Sunset Meadow Vineyards Fall Harvest Festival

Sunset Meadow Vineyards Fall Harvest Festival is an annual harvest wine festival held on the last weekend in September in Goshen, Connecticut — hosted at what the source describes as the largest vineyard in Connecticut, spanning 170 acres in the Litchfield Hills. The festival features wine tastings, local foods, artisans, live music, and contests, all on the estate grounds of a family-owned winery that grows 15 different varietals and has crafted more than 25 unique wines under UC Davis–certified winemaker George Motel.

Sunset Meadow Vineyards Fall Harvest Festival takes place at a winery that has been named one of the 101 Best Wineries in America by the Daily Meal — a distinction that gives the harvest weekend added credibility as a showcase for estate-grown wines. The Motel family began vineyard plantings in 2001 and opened the tasting room in May 2008, building a portfolio focused on wines that reflect the character of the Litchfield Hills. The festival format brings together that wine program with local food vendors, artisan makers, and live music across the 170-acre property, making it a multi-element outdoor event rather than a straightforward tasting.

Visitors should know that seating at Sunset Meadow Vineyards is first-come, first-served, and guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets for outdoor seating. Outside food is permitted, though large coolers are discouraged. Outside beverages are not allowed under the winery's Farm Winery Permit. Food trucks are available on-site, and the winery also offers local meats, cheeses, spreads, and crackers. The property is fully wheelchair accessible, with handicapped parking adjacent to the winery and a ramp to the tasting room. Dogs are welcome on leash. Ticket prices and specific event dates had not been confirmed at the time of publication — check the official Sunset Meadow Vineyards website or call 860-201-4654 for current details.

Goshen sits within Connecticut's Western Highland wine region, where the cooler, higher-elevation climate of the Litchfield Hills shapes growing conditions for a range of varietals. Sunset Meadow Vineyards grows 15 of them across 170 acres, producing estate wines that reflect the specific character of this corner of New England — a useful frame for understanding what's in the glass at the fall harvest weekend.