First up for the Reds was Jones Winery’s

Ripton Red This is the driest of the Jones Reds, made in a Chianti style from a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot grapes, both brought in from California.  The color is a lovely purply-red, and the color changes slightly from light to dark as it catches the light.  The nose is earthy with with a strong tanginess.  The wine is medium-bodied, smooth, with earthy, slightly smoky notes and a hint of dark cherry which provides light touch of sweetness to balance out the earthiness.  There’s a slight note of spice on the finish.  This is a very versatile red and would pair nicely with a broad range of food.

Next up was Group #5 and my choice of either the First Blush, described as a “pleasingly sweet blush wine created from a blend of CT apples, pears and black currants” or the 2007 Cabernet Franc.  Not being a huge fan of blush wines, I selected the

2007 Cabernet Franc An estate-grown wine, the Cabernet Franc is barrel aged for 12 months in American Oak.  The result is a medium-bodied wine with a bright nose and notes of cherry in both the nose and on the palate.  There’s a nice acid balance to the finish, and the finish lingers pleasantly in the mouth.  An interesting wine, but not as strong a Cab Franc as ones I’ve found at Chamard or Gouveia.  That being said, I suspect the wine will grow more interesting if cellared for a year or two.

After the Cabernet Franc I had my choice of the Strawberry Serenade or the Merlot.  The Strawberry Serenade was described as one of Jones Winery’s signature wines, made from locally grown strawberries; given this, and despite not being a fan of sweet fruit wines, I opted to give the Strawberry Serenade a try.

Strawberry Serenade This is a sparkling wine, with very strong effervescence.  A pale, salmon color, the nose is that lovely, deep, rich strawberry smell you get from fresh-picked strawberries.  Surprisingly, the wine is neither too sweet or too “strawberry.”  The strawberry notes are certainly detectable, but not overpowering, and the wine is drier than I anticipated.  While not one of my favorites, I was pleasantly surprised by this wine.  It would be a great brunch wine for a late spring or summer brunch, and would pair well with fruit and light desserts.

With that I was left with a final choice – this time among the three dessert wines, Blueberry Bliss, Raspberry Rhapsody and Black Currant Bouquet.  I had a tough time deciding.  The Raspberry Rhapsody is an award-winning wine, and this year’s winery logo-glass features a raspberry in honor of the wine.  But the Black Currant Bouquet is more in the style of a Port, which I prefer, and had the added attraction of being a Black Currant Wine, which is not something I come across every day.  I must admit the Blueberry Bliss didn’t make the first cut.

As I was trying to decide, my host for the afternoon took the decision out of my hands and offered to let me try a taste of both the Raspberry Rhapsody and the Black Currant Bouquet.  Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I quickly accepted.

Raspberry Rhapsody This is a lovely and interesting wine, and I understand why it won so many medals.  The Raspberry notes are very strong in both the nose and in the mouth, but the rich sweetness of a dessert wine balances those out.  The Raspberry adds a very slight tartness that gives the wine depth and keeps it from becoming cloyingly sweet.  The tasting is paired with a piece of dark chocolate, and the wine changes, getting deeper and more complex with the chocolate.

Black Currant Bouquet This is a full-bodied wine in a Port style, not as sweet as the Raspberry Rhapsody.  The color is a deep plum.  The nose is full but subtle – the black currant is prevalent but there are notes of sweet berries as well.  In the mouth, the wine is smooth and rich, with a soft mouth-feel.  On the palate, the flavors blend nicely, just enough sweetness to satisfy but not enough to be overpowering.  This is also paired with chocolate during the tasting, and the chocolate emphasizes the depth and richness of the wine.

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Jones Winery currently has 12 wines available, 3 whites, 2 rosés/blushes, 3 reds, and 4 fruit/dessert wines.   The tasting menu, which is $6, includes 7 wines, three of which are pre-selected by the winery, the other four are your choice.

The tasting begins with one of the pre-selected whites, the

2008 Pinot Gris A dry, crisp wine, this is an estate wine, produced from grapes grown on Pumpinkseed Hill behind the main farmhouse and winery.  The driest of the Jones Winery whites, the Pinot Gris is a very pale yellow, almost straw color and has a dry grassy nose.  The wine is smooth and crisp, with light notes of citrus, and a slightly acidic tang at the end which gives the wine a bit of depth.  Overall an interesting wine, and a promising start to tasting.

