As we pulled into Cassidy Hill Vineyards that September afternoon, we passed a couple of women who were walking up the road, presumably from nearby homes.  Comfortably ensconced on the porch was a group that also appeared to be local and knew the owners and staff well.  Cassidy Hill is obviously a local favorite, and the mix of “wine trailers” like us and “locals” hanging out for a bit on a Sunday afternoon helped create a very relaxed atmosphere despite the number of people in the Tasting Room that afternoon.  It was a nice contrast to the jostling crowds we had found at the larger wineries in the southeast corner of the state.

We were warmly welcomed as we walked through the door, and the staff immediately presented us with the option of standing at the bar or taking a table.  After opting for a table, the staff came over immediately with glasses, the tasting menu and the first wine of the afternoon…

2008 Riesling Overall a nice Riesling and, surprisingly given how many Connecticut Rieslings have been tending towards the drier range, with the familiar sweetness that I’ve come to expect from Rieslings.  I can best describe the nose as “pretty”: bright, floral with soft notes of melon.  In the mouth the wine is sweet with notes of honeysuckle and a nice balance of acid at the end.  While I’m not generally a big Riesling fan and found some of the drier Connecticut Rieslings more interesting, this is a pleasant wine and would pair well with a wide variety of food.

2007 Chardonnay Cassidy Hill Vineyards produces two Chardonnays; the Reserve Chardonnay (see below) which is oaked, and the Chardonnay which is unoaked.  Described by our host as fruity but dry, this wine had more complexity than I originally anticipated.  Crisp and refreshing, the nose is soft and light with hints of pear and in the mouth has grassy notes with touches of green pepper and pear.  The mouth feel is soft and silky with just a light tartness on the finish which provides a bit of depth.  Overall not a bad wine, and people who prefer “clean” (i.e. unoaked) wines should definitely like this one.  As for me, while I found it interesting, I definitely preferred the Reserve.

2007 Reserve Chardonnay Like the 2007 Chardonnay, the Reserve Chardonnay has soft notes of pear and a light tartness on the finish, but the oaking provides the additional depth of a buttery richness that balances the fruit nicely.  No one note is overpowering in either the nose or the mouth.  The nose is soft and light with just hints of apple and pear.  In the mouth, the wine is lush with nicely balanced notes of both apple and pear.   The oak is not strong and provides some depth that I felt may have been lacking in the unoaked Chardonnay.

Summer Breeze A blush wine, this is a blend of Cayuga, Vignoles, Trement, Sevyal Blanc and Strawberries – an interesting combination.  Upon hearing the list I was anticipating an overly sweet wine with strong notes of strawberry.  The result, however, was quite surprising.  If you didn’t know the blend included strawberries, you would from the nose, but while the strawberry aroma is distinct, it is not overpowering.  In fact the softness of the nose was one of the first surprises – the strawberry notes are delightful and almost floral in their delicacy.  The next surprise came with the first sip – while sweet the wine isn’t nearly as sweet as I had anticipated.  As with the nose, the strawberries are definitely present, but not overpowering, and there’s a pleasant tartness that balances out the sweetness.   This would be a great picnic or porch wine for a lazy summer afternoon.

Grandview This is the first of the two reds on the tasting menu that afternoon.  Made from estate-grown Chambourcin grapes, this was another wine that took me slightly by surprise.  I haven’t encountered many primarily Chambourcin wines, usually finding Chambourcin as part of a blend.  A medium-bodied wine, the nose is soft and subtle with notes of black currant.  In the mouth the wine is smooth and fruity with notes of black cherries, black currants and a touch of licorice from the oaking.  The finish is soft but there’s a brightness that I’m finding is very common in reds grown from cold-climate varietals and is a bit of the hallmark of northeastern US reds.   It’s difficult, if not impossible, to get the true character of wine from a 1oz tasting, and I was intrigued enough by this one to say that it’s definitely a wine I will be coming back to try again.

Christy Sherard getting a picture of the vineyards; the views from the Tasting Room porch looking out over the vineyards are lovely.

