mclaughlin vineyards

It is my third time visiting McLaughlin Vinyards and enjoy returning.The staff is friendly and knowlegable, the wine is good and the setting is very nice. I liked the Chardonnay and Blue Coyote the best out of the 5 wines we tried. I look forward to visiting again in the spring.

We had a wonderful time tasting the various wines that McLaughlin Vineyards produces. Although there was limited availability, we took home most of the wines for future enjoyment! They offer live music under a tent and have spacious grounds for picnics and activities. Call ahead to order cheese platter, etc., from a local partner in the Sandy Hook community. Great day in the vineyard!!

Don't miss the sign for the rustic dirt road that leads into this hidden vineyard, and if you meet another vehicle (unlikely) headed in the opposite direction, plan on backing up as the roadway is too narrow to pass on. The entire facility is rustic, remote and quiet. Tasting room is small, but there is a pleasant outside patio where you can enjoy your purchases along with your picnic lunch. The owners allow one of the fields to be used about once a month for the local teams who play 1840's baseball, and if they are there, take an hour or so to watch; great fun, nice setting. Rather small selection of varietal wines. Like all Connecticut vineyards, the wine is a bit unique and may or may not please your palate; but regardless of its perceived quality (or lack thereof), we have found all of the local wines to be rather pricey in relation to similar varieties.

First of all not easy to find, staff was not very friendly and the wine was not very good. Couldn't even finish the samples in the tasting room.

Beautiful and peaceful grounds set back off the main road. The tasting room is in an old, rustic barn and is so warm, cozy and inviting. The grounds are huge and there is a nice oitdoor seating area overlooking the vines. Great place to have a family picnic or go through a hike in the trails.

My recent visit to McLaughlin Vineyard was for a family event. We had about a dozen in our party, a couple of whom had never been to a vineyard. There's a very nice courtyard with some nice views and on weekends they usually have a chef cooking outside under the tent ($15 cost for whatever's on the menu). The tasting room is very small and there is a selection of only 5 wines - 4 whites and a red. None of the wines were worth the visit in my opinion. It's rare that I visit a winery for a tasting and not like at least one wine. However, that's what occurred on this visit. The day was made memorable because our family enjoyed a nice picnic on the grounds which are beautiful. We played bocci and some sampled the chef's offerings and thought they were very good. Some did enjoy the wine, but I've had much better at other Connecticut vineyards.

My 3rd winery visit on the CT Wine Trail.Very minimal wine selection, low stock - I visited at the very start of the 2013 season.There is a small store area at the front of the winery and then you wind back to the tasting room. There were a couple of indoor tables and a very small tasting bar.Outside was a large patio area with plenty of tables and chairs. The view of the vineyard is nice from there.There a hiking trails that can be picked up here that are nice.They have various events and entertainment during the season.The fee is only for the wine tasting, and you keep your tasting glass.