By State Senator Cathy Cook

With the many tourist attractions, beautiful coastlines and cultural destinations, it may surprise you to learn that many people come to southeastern Connecticut for our wineries. The General Assembly permitted commercial wineries in 1978 and established the Connecticut Wine Trail in 1988. ( www.ctwine.com ). In fact, no matter where you are in Connecticut, there is a winery within a 45-minute drive. Here in eastern Connecticut we are fortunate to have seven award winning wineries.

So with friends and family flocking to visit you in southeastern Connecticut, have you considered taking them to one of our exceptional vineyards? This weekend July 16 th and 17 th , Stonington Vineyards will host its Summer Wine & Food Festival from 11am to 5pm. They will have fine wines, vineyard and wine cellar tours, local gourmet food and live music. Stonington Vineyards is best known for its barrel fermented Chardonnays and its proprietary blends Seaport White and Seaport Blush among others. Visit www.stoningtonvineyards.com or call 860-535-1222 for more information.

The Jonathan Edwards winery is located in North Stonington and is an ideal place to enjoy their premium Napa Valley wines or their Summer Nights Music series. After a tour, the patio, tasting room, deck, and picnic areas are lovely places to spend an afternoon. Don't forget to visit The Loft Gallery featuring local artists. Jonathan Edwards Winery currently features Napa Valley Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Zinfandel. Visit http://www.jedwardswinery.com or call 860-535-0202 for more information.

To support this developing industry, in January the General Assembly began working on several proposals to assist our in-state wineries to compete with the large, national brands. We passed new legislation that I co-sponsored to foster the growth of our Connecticut vineyards. The new public act, from bill SB 122, An Act Concerning The Shipment of Wine To State Residents , gives local vintners the opportunity ship to consumers while keeping proper restrictions to prevent underage purchase and consumption.

The bill establishes a procedure that both in-state and out-of-state wineries must use when shipping to consumers. Among other things, the new law includes provisions intended to ensure that all shippers pay the applicable taxes, and that minors do not buy wine through the mail. Additional restrictions and provisions are spelled out in the legislation.

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision helped level the playing field for our small wineries. States must now treat
out-of-state and in-state wineries equally under their laws governing shipments of wine. Prior to the Supreme Court ruling, Connecticut was one of 24 states that had laws on the books restricting interstate shipments. The new legislation along with the Supreme Court decision will help our wineries ship their products anywhere in the United States.

Our new law will encourage those who visit our part of the state and enjoy our fine, local wine to order regularly from our local wineries. Now, customers can enjoy our wines from the comfort of their homes and reminisce about southeastern Connecticut. Bring your guests or just yourselves to the Connecticut Wine Trail to support our local wineries and enjoy our beautiful state.