Visting Hopkins Winery, Warren, CT, USA

Visiting Hopkins Vineyard located in Warren, Connecticut is a true New England experience with an interesting history as the Hopkins Family are descendants of Stephen Hopkins, who was a passenger on the Mayflower. In 1787, Elijah Hopkins purchased the Hopkins Farm after returning from the Revolutionary War, and the farm has remained in the Hopkins Family since the time of its purchase. In 1956 William L. Hopkins took over the running of the Dairy Farm. In 1979, William and his wife Judith filed for a Farm Winery permit, and the dairy herd was sold off and the vineyard and winery began. Always with an eye towards the future, in 1980 they took on the restoration of the 19^th century barn. In 1988 the United States Department of Agriculture honored the Hopkins Farm as a Bicentennial Farm, having been in the same family since the birth of the Constitution. Cheers!

Hilary Hopkins Criollo

In 2005, William and Judith appointed their daughter Hilary as President of Hopkins Vineyard. In 2012 Hopkins Vineyard hosted a Colonial themed event to celebrate 225 years of family farming. The next generation continues on as in 2018 Hilary and her husband Jorge “George” Criollo purchased Hopkins Vineyard from William and Judith, marking now over 235 years of history.

Tasting Room

We visited Hopkins Vineyard on Saturday, March 22, 2025, during a weekend stay in nearby Kent, Connecticut, and met and took a tour with co-owner Hilary Hopkins Criollo. It is interesting to note that Connecticut has a vibrant Wine Trail, and Hopkins is the oldest family-owned and operated winery in Connecticut and has won many awards for their wines throughout the years.

Chardonnay 2021

Following the tour, we sampled wine flights and had the pleasure of discussing the wines with Hilary and the Hopkins team, including sampling some wines that you do not see made at other wineries.

Hopkins Vineyard Team – Ruby, Lynn, Hilary, Irene, Dani

A Few of the Highlights of Our Flight Sampling 

White Wines: One of their many interesting wines was their limited edition, Hopkins Heritage Riesling 2023, Estate Bottled, 12% alcohol, hand-picked and made from 100% of their Riesling grapes. Gorgeous citrus and peach notes and nice acidity complement this delectable wine.

Hopkins Vineyard Reserve 2022 Estate Bottled, 12% alcohol, made from estate grown Seyval Blanc (60%) and Traminette (40%) grapes. Made in a similar style as a Viognier, this wine was crisp, dry, with stone fruit notes.

Red Wines: Especially interesting was their Hopkins Heritage Lemberger – Bravo’s Trail Vineyard, 2022 Estate Bottled Heritage Series, which was a limited-edition wine made with hand-picked grapes from Bravo’s Trail Vineyard, and barrel aged in French oak for 12 months. Velvety soft tannins and rich dark berries made this wine a very notable red wine.

Hopkins Cabernet Franc 2022 Estate Bottled

Also, interesting, and particularly good was their Hopkins Cabernet Franc, 2022 Estate Bottled, punch-cap fermented three times a day, and aged in American oak barrels for 8 months, which was dry and powerful on the mouthfeel.

Special Wines and Spirits: Ice Wine is an incredibly special treat wine in that it can only be made when the weather meets optimal conditions as the grapes must be picked at 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-12.2 Celsius) or colder. On December 22, 2024, they hand-picked grapes when the weather only reached 7 degrees Fahrenheit (-13.8 Celsius).

2023 Estate Bottled Vidal Blanc Ice Wine

Hopkins Vineyard 2023 Estate Bottled Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, 12.1% alcohol, made from Vidal Blanc grapes handpicked was a gorgeous reflection of Ice Wine with apple and pear notes on the nose and a rich, honey mouthfeel, with Harvest Sugar coming in at 37.2 Brix, and Residual Sugar at 20.8 Brix. As we sipped this delicious, sweet wine, we imagined how it would taste paired with savory foie gras or paired with silky smooth pannacotta. Possibilities!

Hopkins Vineyard Winery Brandy

Also very special was their nod to the Hopkins family heritage with their Elijah Hopkins 1787 Brandy, 40% alcohol, distilled from Vidal Blanc grapes estate grown on their Bicentennial Farm, and distilled and bottled for them by Litchfield Distillery under the supervision of Hopkins Vineyard, LLC, made in small batches, and barrel aged for 3 years. This was a wow of a spirit and was the perfect finale of our tour and tasting at Hopkins Vineyard.

With over 235 years of family farming experience, a visit to Hopkins Vineyard is like taking a delicious step back in Connecticut and New England history. There is always something wonderful happening at Hopkins Vineyard, so be sure to visit them year-round.

Vineyards resting for 2025 season

Until next time, cheers!

A Sampling of Upcoming Events at Hopkins Vineyard

Please visit their website for a complete list of all upcoming events and music: www.hopkinsvineyard.com

Come on in for a tasting!

Hopkins Vineyard Hours: January through April: Wednesday through Friday from 12:00 pm until 5:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm.

Hopkins Vineyard Hours: May through October: Monday through Friday from 11:00 pm until 5:00 pm, Saturday from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm, and Sunday from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm.

Hopkins Vineyard Hours: November through December: Sunday through Friday from 11:00 pm until 5:00 pm, Saturday from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm. They are closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Easter.

For more information on visiting Hopkins Vineyard or purchasing their wines, please visit their website: www.hopkinsvineyard.com

Hopkins Vineyard
25 Hopkins Road
Warren, Connecticut 06777
United States
Telephone: +1-860-868-7954
Email: contact@hopkinsvineyard.com
Website: www.hopkinsvineyard.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hopkinsvineyard
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/hopkinsvineyard @hopkinsvineyard @warren-connecticut

Read other features on Kent, Connecticut and the surrounding area in the Destinations, Hotels and Resorts, Restaurants, Liquor Cabinet, Wine Cellar, Gastronomy, and Adventures sections.

For more information on Kent, Connecticut, and its many offerings, please visit the website: https://www.kentct.com/

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