Sakonnet Vineyard Releases New Collection of Estate-Grown Wines
The Little Compton winery welcomes guests for wine tastings, food, live music and UnWINEd yoga classes.
The rose at Sakonnet Vineyard.
It’s a lovely time of year to visit Sakonnet Vineyard in Little Compton, especially with the winery’s recent release of seven new estate-grown wines. It is the first full collection produced at Sakonnet Vineyard since husband and wife team James Davids and Marissa Stashenko took over wine operations and management in 2024.
“It’s an amazing thing to be bestowed with this classic property, and this is the first time that we’ve released a full portfolio of wines that we’ve grown since we’ve been here, so it’s a special moment for us,” Davids says.
The new wines include so many different varieties, but most pay homage to the vineyard’s early beginnings, including dedication to the Vidal Blanc variety of grapes. “It’s been two and a half years now that we’ve been here, and we’ve been meeting all the characters that helped build this place, from the moment the grapevines were planted in 1975, up until the early ’90s,” Davids says. “Vidal is a French-American hybrid grape, so it’s a breed of both American grapes and French grapes growing on its own. The team here learned as much as they could to try to make wine in a very challenging place.”
Sakonnet Vineyard is more than fifty years old and the winemakers rely on that grape-growing expertise to produce the current wines. “We have the benefit of sitting on this property that has fifty years of experiments and things that they learned and dealt with,” Davids says. “In that vein, this last year we started experimenting a lot with Vidal Blanc, a grape that’s pretty much grown all over the Northeast.”
There are several varieties starring this grape including the 2025 early harvest Vidal Blanc; the clean and crispy 2025 Vidal Blanc; the 2025 Patchwork (like an orange wine, it is a skin-fermented combo of different wines including Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, pinot gris, and Gerwurztraminer), and the 2024 Coteaux (Vidal Blanc from Sakonnet’s original 1981 vines and aged for twelve months in neutral oak).
Other favorites from the new collection are the strawberry-tinged and citrusy 2025 Pinot Noir rose; the slightly sweet (think juicy pear notes) but balanced 2024 Gewurztraminer; and the 2025 Blaufrankisch (medium-bodied red with dark cherry and berry flavors and a brilliant fuchsia color). All the labels feature custom artwork created by Marissa’s mom, Kristin Stashenko (check out that rose bottle!) and Providence-based artist Sam Allerton Green.
“We thought it would be kind of fun to add a little splash of color and a little touch of some local art on the bottles, because we were getting bored with them just saying ‘Sakonnet’ on the front,” Davids says.
The new Gewurztraminer at Sakonnet Vineyard.
Here’s the rundown on all the new releases:
- 2025 Vidal Blanc: Vidal Blanc, a resilient French-American hybrid well-suited to the New England coastal climate, shines in this vibrant expression. Clean and aromatic, it reveals notes of pineapple, melon, and orange blossom with a lively, refreshing finish. The label features “Mow Pattern” by Sam Allerton Green.
- 2025 Early Harvest Vidal Blanc: Harvested early to capture brightness and lift, this wine is a vibrant, aromatic expression of Vidal Blanc. Off-dry in style, it offers lively notes of citrus blossom, green apple, and stone fruit, with a refreshing, balanced finish. The label features “Your Green or Mine” by Sam Allerton Green.
- 2025 Patchwork: This skin-fermented blend is aromatic and textured, offering notes of dried apricot, chamomile tea, and citrus peel, supported by gentle tannins and a long, savory finish. Patchwork is akin to an orange wine and composed of Vidal Blanc (87%), Chardonnay (2%), Pinot Gris (6%), and Gewürztraminer (5%). The label features “Below Freezing” by Sam Allerton Green.
- 2024 Coteaux: A French term meaning “hillsides”, Coteaux is a single-barrel Vidal Blanc from Sakonnet’s Southfield block, originally planted in 1981 and sloping gently eastward. Aged for 12 months in neutral oak, it reveals layered texture, quiet depth, and a long, structured finish with notes of baked orchard fruit and honeysuckle. The label features “Garden View” by Sam Allerton Green.
- 2024 Gewürztraminer: Grown on some of the estate’s oldest vines, this Gewürztraminer reflects both the character of the site and the distinctive aromatics of the varietal. Off-dry and highly aromatic, it shows lychee, rose, and floral notes with a soft, balanced finish. The label features “Orchids” by Kristin Stashenko.
- 2025 Pinot Noir Rosé: Crafted from Sakonnet’s youngest estate vines, this Pinot Noir Rosé was gently pressed immediately after harvest and fermented in neutral barrels. The wine is crisp and refreshing, with vibrant notes of wild strawberry, white peach, and citrus. The label features “Marsh Light” by Kristin Stashenko.
- 2025 Blaufränkisch: A vibrant medium-bodied red with aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, and wild herbs, supported by bright acidity and fine tannins. Blaufränkisch has shown exceptional promise in Rhode Island’s cool coastal climate, producing wines with both freshness and structure. The label features “Cliff Walk” by Sam Allerton Green.
The new wine collection at Sakonnet Vineyard.
Anyone can visit the winery to try the new wines Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m -8 p.m. and Monday noon-6 p.m. Sip wines by the glass or purchase by the bottle and enjoy a food menu prepared on site. They are also hosting Saturday morning UnWINEd yoga classes at 10 a.m. and live music on Thursdays from 4-7 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 p.m.
