It was a hot Friday just after a busy Fourth of July week and we just wanted something chill yet fun to do. We didn’t want to think about food, but we wanted to eat well. A little music would be great; something familiar and comfortable. Some crisp, delicious wine – or a cold craft beer – would be how we’d top it off.
Dreaming big? Not after I finally listened to the advice of my eldest daughter and joined her and her family at Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery (https://www.westportrivers.com/) a delightful setting that’s been right under my nose in the south coast region of Bristol County. They have been regulars at the Vineyard’s Friday Sunset Music Series.
You must check it out. The Vineyard, dedicated to farming grapes for wine since the early 1980’s, has it all: open space with magnificent views, live music in the fresh air on an open stage; all kinds of wines and – thanks to nearby Buzzard’s Bay Brewing (https://buzzardsbrew.com/) a wide selection of craft beers. There are food trucks with offerings to satisfy anyone and a company store to shop wines and swag.
But most of all: there’s the vibe. Because while Westport River’s focus is creating fine wines, from my point of view that Friday night, they’ve created something just as intoxicating: a place that feels comfortable, welcoming, relaxing and totally separate from that busy and sometimes chaotic world out there.
The Sunset Music series evolved over time and started out as a bit of a whim.
In the 1990’s the local Westport Theatre Company performed Shakespeare plays on the grounds, showing the owners just what an open to the public group event would look like there. When that stopped, the owners decided to bring in musicians and invite the public.
“At first we got like 50 people here,” said Rob Russell, who operates the Vineyard along with his family (it was founded by his parents). “We never charged.”
But it got popular – too popular for their somewhat residential setting – fast, and they pulled the plug.
Until the pandemic showed up, and as it did in many spots, revealed a silver lining. Having just purchased their own food truck/trailer, when Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker ordered that all establishments serving alcohol had to serve food, they started things up.
Food wasn’t new to them: they’d hosted wine dinners for years but had stopped. And, said Russell, the goal had always been more than wine. “We have always promoted a healthy lifestyle of sitting together at a table enjoying one another, wine and dinner.”
And so the music series grew. Today – in order to control crowds – there is an entry price. But it’s super affordable since it’s per car rather than per person.
The Vineyard is about an hour from Boston and a half hour from Providence. Turn up Hixbridge Road and see classic barn buildings and farm houses across the Vineyard’s 400 acres (all restored by the owners). Attendants show you where to park and it’s an easy walk to the main field area where folks grab picnic tables and chairs or bring their own set ups.
There, you face out across the vineyards as the sun sets. This night, Barefoot Dan is strumming out all my favorites from Buffet to JT on a simple stage that faces the crowd but does not block that vineyard view.
Food trucks – all locally based – are scattered around us. We slurp some oysters from the Westport River, sample flatbreads from the Farmer’s Feast truck made with locally sourced ingredients and of course, visit The Cookie Man for dessert.
There’s so much more, including Rhode Rage, a truck operated by a classically trained British chef.
Our grandchildren run around freely; it’s a safe setting, and use the old, beautiful stone walls as a play structure.
And then, of course, there’s the wine. Westport for wine? How good could it be? Try award-winningly good. The Russell family chose the spot for its maritime climate (good for grapes) and have won accolades, particularly for their sparkling wines, across the nation.
But this night I’m happy to be sipping them right in quaint Westport. We live on the South Shore, close enough to drive home once the night wraps. But if you have a longer drive, don’t let that stop you. Nearby New Bedford has plenty of hotels, and lots of history to explore the day before or after. Or head to Horseneck Beach – one of the state’s loveliest oceanfront spots.
Either way, center it all with a Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery visit. The vineyard is also open daily for tastings, when some of the food trucks are still on site, so it’s always a nice time to pop in.
But Sunset Music Night might just be the calm, beautiful outing your midsummer soul craves. All these years just up the road and I’ve only discovered it now. I’ll be making up for lost time.