Carolyn’s Sakonnet Vineyards

My friends and I were looking for something to do for a single girls’ Valentine’s Day and found ourselves at Carolyn’s Sakonnet Vineyards. We had driven from Boston and were excited to take a tour of the winery and have a tasting but when we got there, we found out the heat wasn’t working in parts of the winery and they weren’t able to give tours. When one of the managers heard our disappointment, she found someone who wouldn’t mind being our chilly tour guide. We had an absolutely wonderful tour, with just our guide and the three of us. We also really enjoyed the wine tasting! It was a perfect part of our Valentine’s Day celebration!

This is a must if you are brambling thru RI. We spent a most wonderfully memorable Father’s Day here. We each had the flight and some snacks from the café. Everything was well done and the wine was wonderful. The Blessed Red was my favorite and Unexpected Miracle was my husbands fav. We had a beautiful day sitting on the lawn listening to the Steel band. Thank you Carolyn for making this such a relaxing place to be. We need more of this back in our culture… unplug and go back to the simpler way of life. There was a young couple with a newborn baby sitting close by, there were families with young children dancing to the music, teens with their extended families and elder couples holding hands just relaxing. Thanks for a simply romantic
day.

Such a wonderful experience. Matthew in the tasting room is knowledgable about the wines and everyone created a fabulous environment to taste wine and relax. Sweet wines aren’t my favorite, but these were still enjoyable and the atmosphere and service makes this a place to visit.

Perfect place for a bachelorette party or group outing! Saturday was nothing short of perfect! All 16 of us had the best time, especially the Bride! The Vineyard was absolutely the most incredible backdrop to our day. All the staff members were so incredibly welcoming and friendly never making us feel like we were an inconvenience.
We arrived in a party bus that had no problem finding a place to park. The Vineyard had all of our boxed lunches ready to go with each of our names on them! There was a spot on the back patio they had for us, so we were able to enjoy our lunches outside.
(Their boxed lunches were delicious too!)
Then we all did 3 tastings of their wine, went on the tour and concluded with our remaining 4 tastings. There was a beautiful space outside that we were all able to relax in and take in the beautiful scenery.
Deborah, their Director of Guest Relations, was also so incredible to us. Helping us arrange everything ahead of time and checking in with us day of to ensure we were all set! She’s the best! (Ask for her)
The day was magical, everyone was beyond thrilled as we left and before we were even off the property we were planning our next visit!

I chose this vineyard as a last minute option for a work outing. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating given the fact that we booked the day before. They even provided specialized vegan options on the menu for someone in my party.
The food was fantastic. The tour was interesting and fun, and the wine tasting was delicious. The grounds, although it was a cloudy day, were beautiful and well kept. I can’t wait to go back!

My friend and I visited this vineyard today on a day off from work & were so pleasantly surprised! Not only did we both enjoy multiple wines on the menu (7 are offered for the tasting) but we had an all-​around great time chatting with staff members Katie and Sarah. They made us feel welcome, spoke casually yet knowledgeably about the wines, and were enthusiastic professionals. I’ve been to many vineyards in the Northeast, and I must say this now ranks at the top of my list. I left with a bottle of both the red & white blends, a smile on my face, and a plan to come back!

I love this vineyard! And All the new changes. This place exudes class! They did an amazing job with changing to Carolyn’s. We love the music outdoors with their high quality chairs and tables. The grounds are breathtaking! And the service has always been 5 star! We did a wine tasting today and our faves so far are all of them! I’m a red drinker but their whites have been really good. And all the labels changed– beautiful art! everyone should come here for a tasting! You will love it!
***my favorite was the NV blessed blend Red– very French and elegant! Bought one and got a free tote! Sweet!

