Newport Vineyards

I love visiting local vineyards. Not only does it support local business, but I love wine and I always think it tastes better when you form a personal relationship to it. If you can see where the grapes are grown, and hear the story behind the wines you build a deeper connection to it. Last week I visited Newport Vineyards in Middletown, Rhode Island who are currently celebrating their 20th Anniversary. The family owned vineyard just finished a two year expansive renovation including the addition of Brix Restaurant, The Market Place, and Fatulli's Bakery & Deli.

One of the greatest things about Newport Vineyards is that not only are they a great winery but they've also positioned themselves to be a venue for the community. The design is all open concept, but they have these really great barn doors that can slide and close off rooms for private events. This makes them the perfect venue for weddings, rehearsal dinners, anniversary parties, corporate events, and more. They also host yoga nights, live music, clam bakes, and famers' markets.

Newport Vineyards' location is they key to its fantastic wines. They proudly grow all 30 varieties of their own grapes on about 60 acres of land. Their location offers them a unique microclimate comparable to certain regions of France. The salt water protects the grapes from damaging frosts in April, and it's also warmer in the fall because of the proximity to the gulf giving them a longer growing season. This all contributes to their status at the largest grower of grapes in New England.

During my tasting I tried several wines. For the whites I tried the Newport Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Great White (their signature wine). Both the Pinot Grigio and the Great White were sweeter white wines. I enjoyed them, but any sweeter and I wouldn't have liked them. So if you tend to gravitate more toward the sweet wines I'd make sure to try both of those. My favorite of all the wines I tried was definitely their Sauvignon Blanc, a special thanks to Greg for insisting I try it. As far as the reds go, I tried the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet was my favorite of the two, which it usually is. Then I decided to go a little bit out of my comfort zone and try an Ice Wine for the first time. If you don't know, Ice Wines are a dessert wine so this was a little scary for me. I was afraid I would hate it. However, I truly enjoyed it quite a bit and could see myself sipping on it as a dessert after a meal.

Winery tours are offered daily at 1:00 and 3:00 and hourly between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Tastings are offered daily, year round 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. In addition to purchasing a bottle or two, you can also purchase wine by the glass and enjoy it on the seasonal patio overlooking the beautiful vineyard. Please go to their website for more information.

I felt like I couldn't leave without getting the whole experience of Newport Vineyards and enjoying dinner at Brix Restaurant. The restaurant is located upstairs and overlooks part of the winery giving you a view of the winemaking process. I was starving since I didn't get a chance to eat lunch so I started with a shrimp cocktail. It was very fresh and delicious, just as it should be. For my entree I had the grilled sirloin which is served with truffle fries, arugula salad, and chimichurri sauce which I ordered on the side. The meat was cooked to perfection and was very tasty as were the sides. I enjoyed the suggested pairing of the Cabernet Sauvignon with my meal, which was a delightful enhancement to the entree. Then I decided on the champagne sorbet for dessert. It was wonderfully light and fruity but not too sweet, my favorite kind of dessert. It was really a fabulous meal with excellent service. 

All in all, it was probably the best winery experience I've ever had. If you're in the area you have to stop by and check it out. Special thanks to Cassandra and everyone at Newport Vineyards for being such a wonderful host! 

What I'm Wearing:

Dress: Lilly Pulitzer | Belt: Lilly Pulitzer | Bracelet: Lemon & Line c/o