Wine might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Rhode Island. But the state does have wineries — some of them good, indeed — on an attractive trail that can make for a full day of traveling and tasting.
We tasted through the portfolio atNewport Vineyards’ tasting room and found three wines that we quite liked. At the top of the list was the minerally, melony Newport Riesling that I would pair with shellfish. There was some dissension in the ranks over the Rising Tide, which is a crisp, slightly fruity blend of Sauvignon and Seyval blancs, which I think would go well with less assertive fish such as sole. To my surprise, I quite liked the Rochambeau, a red blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and the rare Landot Noir, which makes for a drinkable, fruit-forward wine.
909 East Main Road (Rte. 138), Newport.
It’s just a four-mile drive from Newport Vineyards to Greenvale Vineyards, but it took us to an entirely different setting overlooking the Portsmouth River. The tasting room is in a handsomely restored stable, where an affable yellow Lab greeted us with wagging tail and led us in. This small-production winery makes good whites, my favorite being the Chardonnay Select, made from the oldest vines on the property, planted in 1983. Although it is oak-aged, it does not suffer from the dominance of wood often found in Chardonnays, and instead has a pleasant, floral fruitiness and lively acidity that would make it a fine match for rich shellfish such as lobster or scallops. I also enjoyed the Skipping Stone White, a blend of the American varieties Cayuga and Vidal Blanc. This is an easy-drinking, well-balanced wine that would go very well with Asian food, especially Thai and Vietnamese.
582 Wapping Road, Portsmouth.
Carolyn’s Sakonnet Vineyard is by far the most developed of those we visited, with a tasting room and gift shop reminiscent of well-established wineries in California. The range of wines is impressive, and many are genuine standouts. The Vidal Blanc varietal is one of the best examples I have tasted: crisp, citrusy and ideal for fish and shellfish. I also liked the Gewürztraminer, a dry, slightly sweet wine that could be paired with Southeast Asian food and other spicy cuisines. Among the reds, the Rhode Island Red, a distinctive blend of Chancellor (very unusual) and Cabernet Franc, impressed me with its dark-red fruit flavors, which would make it a match for pork and more seasoned chicken dishes. And I was quite taken with the Cabernet Franc. This wine has the variety’s signature bold flavor of dark-red fruits with a peppercorn spice note and would go very nicely with beef — prime rib comes to mind.
162 West Main Road, Little Compton.
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