2008 Merlot In all honesty, I’m always a bit trepidatious about Connecticut Merlots.  Merlot is not a grape that does well in our climate, and even with importing grapes, the results are usually are lighter-bodied and not as complex as the Merlots you’ll find from other, warmer, regions.   Still, for Connecticut Merlots this wasn’t bad.  The nose is dominated by strong notes of pepper.  In the mouth the wine is earthy and spicy, a nice change from the fruitiness that predominates in Connecticut reds.  The tasting notes indicate notes of dark plum and blackberry, and while present, they were very very subtle and balanced by the notes of spice and pepper.  The oak provided notes of smoke and licorice which provided some additional depth.  It’s still a lighter-bodied wine than you’ll find in a west coast Merlot, but it’s an interesting wine, particularly if given time to breathe.

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Having finally finished writing up my notes from my various summer excursions, it’s time to turn our attention back to Connecticut.  I’m actually getting very close to completing my tour of Connecticut Wineries.

I started out following the Connecticut Wine Trail – first the wineries of the Western Trail situated primarily in the Litchfield Hills, and then on the Eastern Trail where most of the wineries fall along the coast.  Along the way I discovered that the Connecticut Wine Trail is not comprehensive – in fact, there are about 10 wineries in the state that aren’t listed on the Wine Trail.  Turns out, inclusion on the wine trail requires a monthly membership fee, one which some of the newer and smaller wineries have opted not to pay at this point.

That’s the case for today’s winery, Cassidy Hill Vineyard.  During general conversation, I learned that membership in the Connecticut Wine Trail runs about $200 per month, and in Cassidy Hill’s case, they weren’t yet convinced that the Wine Trail website drove enough extra traffic to member wineries to justify the expense.  All wineries, whether they are part of the Wine Trail or not, are listed as part of the Connecticut Farm Trust and included in the Passport program which the Trust runs every year.  Which also explains why there were more than 30 wineries listed in the 2009 Passport but only 26 listed on the Wine Trail website.

Located in Coventry, Connecticut – about 20 minutes from Hartford and close to the University of Connecticut’s main campus at Storrs, Cassidy Hill is tucked away down a long country road.  Surrounded by farmland and vineyards, the tasting room and winery is a log-cabin inspired building with a shape that evokes the tobacco barns that still dot the central areas of the state.   A long patio stretches 1/2 way along the front of the building and has outdoor seating for a good 10-15 people.

Inside the space is light and airy with wood-paneled walls, high oak beams along the ceiling and a welcoming mix of comfortable chairs and bistro tables for guests who want to relax and stay awhile.   A large L-shaped bar is tucked into the back corner of the main room; the bar could hold 12-15 people and the tables set up around the room could easily hold another 30 or so.   That afternoon I had managed to entice Christy back onto the wine trail with me, and as we entered we greeted by a very friendly staff who, despite the fact that they were fairly busy that afternoon gave us the option of having our tasting at the bar or at one of the tables.  That was a pleasant surprise – many of the other wineries aren’t able to accomodate tastings at the tables unless the winery is absolutely dead that afternoon.  But not only was it an option, but the staff was able to keep up with the demand and as far as I could see no one had to wait long in between the individual pourings.

The afternoon we visited the tasting menu included 6 wines, 3 whites, 1 blush and 2 reds.  The tasting, which includes all six wines, is $5 and you can purchase the logo glass for an additional $3.  Glasses of wine are $5 and the the winery provides a 10% discount on a case of wine.  For details about the wines we tasted that afternoon, check back here on Christmas Eve.

Christy Sherard picking up a couple bottles of some the afternoon's finds.

Since we’ve stopped by in early September, they’ve added some new wines to their menu, including a Late Harvest Vidal, and have 3 new wines scheduled for 2010 release.  Definitely worth a trip back, particularly given Coventry is practically my backyard!

If you’re planning a trip to Cassidy Hill, I also recommend a stop at Dmitri’s restaurant, also in Coventry – a Greek-American bistro, it’s quickly become one of my favorite restaurants in Connecticut, and they have the best gyros I’ve had outside of Chicago’s Greektown.  If you’re coming from Hartford or points west, Dmitri’s is right on the way.

Look for “The Wines of Cassidy Hill” here at Vino Verve on 12/24.

Cassidy Hill Vineyard
454 Cassidy Hill Road
Coventry, Connecticut 06238
Tasting Room Hours: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

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