 a day.
-If you are planning on buying bottles of wine, the cheapest you will find is around $15.  Take note that most of these wines aren't worth that, let alone more than that, so you might end up dissapointed if you thought it would be a good opportunity to stock up.
-I tend to like wines that are dry to semi-dry, so most of this will be biased to those kinds of wines.  You will probably notice that I have bad reviews for a lot of wines because around there they tend to make the sweeter varieties. If you like that kind of thing, then these tours might be for you!

Ready to start tasting!

Ok, on to the wines!
Seyval Blanc - It was crisp and smooth.  Nice table wine for the summer. This happens to be the only bottle we bought the whole day (06/19).

Chardonnay Oak - Very oak-y with a buttery finish, 2 things I don't like in my white wines. 

Cayuga White - Simple white wine, not very notable.

Whirlwind Rose - A typical rose, but much too sweet for my liking.

Stone House Red - Clean finish, light on the palate.

Cabernet Franc - Popular blend in CT.  It was alright, but nothing really sticks out about it.

Epiphany Reserve - A dark dessert wine.  It was supposed to be fruity, but it was just overpoweringly sweet.

They also have Chardonnay Steel, Stone House White, and a Merlot that we didn't get to try.

My glass and passport