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112 Doing Business in Connecticut | 2014 Industry sPOtLIGHt › By Christina H. Davis T hink fine American wines and Con- necticut may not be the first name to come to mind. anks to a growing industry in the state, that may not be true for much longer. e wine industry in Connecticut is booming, and tourists are flocking to winer- ies here, looking for a taste of a delicate white as well as to take in some gorgeous scen- ery. e industry, which is moving beyond simply bottling wines to a farm-to-table experience, brings in $38 million in annual revenues, according to a 2010 report from the University of Connecticut. Family business When the Jones Family Farm in Shelton first established a winery in 2004, it was the 16th winery on the Connecticut Wine Trail, a cooperative amongst the state's wineries to promote the industry. Ten years later, there are now 25 wineries on the trail. Beyond the wine trail members, there are seven addi- tional wineries in the state. "It seems like every year someone else caught the bug and is interested in starting an- other winery," said Jamie Jones, head of his fam- ily's farm. "ere's been steady, growing interest." One might assume that the increased competition has put a strain on the industry, but according to Jones it's been the opposite. "ere's really a synergistic effect," he said. "People want to visit a number of wineries." Jones is the sixth generation to till the land on his family's farm, which includes 400 acres. In addition to the grape vines and wine tasting room, the farm grows pick-your-own blueberries, strawberries, pumpkins and Christmas trees. "We are a destination farm for people coming for the agricultural experience," Jones said. And they're not just coming from the local area. e winery has plenty of out-of- state visitors, thanks in part to the popularity of the Connecticut Wine Trail. e Jones Family Farm sells about 4,000 cases of wine each year. It produces a broad array of wines, from whites, rosés, red wines and even some fruit wines. Connecticut may not have the long growing season that California can offer, but the climate can still produce great wine- making grapes, according to Jones. White varietals tend to do well in the Connecticut climate, but even red grapes, which do need a longer growing season and a lot of sun- shine can sometimes thrive, like they did in 2013, which was a banner year for the caber- net franc grapes at the Jones Family Farm. Across the state in the southeastern corner is the Jonathan Edwards Winery, which has a bicoastal approach to grape growing. In addition to the 20-acre win- ery in North Stonington where they grow varietals that suit the shorter Connecticut growing season, Jonathan Edwards also has vineyards in California's Napa Valley. "Our goal has always been to source the best from the different lands," said Erica Cyr, director of marketing and events for Jonathan Edwards. Like Jones, Cyr said the multiplication of wineries in the state has helped — not hurt — Jonathan Edwards' business. "What's good for them (other Con- necticut wineries) is good for us," she said. "It broadens the awareness, helps the traffic and the interest." But how much more growth can the Con- necticut wine industry sustain? As far as Jones is concerned, there's tremendous potential. "I think we're still in the early stages," he said, adding, "Every year we learn how to do a better job at creating a high quality product. I think we're going to see [Connecticut winer- ies'] stature continue to increase over time." q The Jonathan Edwards Winery in North Stonington grows a variety of hearty New England grapes on its 20-acre property. In Vino Veritas CT Wine industry grows grapes and dollars Tourism PHOTO/COURTESY