Guide To Boston-Area Vineyards And Wineries
Running Brook Vineyard and Winery
335 Old Fall River Road
No. Dartmouth, MA 02747
508-985-1998
website
Running Brook Vineyard and Winery was founded in 1998 by a dentist and his patient. The two have since set their focuses on growing coastal grapes and producing premium wines. The vineyard is a member of the coastal wine trail.
Tours and Tastings
Daily 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. (staff recommends calling ahead)
Cost: (call for info)
Cape Cod Winery
681 Sandwich Road
East Falmouth, MA 02536
508-457-5592
website
Cape Cod Winery cultivates 6 varieties of wine grapes. Their Nobska Red is a bronze medal-winner in the International Eastern Wine Competition.
Tours
July – August: Sat 2 p.m.
Cost: Free
Tastings
May – June, Sept – Dec: Sat – Sun, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
July – Aug: Wed – Sun, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Cost: $5
Truro Vineyards
11 Shore Rd Route 6A
North Truro, MA 02652
508-487-6200
website
Situated next to Cape Cod's National Seashore, this family tackles the art of maritime grape growing with their Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot varieties. Truro Vineyards offers free tours of its "green" winery. During the summer, wine tastings are held outdoors under our tasting pavilion.
Tours
Daily, seasonal only (Memorial Day weekend – Columbus Day) Mon - Sun: 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.
Cost: Free
Tastings
Daily (every 1/2 hour) Mon - Sat: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sun: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $8
Alfalfa Farm Winery
267 Rowley Bridge Road
Topsfield, MA 01983
978-774-0014
website
Alfalfa Farm Winery is a family-owned and -operated vineyard that produces a variety of hand-crafted wines.
Tours and tastings
May 29-Aug. 28: Sun 1-5 p.m.
Sept. 3-Dec. 18: Sat & Sun, 1-5 p.m.
Cost: $5 tasting, free tour
Westport Rivers
417 Hixbridge Rd.
Westport, MA 02790
508-636-3423
website
The vineyard boasts 80 acres of grapes including: chardonnay, pinot noir, riesling, rkatsiteli, pinot blanc, pinot gris, gruner veltliner, muscat, pinot meunier and more. Their award-winning wines have been served at the White House.
Tours and tastings
Sat 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.
Cost: $10 tasting, free tour
Not Just Grapes
Other area farmers are trying their luck with alternatives to grape-growing. New England's climate is ideal for growing apples, blueberries, and cranberries. We'd be remiss to leave out the local wineries that grow and use these fruits as ingredients.
Plymouth Colony Winery
56 Pinewood Road
Plymouth, MA 02360
(508) 747-3334
website
Plymouth Colony is New England's original cranberry winery. Appropriately so, cranberry bogs take the place of traditional rolling vineyard hills. They don't give formal tours, but the owners invite you to stroll around the bogs at your leisure.
Tastings
May – Dec (check website for off-season) Thu – Sat: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sun: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: Free
Nashoba Winery
100 Wattaquadock Hill Road
Bolton, MA 01740
978-779-5521
website
This family-owned orchard, winery & restaurant built on 52 acres has been churning out a combination of award-winning grape and other fruit wines since it opened in 1978. Nashoba boasts a state-of-the art wine-making and distillation facility. Tours the facilities, and taste up to six wines. Properly supervised children are allowed on the tour.
Tour & Tasting
Sat - Sun: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. (tours every hour)
Cost: $7 (free under 21)
Tasting Only
Sun – Thu: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Fri – Sat: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: $4
Russell Orchards
143 Argilla Road
Ipswich, MA 01938
978-356-5366
website
Russell Orchards tested the waters in 1988 with what they knew best, hard ciders with apples from their orchard. They have since expanded to produce a number of traditional fruit wines.
Tastings Only (Orchard tours available during apple-picking season.)
Mon-Sun, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Subject to staff availability. Staff suggests weekends 1-5 p.m.)
Cost: Free
Still River Winery
104 Bolton Road
Harvard, MA 01451
978-415-WINE (978-415-9463)
website
Don't expect to find any grapes here. Still River Winery is located in the heart of apple country, about an hour west of Boston, and only produces a recently-invented style known as apple ice wine. Some of their best wines have won local, national, and international competitions.
Tours and tastings
Year-round, hours vary, call ahead
Cost: Free
