Connecticut River Valley
Growing & TerroirEnglish
Definition
The tobacco district straddling the Connecticut and Massachusetts stretch of the river, with sandy loam left by glacial floodplain. It produces two very different crops: shade-grown Connecticut wrapper under cheesecloth and sun-grown Broadleaf.
Why it matters
It is the only large-scale premium wrapper region in the United States, and its high land and labor costs are the reason Ecuadorian Connecticut now dominates the market.
In context
"Driving north from Hartford you can still see the white shade tents that gave Connecticut Shade its name."
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