Summer is in full swing across wine country. Newport Vineyards (Middletown, RI) rolled out a brand-new dining experience this season, Farm & Barrel Bistro, a farm-to-table concept built around Rhode Island harvests, plus a new in-house craft cocktail list. And a fun brag for Massachusetts: J's Restaurant at Nashoba Valley Winery (Bolton, MA) was recently ranked #3 Best Winery Restaurant in America (2024). Not bad for our little corner of the wine world.

Friday nights, all summer: Stonington Vineyards Summer Music Series (Stonington, CT). Live bands, food trucks, lawn chairs welcome, 6–9pm. A portion of ticket sales goes to a local charity each week.

Fridays through August 28: Westport Rivers Vineyard's ticketed Sunset Music Series (Westport, MA), 6–8pm. Their separate free Saturday 4–6pm series is only confirmed through July 25 as of this writing. Call ahead if promoting an August Saturday date.

Weekends: Music on the Knoll at Nashoba Valley Winery (Bolton, MA), with food trucks Friday through Sunday.

Saturday, July 25: Westport Rivers' annual Vine to Table dinner, a chef-driven, multi-course feast paired with their wines, right in the vineyard. Tickets are available online as of this writing, but call ahead to confirm before you go.

Friday, July 31, 5:30–8:30pm: Saltwater Farm Vineyard's New England Lobster Bake (Stonington, CT): a 1¼ lb lobster, corn, potatoes, mussels, clams, and grilled chicken thighs, plus your first drink included. $115/person. They also host live music most Thursdays and Sundays (occasionally Fridays) all summer.

The largest grape grower in New England, this 100-acre, family-owned spot in Middletown, RI feels like a slice of Napa ten minutes from downtown Newport. Daily tours ($30) include a walk through the vines and barrel rooms, a four-wine tasting of your choice from 20+ options, a keepsake glass, and a marketplace credit. Add lunch at their farm-to-table restaurant and you've got a full afternoon.

Why go: it's the easiest "wow" day trip in the region: wine, food, and shopping in one stop.

Morning tasting at Saltwater Farm Vineyard (a converted 1930s airplane hangar, yes, really), lunch in Mystic (a slice at Mystic Pizza or seafood on the water), then Friday-evening lawn concert at Stonington Vineyards. Best for: couples and friend groups who want coastal views with their wine.

August essential: the wine slushie. Cassidy Hill Vineyard (Coventry, CT) pours them alongside their lawn concerts, and you'll find frosé (frozen rosé) at vineyards across Rhode Island all summer. Sweet, cold, zero snobbery. Exactly how summer wine should be.

A little off the coastal wine trail, but worth the drive: Nickle Creek Vineyard in Foster, RI, a small, family-run spot tucked into the quiet western hills, about 35–40 minutes from Providence. It's low-key in the best way: Adirondack chairs among the vines, a relaxed tasting room, and genuinely lovely people behind the bar. If Robin's working, say “hi”, she pours a generous flight and always has a good recommendation. This one's a personal favorite of ours.

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Know a winery event we missed? Hit reply, because we read everything.