Fall for Saltwater Farm

Located just a mile from Stonington Borough is Saltwater Farm Vineyard — beautiful coastal farmland housing a WWII-era airport hangar that’s been transformed into a spectacular winery and event space making award-winning wines. It’s a jewel of Southeastern Connecticut and a great Fall destination.

Bordered by the tidal marshes of Wequetequock Cove, Saltwater Farm can trace its agrarian roots back 350 years to the founding of Stonington, CT. Originally settled by Walter Palmer in 1653, portions of Palmer’s original tract, including what is now Saltwater Farm Vineyard, continued to be used as farmland into the early twentieth century, known then as the West Farm.

During the mid-1900s, the property's purpose shifted to aviation, becoming home to a small community airport known as Foster Field, and later to a commercial air service and flight training school. Current owners Michael and Merrily Connery purchased the property in 2001, and in 2003, planted 15 acres of vines which would become Saltwater Farm Vineyard. After completing the reconstruction of the dilapidated airplane hangar turned modern winery and event space, the Tasting Room opened to the public on April 1, 2010.

While its natural beauty and iconic hangar make for an appealing destination any time of year, Fall is an exceptional time to visit. Here are three reasons to put Saltwater Farm at the top of your Fall Bucket List.

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1: Fall Picnics

Saltwater Farm is the perfect location to gather with friends and toast the season. There’s plenty of indoor and outdoor seating — with a sprawling lawn and covered seating under the custom Sperry Tent on the back patio. Guests are permitted to “Bring Your Own Picnic” or build one from a selection of cheese and other nibbles available for purchase on-site from purveyors near and far, including local cheese from Cato Corners Farm in Colchester, CT, Nettle Meadow Farm in Warrensburg, NY, and Vermont Farmstead Cheese in Windsor, VT.

2: New Wine Releases

With cooler temperatures comes the release of several new vintages. In mid-September, expect to see Saltwater Farm’s award-winning estate ‘Gold Arc’ Chardonnay. A lightly oaked Chardonnay with hints of vanilla, caramel apple, and a slight citrus note, this wine has a bit more body and complexity than its steel-aged counterparts, making it an ideal pairing for some of Fall's richer dishes.

In the way of reds, there will be three new releases to check out, with Cabernet Franc grapes contributing to each of them. Cabernet Franc, the vineyard’s signature red grape, is traditionally used as one of the primary blending grapes in the Bordeaux region of France. Since it can tolerate the cooler New England climate better than many of the other vinifera varieties, Cab Franc has found much success at Saltwater Farm, being used for their standalone 2019 estate Cabernet Franc, and in two of its red blends — the 2019 Cabernet Franc / Merlot Blend, and their latest iteration of Runway Red NV. Fun fact: in addition to red wines, it is also the primary grape used for their Cabernet Rosé wine.

3: Harvest

Thanks to Mother Nature’s favorable weather and the hard work of Saltwater Farm's Vineyard team, they are expecting an abundant season. The white grapes, including Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, are typically the first picked, some time between the end of September and mid-October, with the reds being harvested as late into the Fall as the weather will permit. Stop by shortly after harvest and you can literally smell the grapes fermenting, giving start to the newest vintages of their wines. Guests are encouraged to sign up for their email list to receive updates on how they can participate in picking the grapes.