I was lucky enough to enjoy a cloudy afternoon here this summer, and boy am I glad I did! The owners have made some wonderful updates since my last visit a few years back.
To begin, the new wine offerings are so good! The wine tasting was very generous and the take-​home glasses were super cute. It was really fun to mark our selections on the chart.
The lawn seating is also a great improvement. There was a stage set up for the summer concert series (which we did not attend) but I love the feel of the handmade chairs and tables. It was a great time to bring our own cheese board and take in the views.
Might I also mention that it is a seriously lovely drive to the property! There is so much to see along the way. I’m definitely looking forward to another trip back next summer.

Like everyone else is saying… blah blah… blah. Grounds are great. Alex and Ani gift shop, mediocre wines.
So what am I going to write about?
It’s still a pretty freaking cool place. The cool part is the winery, the employees aren’t that special but the grounds are. It’s a great vibe.
I won’t return but I’ll check out the other 13 wineries on the winery tour.

$ 14 for seven tastings. You can sit down and order food while tasting. Nice outdoor seating. Wait staff were polite and friendly. We didn’t stay too late but could be a potential dark place without much light pollution for stargazing.

Came here on their second farmers market and jazz concert series. This place is amazing. Pretty much free reign of the property. The farmer’s market is everything a New England farmers market should be– fresh, local and interesting. The wine tasting was delicious!!! My favorites:
— 2013 Aiman: 100% Pinot noir grapes which spoke to my inner wine snob.
— NV Amarita late harvest Vidal Blanc grapes with peach, apricot and honeysuckle notes.
The ambiance is chick relaxed. This is a must visit.

This was the most fun I’ve had at a vineyard tour. Rather than sit you down at a bar or around a table and have you drink your wines in quick succession, you are given seven drink tickets and you can get your pours from either an inside bar or an outside one. As a result you can hang around and relax in the sun. There is an on site café that you can eat at in between (or during) your tasting. You can also wander the grounds and go see the water.
I highly recommend a visit. Somehow, as a native Rhode Islander, I’m not sure if I’ve ever stepped foot in Little Compton before this. If you’re like me, you now have a reason to go!

Sakonnet used to be really nice, keywords = used to.
Since Alex and Ani bought it, it is WAY too commercialized. Everything is tied into you buying their jewelry and now the tasting room is more of a company store than the nice, relaxing area it used to be. While their events are fun, everything has a sponsor and the corporate message is always pushed.
Sakonnet was a nice relaxing place to go, taste some wine and sit outside. Greed has turned it into a crowded jewelry store that sells wine.

Our trip to Carolyn’s was actually unplanned. Bf and I had just left Greenvale Vineyards and had a few hours to kill before we went back home. We decided to make the long trek over to check it out.
We got here around 4PM on a Sunday afternoon and this place was PACKED. There was live music playing and all the tables were filled. The tasting room was impossible to navigate. There were 2 people working and the bar was surrounded with wine tasters… needless to say we didn’t wait around. Since we already had a tasting at Greenvale’s a little while ago, we were fine with just buying a glass of wine and walking around. We got a glass of rose for $ 10, and it was no bueno. Meh.
Despite all this, the grounds are beautiful. There are rows upon rows of grapes grown in even rows, satisfying my OCD. Although it was a little bit too busy here, I did enjoy the ambiance and the hustle and bustle of people. The music, summer breeze, and green as far as the eye could see made for a very relaxing atmosphere.

Such a beautiful location. The wines were very good and the service by Lisa; excellent!
I drove from Newport and the scenery along the way is gorgeous. So enjoyable.

