WARREN — More than 400 years after their ancestors arrived in America aboard the Mayflower, the Hopkins family is still making history – this time in a glass of wine.
Wine produced by Hopkins Vineyard in Warren, Conn., was served at a White House state dinner for King Charles III and Queen Camilla on April 28, 2026.
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.”
This fish took a Wooly Bugger in basic black, with rubber legs. Always get the rubber legs.
Then I hit on a succession of inflatable pontoon and belly boats, powered by oars and/or swim fins, and there I have remained.
Did I forget to mention that no motors are allowed on this lake? Well, no motors are allowed, and it’s no good arguing that a small electric trolling motor couldn’t possibly hurt anything. Ask me how I know this.
It’s a quiet, rejuvenating few weeks. The phone gets enough signal on one end of the deck to receive messages and maybe make a call if the wind is right. If something comes up, it’s only 15 minutes to so-called civilization.
When not fishing, I read, visit assorted cousins, listen to baseball on the AM radio and/or stare blankly into the middle distance.
Bassing with a fly rod in still water is a different game than chasing trout in streams.
A medium-fast-action rod, 8 to 10 feet, in line weight 7 or 8 is the starting point. The flies are big, and the wind is constant, so the angler needs some power, tempered with a bit of finesse.
I usually bring two rods. One is rigged with a floating line with a heavy front taper for turning over surface flies such as poppers.
The other has either a sink-tip or intermediate line. The lake is not all that deep, and the Woolly Buggers, Clousers and other streamers are heavy. The idea is to stay out of the vegetation while getting close to where the lunkers are hunkered down.
I use short nylon leaders, 7.5 feet with 1X tippet out of the package, and modify them constantly with additional sections of fluorocarbon tippet, snaps and droppers.
Surface action is usually minimal during the day unless it’s overcast. The lake runs east-west, so the angler can track the midmorning and late-afternoon shadows and work those areas.
Or the angler can wait until about 6:30 p.m., when things start to pick up.
Or get out there at the crack of dawn, which is best if surface action is the goal.
For subsurface fishing, some experimentation is required to find the right combination of flies, leader and sink rate. The angler also has to decide whether to troll.
There are a few places where a dry-dropper rig is appropriate, the dry being an extremely buoyant popper with a piece of stout fluorocarbon tippet tied to the bend of the hook and something heavy and wiggly at the end, like a stonefly nymph with rubber legs. (Always get the rubber legs.)
If this sounds like a bobber, it’s because it is. Don’t tell anyone. The purists don’t like it.
A net with a long handle is necessary. There is no leverage when sitting in what amounts to a floating chair.
I do not bring my phone for fish pictures. I will drop it into the depths. Ask me how I know this.
Instead I bring a small point-and-shoot camera. These get lost too, but perversely I have better luck keeping the cheap gear safe than the expensive items.
Sunscreen is applied liberally and frequently. After 50-odd years of being outside, I now have to visit the dermatologist every so often to have my face edited, and I don’t enjoy it.
A baseball cap does nothing for the ears and neck. I have a hat with a wide brim and a vented top, so it doesn’t get too hot. It looks stupid, but this is an acceptable risk.
Finally, a word about the quarry. Largemouth bass are not picky eaters. When engaged they usually dive and tug. Once in a while they leap. They are easily discouraged, however, and after a minute or two come meekly to the net.
Smallmouth, not so much. These aren’t especially big, but every smallie I’ve ever met thought it was much bigger than it actually was. Expect acrobatics.
Perch usually grab my fly when I don’t want them to.
Perch are in the August mix, usually when I don’t want them to be.Patrick L. Sullivan
Panfish are everywhere. They are extremely cooperative. Chasing sunnies is a good way to get a newcomer started.
And then there are the pickerel. These are nasty fish. Very antisocial. I keep a pair of long-handled pliers handy to get the fly out of their mouths safely while admiring the large number of very sharp teeth. They will bite the pliers. Do not use your fingers. Again, ask me how I know this.
Upon release, it’s not unusual to observe the pickerel hanging around a few yards away, glaring and plotting hideous revenge.
So this is the August routine, occasionally leavened with a scramble into a brook trout stream if conditions allow.
It’s peaceful. Kind of boring, in a good way.
And then in the fall the game shifts back to rivers and streams for trout.
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MOMIX is one of the featured performers at this year’s Arts Connected fundraiser on Aug. 29.
Barry Blitt created an original piece for the fundraiser that will adorn a limited edition T-Shirt for sale during the event.Provided
The evening will feature live plein air painting by artists from Plein Air Litchfield, performances by Our Culture Is Beautiful (OCIB), fire performer Cinderfella, and Susan Becker Aziz’s monumental humpback whale puppet, originally created for Paul Winter’s “Missa Gaia.” Guests will also have the opportunity to purchase artwork from a curated exhibition, with proceeds supporting the Arts Council’s mission to strengthen and promote the arts throughout Northwest Connecticut.
This year’s honorary host committee includes Meryl Streep, Diane von Furstenberg, Tim Daly, Téa Leoni, Maria Horn, Patti LuPone, Jack O’Brien, Sam Waterston and Paul Winter. Creative cocktail attire is encouraged, and attendance is limited. The event is open to guests 21 and older.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit artsnwct.org
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