Sunset Meadow Vineyards

This place was absolutely wonderful. We came here on our way home from the Berkshires. Such a great place! They were very busy when we arrived but we were able to squeeze ourselves in to have a tasting. It is only $ 6 to have a tasting. I really loved all the wines that I tried but by far my favorite was the Root 66. I never really drink red wine but this one is delicious!!! Our pourer was so nice and funny. She was very knowledgable about all the wines she poured us. They have so many great little things to buy also. Can’t wait to return!!!

Nice selection of wines. The tasting of the winery was noisy. We could barely hear the lady describing the wines. The pricing was of the wine tastings was confusing.

I am a BIG fan of SMV after my visit on Saturday, 9÷19÷15. A friend and I stopped by after the Harvest Fest at Haight-​Brown, which is only a few miles away. Tastings here are only $ 6 ($ 7.50 if you want to bring a glass home) and you pick your own custom tasting. I tried the following:
— Cayuga White (a requirement of any CT vineyard — this one is done very well)
— Blustery Blend (could definitely taste the kiwi/​star fruit)
— Enchanted Apple
— New Dawn (packs a punch!)
— Root 63 (the red you should get for someone who drinks white)
Our pourers were cracking jokes with us and recommending the wines, which is helpful when you’re unfamiliar with the lineup. After our tasting and bottle purchase (we each went home with a Root 63), we debated getting a glass of one of the wines and enjoying the patio for a while. One of the pourers mentioned the wine smoothies they make on site and we were sold. They were $ 5 each (we had the pomegranate blueberry with the blush wine) and worth every penny. Sitting out on the patio, enjoying the gorgeous view and slight breeze, was the perfect end to the afternoon.

Stopped by this vineyard based on other peoples Unilocal reviews later Saturday afternoon after some apple picking. It was not overly crowded which made it more enjoyable. We had a few tastings and then ordered a bottle of wine to sit outside with. They have plenty of chairs, tables, picnic tables for everyone to share along with indoor seating.
The view is nothing to write home about but it was nice to look out into the vineyards.
The place would get another start but after purchasing a bottle of wine to enjoy on their property they make you drink out of a plastic cup. This totally ruins the mood. I’m sure they are being cheap and don’t want people to steal the glasses but what does that really cost you?
The wine we choose was really good but I won’t be coming back since I have to drink out of a plastic cup like a kid. I’ve been to tons of wineries from CT, to NY (various regions) down to Virginia and out in California and this is the first time I have been told I can’t take a wine glass to enjoy my $ 20 bottle of in.
Losers.

Visited SMV before heading back to NYC, it was only about a 2 mile drive from the hotel we stayed at the night before. My husband and I expected to be the first ones there (opened at 11am), but surprisingly the premise was already decently packed. The tasting room is really nice and cozy and we were greeted by Chris, who was very friendly and knowledgeable about wine. When he realized that we like sweet wines, he had us try one that won awards that we hadn’t even selected for our tasting (can’t remember the name). My husband and I loved the Shades of Risqué and the Apple wine! It was a very nice touch that they ended our tasting session with a merlito and a blueberry frozen drink samples. I’ve been to a few CT wineries in the past 2 years and so far, SMV is my favorite!

Terrible hospitality. I visit all of the vineyards in the area and this is the worst.

New favorite winery (not that I get out to that many). I am not a wine snob, but I do know what I like so for my girlfriend and I it was Root 63 and Blustery Blend. We did a tasting and walked away with our two choices, a couple plastic cups (yea, not a high end appeal but the owners are trying to limit glass outside and on the lawns… not the end of the world) — and dropped a blanket on the grass in the shade. Very enjoyable all around.

I like Sunset Meadow. I’m beyond the point where I don’t do tastings anymore, I generally stick to my newest favorite, Shades of Risqué, a pomegranate sparkling wine that is always a hit with everyone, even the non-​wine drinkers in our group.
It’s a nice spot to have picnics, and on some Sundays they have live music outside, which is nice. They also added the wine slushies for anyone who is so inclined.

