Gov. Dannel Malloy promoted Connecticut-crafted wine Thursday during a visit to Jones Winery in Shelton.
The vineyard is part of the state's Passport to Connecticut farm wineries program, which encourages people to visit by offering prizes like trips to Spain.
The program gives winery tourists mock passports to get stamped at three dozen vineyards across the state between now and November.
"People take it on as a challenge," Malloy says. "They may have visited one or two wineries in a season. They will now visit more of these things."
Tammy Cobaugh, a Jones manager, says the program has successfully brought in new visitors.
And the owner of a nearby limousine company says her business has picked up as well as more people tour the wineries.