Priam Vineyards ~ The Whites (Connecticut) |

Priam Vineyards ~ Colchester, CT

Marguerite Barrett
Contributing Writer

Priam has an extensive tasting menu, with 12 of their 14 wines available, and a choice of glasses – for $6.50 the tasting is presented in a standard white wine tasting glass; for $8.50 the tasting is “upgraded” to a larger, rounder tasting glass, reminiscent of a “pinot noir” glass. Both are inscribed with the Priam Vineyards logo, and the glass goes home with you at the end of the tasting as they “don’t do dishes.”

The tasting menu begins with the

Cayuga A light-yellow, dry white wine, with similarities to a light pinot grigio. The nose is lovely with strong fruit notes; I particularly noticed tart notes of green apple. The wine is light and crisp with citrus and a touch of pear; the pear balancing the citrus and adding just a hint of sweetness which keeps the wine from being tart, and the tasting notes indicate it’s best drunk within the first year. The Cayuga has won several medals including a Bronze Medal in the 2006 Amenti Del Vino-Eastern States Wine Competition, a Bronze Medal in both the 2005 & 2006 International Eastern Wine Competition, and a Gold Medal in the 2004 International Eastern Wine Competition.

Salmon River White Named for the Salmon River, which flows through the area and nearby Salmon River State Forest, this is the first wine produced commercially by Priam. The tasting notes describe this as an “off-dry Chardonnay,” and while I found it sweeter than I normally prefer, it still was an interesting wine. A blend of chardonnay, riesling and muscat grapes, the color is a pale yellow-gold which catches the light nicely. Barrel-fermented, the oak provides a nice smokiness to both the nose and the mouth, which balances nicely with the citrus notes. The Salmon River White is also a multiple award winner, garnering Silver Medals at the 2006 Amenti Del Vino/Big E Wine Competition and the Amenti Del Vino International Compeitition, Bronze Medals at the 2004 Amenti Del Vino International Competition and the 2006 International Eastern Wine Competition and a Gold Medal at the 2001 Amenti Del Vino International Competition.

Jeremy River White Named for another local river which feeds into the larger Salmon River, the Jeremy River White is a Riesling blend, the same blend as the Blackledge White but with a different yeast and lower temperature . The Jeremy River is a semi-sweet wine with notes of pineapple and citrus both on the nose and in the mouth. While interesting, I found this wine a bit too sweet for my tastes; however, those who prefer sweeter wines should find this a very nice wine.

Blackledge White A blend of Riesling and Cayuga grapes, this was my favorite of the Priam whites. The same blend as the Jeremy River White, this is a dry, fuller-bodied wine. The nose is deep and fruity, and in the mouth I detected the pineapple mentioned in the tasting notes. But the real surprise – and delight – of the Blackledge White is the butterscotch finish. Rich, smooth, with just a hint of sweetness, it’s a wonderful finish. It’s also an interesting contrast when sampled back-to-back with the Jeremy River White. A Bronze Medal Winner in the 2007 International Eastern Wine Competition, this wine also is best within the first year.

Riesling I believe I’ve mentioned in other posts that I am not generally a fan of Rieslings – I find them too sweet and often too light for my taste. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the Rieslings I’ve found on the Connecticut Wine Trail. Generally, they tend to be drier, and the Priam Riesling is no exception. A dry wine with a nice balance of fruit notes, including apple and citrus, and a slight mineral finish at the end make this an interesting wine. The Riesling won a Gold Medal in the 2004 Amenti Del Vino International Wine Competition, a Silver Medal in the 2004 International Eastern Wine Competition, and Bronze Medals in the 2008 Amenti Del Vino International Wine Competition and 2005 International Eastern Wine Competition.

The last wine among the Whites was the Gewurztraminer, which included a tasting of both the 2007 and 2008 vintage, an interesting enough an exercise to warrant it’s own post…