For the next wine, I was presented with a choice, either the Stonewall White, a blend of Seyval Blanc and Cayuga grapes, or the Woodlands White, which is primarily a Cayuga white.  I opted for the Stonewall, partially because it was described as being a drier wine than the Woodlands, and partially because Connecticut produces a lot of Cayuga wines, so I thought the blend might be more interesting.

Stonewall White This wine didn’t disappoint.  Like the Pinot Gris, the color is a pale yellow, but the Stonewall White was slightly deeper in color.  The nose is fruity with notes of berries and light citrus notes, perhaps grapefruit.  In the mouth, the citrus and berries blend nicely together, with some light notes of tartness from the citrus and a touch of acid to help balance out the wine.  The finish is smooth and the wine has a pleasant lingering.  This would pair well with fruit and cheese, seafood, and light pasta dishes.

Next up was another wine pre-selected by the winery, the

Pure Rosé This is a drier Rosé than one usually finds, and I liked it the more because of it.  A light pink rose color, the nose is light with pretty floral notes.  The wine becomes more interesting in the mouth, with an earthiness and grassiness that I wasn’t expecting.  The wine is a blend of Seyval Blanc, Cayuga, and Cabernet Franc, and in addition to providing the color, the Cab Franc gives it that earthy depth that is both unexpected and intriguing.  This is the first year Jones has produced this wine, but I suspect it will not be the last.

With that, we rinsed glasses, cleansed the palate and moved on to the Reds and Sweet wines.

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In the spirit of honesty, I must admit I don’t know what I was expecting as I headed over to Shelton, CT and the Jones Winery.  Despite the write-up in the Connecticut Wine Trail Guide, a perusal of their website left me with the impression that this was primarily a working farm, focused on berry and vegetable production, with wine as a sideline.  What I found was a delightful balance of both – good wines and even better strawberries.

One of the first things that struck me as I pulled into the winery grounds was the more than ample parking – somewhat unusual for our local wineries, particularly those on the Western Trail, which tend to be smaller than their Eastern Trail countparts such as Jonathan Edwards, Stonington, Chamard, and Gouveia.  As I walked up the slope from the parking area, I was next struck by how extensive the grounds of the winery/farm are.  The main house, winery and farm buildings are all built at the base of Pumpkinseed Hill.  The path leads you past the main house and into a large open courtyard-like setting with the farm house, sheds and a beautiful old red barn arrayed around the perimeter.  Child-sized versions of farm buildings dot the courtyard creating a play-yard for children visiting with their parents.  And weathered oak barrels line the pathway and courtyard, serving as signposts to help you find your way back to the winery and tasting room.

The winery is housed in the 100-year old dairy barn, converted to provide one of the largest Tasting Room spaces I have found to date in any winery anywhere.  The space encompasses the entire ground floor of the barn and is divided into two regions: the Tasting Bar, a large rectangular shaped bar that dominates one-half of the space, and the Winery/Farm Gift Shop.  The Tasting Bar could easily hold 30 people comfortably, and there’s plenty of space to mill around when larger crowds are present.  The staff are welcoming and friendly – and very knowledgeable about their wines.

The Jones Family has been farming in the Shelton area for more than 150 years.  Philip James “Jamie” Jones, a sixth-generation Jones, is the vineyard manager and principal winemaker.  He attended Cornell University’s Enology and Viticultural Program and has been guiding Jones Winery since he planted the first vineyards in 1999.  The winery opened five years later in 2004, and in 2008 welcomed a second winemaker, Larry McCulloch, formerly winemaker for Chamard Vineyards.

Jones Winery currently has 6 acres of grapes, primarily Cauyga, Cabernet Franc, Seyval Blanc, and Vidal Blanc, under cultivation and 25 acres of fruit.  In addition to the Connecticut vineyards, they also import grapes from California.   In addition to the grapes for wine, the farm also produces table grapes, strawberries, blueberries (primarily “pick-your-own” although they will occasionally have pints and quarts of fresh berries available in the winery gift shop), pumpkins and Christmas Trees.  On the day I stopped by they had a few quarts of freshly picked strawberries that quite literally melted in your mouth; one bite and I was transported back to childhood summers spent in Northern Michigan with my grandparents.

Other Jones Winery/Farm offerings include hands-on cooking classes through their Harvest Kitchen, a Fall Children’s Festival supporting UNICEF, and the annual Christmas Holiday Gift Shop, featuring ornaments, candles, arts & crafts and fresh baked goods.

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