One of my favorites on the trail. The different wines are always enjoyable, staff very inviting and informative, the outside area is relaxing and cozy, and the inside tasting area has a cute little shop with fun things to buy. There is also a place to sit indoors, as well as some rocking chairs that line the front of the building. A nice stop on the wine trail!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmmmaaazing! Best winery in ct!!!
When I lived in Goshen this was our bar scene. The owners are really nice and super personable! We used to get the merlitas as on the regular, what are merlitas you ask well they are made with SMV merlot and crushed ice and it’s like an alcoholic slushie!!! God I love this place! Try the, well, try everything! Lol that’s what tastings are for. And if you’re in the valley Zois pizza palace in Seymour sells their wine and also has a great great great pizza! See you there soon now that the weather is fair!

This winery is great! When we went, it was a fairly busy day, but we were immediately greeted by a gentleman with a huge smile who have us the down low on how their winery operates. When had to wait a little while for a place to rest our elbows, but no big deal. The wait was still probably less than 5 minutes. We did the tasting and there were a bunch of pretty decent wines. We got a chilled red that was pretty sweet and tasted like sangria, which we enjoyed in the picnic area that was set up. There was quite a crowd outside and it was a great place to enjoy the wine. I liked everything about this place!

This place is quite an operation! They seriously know how to sell! They make a decent wine and have a very fetching setup with music, informal seating, and a solid facility. This place is a great first date location, an excellent «I’m still into you even though your politics are for poop» location and even a passable «I’m not entirely certain that kid is mine, but I’m ok with it either way» location.
Said differently, pretty much anything you have on your mind will be ok in a setting like Sunset Meadow. Just go there with people you like and some good snacks and let the rest of the day unwind itself over a few bottles of well made CT wine. There is nothing, save the weather, to detract from the experience. Sure, they will make you go home at some point, but I bet you can play hide and seek in the vineyard well into dark!
Definitely plan to spend some time here. Don’t just go get stamped and move on. This is one of the better stops in CT!

A beautiful day and nice weather. Wine tasting with fresh and good tasting home grown grapes. Prices are decent and good service. Nice atmosphere. Had a good time listening to the band play outside. Recommended visit.

I don’t know much about wine, but I do know that this place has a great atmosphere and super friendly staff. They have a warm an inviting feel when you step onto the grounds unlike the other wineries in the area. This by far is overall the best place to come to just sit and relax and enjoy the warm weather, or if you’re looking to entertain some friends. The have a nice selection of wines to fit anyones palate. I enjoy sweeter, sparkling type wines and will always have a glass of the Shades of Risqué. In the fall and winer months they will offer mulled wines and in the summer, wine snow cones!!!
They do allow you to bring a picnic which is nice.
Great people and great atmosphere.

Even on a cold March evening, I enjoyed my time sipping wine at this place. This was more of a home-​like atmosphere though it was also crowded. Unlike HB, I liked the crowd better because the age range was diverse. I loved their complimentary wine crackers. Our wine sommelier was very pleasant.

SMV has very much stepped up its game. Four years ago, this would have been a much lesser review — the wines and the experience have definitely improved since.
$ 6 to try five wines. A decent price by all means, but it nevertheless presents a problem when the winery makes twelve wines. And unlike most Connecticut wineries, you don’t get to keep the glass. C’mon ya cheapskates…
The tasting table and seating areas are really pleasant. Buy some wine by the bottle or glass, pair it with one of their available cheeses, and sit by the wood-​burning stove. You are now the embodiment of all things Connecticut.
Most importantly, the wines have improved. I really like the Vidal Blanc (several New England vineyards make a fantastic one), and the Twisted Red, a blend of estate and outsourced grapes, if I’m not mistaken.
Quite generous pours too. Very important when you’re trying to accomplish the most important goal of a Connecticut wine tour — pretending to be classy while really just wanting to get trashed.

