Our Story – Sheffield | Sunset Meadow Vineyards

An Award Winning Winery
In The Heart Of New England

Our Sheffield location is OPEN! We look forward to seeing you soon!

Our Roots

Originally a working farm dating back to the 1800s and located in the northwest corner of Connecticut, Sunset Meadow Farm, as it was known, raised beef cattle and hay. In 2001 Sunset Meadow Vineyards was established by the Motel Family. Taking our years of farming experience and making the transition to grape growing and the producing of award-winning wines, the vineyards were planted on sloping, westerly, and southern exposed fields, creating an ideal setting for prime sun exposure and constant airflow necessary for vine health.

Today Sunset Meadow Vineyards is among New England’s largest producing vineyards, with over 170 acres of rich and fertile soil. Currently, with over 50 acres planted, we continue to produce sustainably grown and estate-made wines that have made us one of the most recognized and awarded vineyards in the northeast.

The Vineyard

Sunset Meadow Vineyards is a premier family-owned and operated vineyard that focuses on innovation and quality in its wine. A UC Davis certified Viticulturist and Oenologist, owner, and winemaker George Motel, wife Judy and son George IV have a great deal of respect for the beauty of nature and the health of the environment. Therefore we pride ourselves on practicing sustainable methods of farming while growing and harvesting our grapes. Our vines are planted on over 50 pristine acres and are hand pruned, harvested, and maintained with extreme precision by our hardworking staff. We grow 15 varieties of grapes including, Chambourcin, Landot, Merlot, Frontenac, St. Croix, Lemberger, Cabernet Franc, Concord, Chardonnay, Cayuga White, Vidal Blanc, Chardonel, Seyval Blanc, Frontenac Gris and Riesling.

Having the right education, hard work, and commitment to using Connecticut grown grapes we’ve established the Western Connecticut Highlands as an American Viticulture Area (AVA) that has become a destination for people coming all over the world.

New Growth

In late 2020, Sunset Meadow Vineyards opened up a new tasting room in the picturesque Berkshire Mountain town of Sheffield Massachusetts. Sunset Meadow of Massachusetts is currently open to the public for wine tastings, glasses, and purchases to go, this new location will utilize our grapes grown on our 160-acre farm just 30 minutes south. This exciting expansion will continue to add to the growing popularity of the region.