Episode 13: Connecticut

Connecticut is the focus of our lucky 13th episode of the Make America Grape Again podcast, centered around the 2015 vintage of the Dry Summer Rosé from Sharpe Hill Vineyard, in Pomford, Connecticut. This wine is a really fun dry rosé with one of the most intense colors I've ever seen, made from the American Hybrid varietal known as St. Croix.  We touch upon Hybrid crosses a little in this episode, but the main focus for hybrids will be at a later time.  Gary and I also talk a bit about the Rosé phenomenon, and what sometimes makes a good Rosé. The state of Connecticut has two AVAs; the Western Connecticut Highland AVA, and part of the Southeastern New England AVA also crosses through the state.  Interestingly, Sharpe Hill Vineyard resides in neither of these two American Viticultural Areas, which shows that you don't necessarily need to be in an AVA to make stellar wine.  Indeed, Sharpe Hill vineyard is probably the most critically acclaimed, and famous, vineyard in the Northeast, with a host of awards having been won by vintages made by their winemaker, Howard Bursen.  Their most famous wine is probably the "Ballad of Angels," which will be covered in a (much) later episode.  This bottle was acquired on the vineyard estate in June of 2017 by yours truly.