How fitting that a festival welcoming wine lovers from all over the nation is held every year on an island believed to be named for its proliferation of wild grapes when it was first discovered. Today, Martha’s Vineyard is not only known for its beautiful beaches, cliffs, lighthouses, farms and fishing villages, but also for its wonderful New England charm, hospitality and fantastic food.
The Martha’s Vineyard Wine Festival is an annual event that takes place on the island for four days in May; The Professor and I were invited to attend this year by our friend, Marnely Murray, to capture video of the festival. The events not only included perfectly paired wine dinners joining top chefs with world class wines, but also beer and cocktail competitions, burgers and bubbles, mimosa breakfasts and the epic grand tasting event.
This was our first visit to Martha’s Vineyard and what a welcome! Our stay was hosted by the Hob Knob, a charming luxury boutique hotel and spa located within an easy walk of the downtown area; beautiful rooms, an on-site spa, fully equipped exercise room, afternoon tea, turn-down service and a knowledgeable staff made for a very comfortable four days.
Wine dinners are prepared by professional chefs and hosted in gorgeous homes that are for sale – a brilliant blend of local foods, superb wines and beautiful surroundings made for some really outstanding evenings. Our dinners were prepared by Chefs Gavin Smith, Diane Hendricks and John Thurgood who created 5-course meals paired with wines from Rombauer Vineyards, Sterling Vineyards and William Cole Vineyards – all were incredibly memorable meals.
Craft beer, a little friendly cocktail competition and yes, Real Men do Drink Pink (Rosé, that is) were all part of the weekend festivities; burgers, oysters, free-flowing bubbly and spectacular weather – what’s not to love?
“The Vineyard”, as it’s also called, is not just one town but a large island of 6 very distinct towns. You might forget you’re on an island – except that it’s only reachable by air or ferry. I had the misconception that the island was very exclusive, but it’s quite welcoming and easy to get around – public transportation is available but also easy to walk within the small towns. There is much to see and do for free, so you can save your money for a wonderful culinary experience or stay in a great boutique hotel on the island.
This is truly a fantastic event with tickets selling out quickly; if you’re thinking about attending, I suggest you connect with them on social media – we look forward to a return trip!
Disclaimer: While we are not being compensated to share this experience with our readers, all our accommodations and meals were sponsored.