It makes me want to cry! I have been coming to Sakonnet Vineyards for years and years and I hate how this once magical property has been grossly commercialized by Alex and Ani.
Price gouging is rampant everywhere you turn – the Rhode Island Red wine has skyrocketed from $ 14.99 a bottle to $ 24.99 – a 67% price increase for crying out loud! The only other choice of red wine available is some silly named «Blessed Blend» concoction that goes for $ 29.99 a bottle. So if you don’t feel like spending that kind of money on some «just okay» wine, or it’s not in your budget, you’re out of luck.
The outdoor cast iron patio sets where you used to be able to lounge at leisure with a picnic and some reasonably priced bottles is now reserved only for privileged paying customers of Russell Morin’s Fine catering company. The once lush grass beneath the tables is now worn bare from the high foot traffic of the waitstaff.
But worst of all is the God-​awful jazzy, new age piped in music that blares from a loudspeaker across the property, incredibly disrupting the very real natural tranquility of the place. Gone are the glorious bird and cricket sounds and the trees rustling softly in the breeze. Add the consistent firing of what sounds like gun shots (bringing to mind the murder of helpless animals) which as another poster stated are sound cannons used to scare birds away, and you leave ready to pull out all of your hair.
Please Caroline, practice what you are preaching: LET’S SEE YOUR INNER LIGHT SHINE! Stop taking advantage of people and charge fair prices — greed doesn’t bring about positive energy for anyone and it certainly upsets the tranquility of those whom your greed affects — you of all people should know that.

Awesome venue on a summer night with live music. Nothing beats the great music with great food, paired with great locally produced wine.
Alex and Ani does such a great job of bringing great food, great music and great reasonably priced wine at the vineyard summer concert series on Thursdays.
The food menu is also filled with full of innovative and refined ingredients that are expertly prepared.
Love the crem brule with poached pear filled filo with blue berry and raspberry topping.

This rating is a little on the higher side, extra star for the location alone.
Having visited Sakonnett Vineyard a couple of times almost 10 years ago, I have to say it was disappointing to see the new «Carolyn’s Alex and Ani catering company Sakonnet Vineyard».
I would not recommend it to anyone on anything resembling a budget, as prices have inflated to an insane degree. From the $ 14 per person wine tasting, to the avg. $ 8.50 per glass (of average wine), to the weird café that offers up $ 22 dollar chicken entrees.
While very clean and nicely appointed, the lobby is crammed with Alex and Ani merch.
The service was good, but the payment system at the tasting bar was awkward.
I guess I’d tell out of towners to check it out for the scenery, and just get a glass.
Like others have said, it’s unfortunate that it has changed so much. In 2006 you could get a tasting for less than $ 10, buy a bottle for the same, then enjoy food you brought anywhere on the property. That was fun.

Carolyn,
Although your vineyard is still great, you no longer allow dogs on the property. This is not great, at all. I would certainly deduct more than one star for this, if I didn’t believe it may catapult me into «crazy dog lady» status. But I just have to say, this decision is a huge bummer for myself, my canine-​loving friends, and my co-​pilot. Unfortunately, you will probably see a lot less of me due to this one major factor. It really brakes my heart, as this was one of my «top five dog-​friendly» weekend spots prior to this change in policy. I’d be back in a heartbeat if it should ever revert back. For now, I’ve changed your vineyard from 5 dog-​loving stars to 4.

The grounds for the winery was spectacular! There were Adirondack chairs and tables spread throughout beautiful endless fields. Families put out blankets for their toddler’s to crawl around while the parents sat around and enjoyed a glass (or two) in the beautiful sunny weather.
Glasses of wine were available for purchase in the café and bottles of wine was available in the tasting room. There was a good amount of tasting going on during our visit and we saw a few tour groups and bachelorette parties.
The prices of the wines were extremely reasonable starting at $ 17.95. We got a Sauvignon Blanc blend that only set us back $ 19.95. The employee uncorked the wine for us and provided 2 monogrammed glasses and napkins.
I wished we were better prepared and had packed cheese and cured meat as the other families did. If you forgot as we did or don’t feel like packing, the on site café serves an extensive menu of cheese platters, pizza, salads, entrees, tapas and sandwiches.
The dogs had a great time just hanging out on the lush greenery.
Cheers! Until next time! We will definitely be back!

I’m so sorry to leave a one star review… The wines aside from the «Rhode Island Red» did not taste good at all. The whites were bland, the port was lacking in depth. We have been coming here time and time again for years. The vineyard, under new ownership has changed the wines. Very disappointed. The grounds are as lovely as always.
So, we will live with fond memories of past visits with friends but this one is off our list.