Passport to CT Farm Wineries

2023 PASSPORT APP – NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD.

The passport program officially launches Friday, May 12, 2023!

Members of the CT Wine Trail participate with other Connecticut farm wineries in the Passport to Connecticut Wine Country sponsored by Connecticut Farm Wineries and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.

Spend this summer and fall traveling Connecticut to collect your Passport stamps while creating lasting memories. The program starts May 12, 2023, and the app can be found on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

FAQS

  • What is Passport to CT Wine Country?
    • Passport to CT Wine Country is a program of the CT Farm Wine Development Council (CFWDC). CFWDC is a voluntary council administered by the CT Department of Agriculture, to market licensed farm wineries wishing to participate. Besides the popular Passport, the council provides education for the wineries annually and operates a successful wine booth in the Connecticut Building at the Big E each fall.
  • How can I participate?
    • The app is available at no cost through App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android). Simply search for “CT Wine Passport” and download it.
  • Can anyone participate in the program?
    • Anyone over 21 years of age can participate, in accordance with Connecticut liquor laws.
  • Is there a charge or purchase necessary to get a stamp at a winery?
    • There is no purchase necessary to collect a stamp at the wineries.
  • Can people who are not Connecticut residents participate?
    • Any person over the age of 21 is allowed to participate in the Passport program. Participants do not have to be Connecticut residents.
  • What is the purpose of the Passport to CT Wine Country mobile app?
    • The Passport to CT Wine Country mobile app is an agritourism product, developed with funding from the CT Farm Wine Development Council through Community Investment Act dollars. It is a collection of participating licensed farm wineries offering consumers the opportunity to experience award-winning wines, experiences, and more throughout the state. It features 38 participating farm winery locations. Locals and visitors can use the app to navigate their way through CT Wine Country to seek new experiences and taste unique products. Create your own itinerary, explore by region, product, or experience, tag your favorites, collect stamps, and be entered in the prize drawing as you explore CT Wine Country.
  • How many farm wineries are involved with Passport to CT Wine Country?
    • Passport to CT Wine Country has 38 participating wineries throughout the state.
  • I’m at a Connecticut farm winery but it’s not in the app. Why is that?
    • All farm wineries listed in the Passport to CT Wine Country app are licensed farm wineries using at least 25% Connecticut Grown product in their wines. Businesses must apply to participate and meet the eligibility criteria. We encourage all eligible farm wineries to learn more about joining Passport to CT Wine Country. Feel free to let them know that you’d love to see them in the app!
  • How does the Passport feature work?
    • For each participating winery that you visit, you can have your passport virtually stamped, all you have to do is click “Stamp My Passport” in the Passport section of the App and GPS will take care of the rest. Stamps can only be earned at participating farm winery locations or festivals. Off-site events hosted by individual wineries are not eligible to receive a stamp (i.e. winery at a farmers’ market or fair). Having issues stamping your passport? Check out the FAQs below. As a passport holder, once you reach a reward level, you can redeem to be entered in the prize drawing for a chance to win. All stamps must be redeemed in the app by December 31, 2023, to be eligible for the prize drawing. After that date, you will begin your Passport anew. Don’t worry, your expired stamps will still be accessible in case you want to relive your past adventures. Prizes will be announced at the start of the program and posted to the website and in the app. There are more than 60 prizes valued at over $10,000 total. Prizes will be focused on Connecticut destinations/businesses to support the local economy.
  • What if I’m having trouble stamping my passport at one of the participating farm wineries?
    • First, try going to your phone settings to make sure your location services are enabled for the CT Wine Passport mobile app. If your phone still does not recognize that you are at a Passport stop it’s possible other factors like poor network connectivity could be interfering with the GPS feature. Not to worry! You can request a manual passport stamp inside the Passport section of the app. All you need to do is submit a manual stamp request along with a photo. This photo must show YOU inside the passport location or on the patio with signage in the background to definitively prove that you are at the winery location. Photos of food, beverages, coasters, menus, passport booklets, receipts, photos taken when the winery is closed, photos taken while driving by, images taken from the internet, or other images will not be accepted. All inappropriate images will be automatically disqualified.
  • What if my app isn’t working right?
    • If you’ve got a question that isn’t answered here or want to provide feedback on the app, please feel free to email Support by going back to the menu where you found these FAQs and tapping “Feedback & Support.”
  • Where can I find more information about Passport to CT Wine Country?