Stopped by to get a passport stamp before heading to the CT wine festival. Very nice venue with lots of outdoor seating and nice views. The wines were pretty good, but there wasn’t anything in particular that went above and beyond for me. The Cayuga was my favorite. We tasted some here, and then tasted the rest at the wine festival.
They do allow you to bring your own food so you can relax and snack while you sip. You cannot bring outside beverages onto the premises, but I’m not sure why you’d want to when you can get some yummy wine! I’ll be back for next years wine trail for sure, and bring my picnic basket next time!

Merlita: a frozen slushie type treat made with merlot. You will love it; theres nothing about this treat thats NOT to love, especially in the warm months.
Other than this fun surprise that came out at the end of my tasting, nothing really stood out to me. I’d say that I enjoyed all the wines and the service I received, but feel kind of regretful that I chose to have the chocolate pairings with my wine. Even a small amount of this excellent local chocolate is more than enough, but the large chunks of chocolate I was served managed to take center stage to the small pours.
With that being said, the pairings were perfect. The chocolates chosen to accompany each wine were the perfect complement. However, either a smaller piece of chocolate, or a more generous wine pour would be helpful in showcasing the flavors of the wine.
This is another beautiful stop along the CT Wine Trail for tasting and picnicking. Enjoy!

This was the second stop in Part 3 of our attempt to complete the 2013 CT Wine Trail. We mapped it out so that we stopped for a tasting, hopefully purchase a bottle (or 2) of wine to have with the picnic lunch we packed.
Lovely drive up to this vineyard in Goshen that sits atop a hill and has some gorgeous views of the vineyard itself as well as of the surrounding area. We got there soon after they opened and headed into the tasting room. In addition to the wine, the tasting room also sells a variety of wine paraphernalia and snacks. The room itself is very nice with deep wooden floors that give the area a rustic almost country appearance and feeling. There is also additional seating in an annex to the tasting bar for those days when sitting outside is not an option.
The tasting went smoothly. The staff was attentive and no one in our party felt rushed or pressured to «get to the next pour». We tried a variety of whites (I am getting used to the fact that every CT Winery produces a «popular» Cayuga and/​or Cayuga blend) and reds and purchased the Root 63, a fruity semi sweet wine to accompany our lunch. The wine was very refreshing in the hazy, hot and humid afternoon, but we did not purchase any to bring home. Honestly — none of them really blew me away and their «popular» wines were my least favorite.
However if you are looking for a place to have a nice picnic lunch with some great views and have the time to drive here, I recommend Sunset Meadow Vineyards. In addition to tables and chairs on the patio, they have picnic tables, as well as adorandox chairs to lounge on. It also seems to be one of the more popular vineyards we have encountered along the trial as while we were having lunch the parking lot got crowded. This seems to be one of those places where it is better to arrive on the earlier side or have to elbow your way into the tasting room and to find some where to sit outside.

This is one of the nicer vineyards we have visited to date on the CT Wine Trail. We arrived on a warm summer Sunday afternoon at about 4:30, just as the live music had finished up. The wine tasting bar was completely full and all of the tables outside on the patio were full as well.
The vineyard was beautiful, the wine tasting bar was well equipped, they had lots of cute items in their store, and the patio/​lawn/​porch area was downright idyllic. The bar was staffed with several knowledgeable guys and girls. We sampled 5 wines for $ 6 and paid an additional $ 1.50 to sample a 6^th, the Merlot Reserve. We also had a «Wicked Dark» chocolate truffle with our red wine. Delicious. The gentleman who was waiting on us was very personable and informed us that roughly 95% of the grapes used in making the wines are grown on site (and they are working towards 100%).
They have cheese and crackers on site that can be purchased to enjoy with your wine. It seemed that many of the patrons out on the patio had done so. They also allow outside food to be brought in, but no outside beverages are permitted. It would be nice to go back with a picnic (and get there in time for the live music on Sunday) and have the time to relax and enjoy it a bit more.
They also occasionally offer wine and chocolate pairings for around $ 12 which sounded like fun.
The wines we tasted were generally quite good, the best one being the Merlot Reserve. That one was selling for over $ 33 a bottle, so we chose to take home the Chardonnay and the St. Croix (at $ 18.99 and $ 24.99 respectively).