Finding a variety of wines off the beaten path

Wineries have thrived in Connecticut for two reasons, said Jamie Jones, owner of Jones Winery and president of the Connecticut Vineyard and Winery Association, which administers the wine trail. Despite its small size, the state has an enormous variety of agricultural areas, from the maritime-influenced sites along Long Island Sound to the foothills of the Berkshires. Second, the state’s population is large enough to support local wineries. Jones estimates that 250,000 people a year visit Connecticut wineries, with the busiest season between July and October.

We visited 10 of the 23 wineries on the trail, and two nonmember wineries, trying to include the small and (relatively) large, inland and coastal, well established, and brand new. In general we found:

■Running a winery is a passion for most vintners, many of whom left the corporate world to make wine.

■There is a growing interest in wine and food pairings, and local wines play an increasingly important role in the farm-to-table movement.

■Making wine is fundamentally science with a little art thrown in, so the process is pretty much the same from one winery to the next. A winery tour is worth taking once.

■Oaky California chardonnays are out, replaced by lighter, crisper, stainless-steel fermented varieties.

■Rosé wines are making a comeback.

All the wineries offer tastings. While some are free, most wineries charge a nominal fee, usually $5 to $6 for four or five wines. Some wineries specify what you can taste. We preferred the ones that let you choose from the winery’s full list.

Here are two suggested weekend itineraries, one in the eastern half of the state and the other in the western hills:

Eastern Loop: Day 1