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Rae Etting, left, recipient of the Best Derby Hat award, and Kelly Galgano, scoped out the silent auction items during the Kentucky Derby Social, May 2.
Debra A. Aleksinas
All proceeds from the event, which included auctioned items donated by local businesses, will benefit local nonprofit organizations.
Best Derby Outfit awards go Carol Overby and Jan Hazard.Debra A. Aleksinas
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Hilary Hopkins Criollo, co-owner of Hopkins Vineyard (left) and her father Billy Hopkins, its founder, with their 2024 “Heritage” Riesling wine that was served at the White House April 28.
Jennifer Almquist
Hilary Hopkins Criollo, president and co-owner of the vineyard with her husband Jorge Criollo, said the recognition came unexpectedly.
She received a call just two weeks earlier from a White House chef requesting several wines for a tasting. Soon after, an order followed for 48 bottles of the vineyard’s 2024 “Heritage” Riesling.
Hilary said the chef requested expedited shipping for the $33 bottles, still not knowing what they were to be used for.
“We saw on social media that our wine was served at the state dinner,” Hilary said of the visit from King Charles III and Queen Camilla. “I was so surprised that I asked people to pinch me.”
The moment marks a milestone generations in the making.
Stephen and Elizabeth Hopkins left England on the Mayflower seeking religious freedom. During the voyage, Elizabeth gave birth to their son Oceanus Hopkins. More than a century later, after serving in the American Revolution, Elijah Hopkins purchased farmland in Warren, Conn. – land that would eventually become the vineyard.
In 1956, Bill Hopkins took over his family dairy farm. In 1979, anticipating the decline of small dairy operations, he and his wife, Judy, sold their herd, applied for Connecticut’s first winery permits, and began producing wine. By 1988, the farm was recognized as a Bicentennial Farm, having remained in the same family since the signing of the U.S. Constitution. In 2017, Hilary and Jorge purchased the 30-acre vineyard from her parents.
Grape vines at Hopkins Vineyard overlooking Lake Waramaug in Warren, ConnecticutJennifer Almquist
The “Heritage” Riesling label reflects that legacy, featuring an image of Hilary’s grandfather forking hay into a horse-drawn wagon overlooking the lake.
Bill Hopkins recalled the moment with pride.
“My wife and I are the founders of Hopkins Vineyard,” he said. “I had a midlife crisis and decided to start a vineyard. I am proud of everyone involved. It’s quite an honor to have the king drink our wine.”
Jorge Criollo said the news was difficult to believe.
“When I woke up at 4 a.m., we were on the news,” he said. “I spent the whole day not believing it. It’s like a miracle. They could pick wine from anywhere in the world.”
In a statement, the White House said the wine list, which included Hopkins Vineyard’s 2024 Riesling “Heritage,” was curated to “complement the menu while honoring the shared heritage and enduring friendship between the United States and the United Kingdom, and to celebrate the strength of American winemaking today.”
Winemaker and vineyard manager Jim Baker said producing wine in the Northeast requires patience.
He said Riesling is hardy and withstands the winter. “It takes three to four years for a plant to produce fruit and get a good crop,” he said. “It’s a learning curve with any new variety. Because of the rain and cold in the east, the trick is growing it.”
Baker, who has worked at the vineyard for 34 years, said the landscape keeps him rooted as he walks along the row of vines where the King’s Riesling grapes grow.
Bill Hopkins’ granddaughter, Paloma Criollo,a filmmaker, reflected on that connection in a video featured on the vineyard’s website.
“I’ve realized that without this land, without our farm, we lose our identity and connection to this land. This is our home, and this is my family’s legacy.”
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