The name Martha's Vineyard can conjure images of sips of white wine as the waves sigh against the sand and the grape leaves twist through a trellis overhead. However, despite its name, there are no real vineyards on Martha's vineyard. Martha's Vineyard is an island seven miles off the coast of Massachusetts that can only be accessed from the mainland by ferry, according to the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce. According to legend, its name is not due to a lost winemaking tradition.
Instead, English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold chose the second part of the name after observing wild fox grapes growing on the island, according to Martha's Vineyard Magazine. The first part of the name was supposedly chosen for his young daughter. There is some debate as to whether Martha's part of the name's story is true, said Martha's Vineyard Tour Guide co-owner Jim Rivard. Visitors will find plenty of indoor and outdoor patio seating for relaxing throughout the season, tasting bars flanked with Bad Martha mermaid bar faucets, and beautiful sculptures of the Bad Martha mermaid.
On a similar note, every October the island welcomes the Martha's Vineyard Food & Wine Festival for four days and four nights of island pleasure. In 1971, a winery called Chicama Vineyards was established on the island, according to the Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce vineyard blog. A charter with Island Girl Excursions has five pick-up stations and scenic Martha's Vineyard tours if you want a more personalized option. Nestled in the 300-year-old fishing village of Menemsha, Menemsha Inn and Cottages offers guests the perfect Martha's Vineyard getaway and is one of many reasons to visit Martha's Vineyard.
The family business was actually the first consolidated winery in all of Massachusetts, according to EnjoyMa. The soil on Martha's Vineyard is sandy, making it difficult to grow domesticated grapes there, according to the Vineyard blog. So, wine lovers, while there's no real vineyard on Martha's Vineyard, we're confident you'll find a way to combine your island vacation with a glass of your favorite vintage. All of their beer is specially made with hand-picked wild grape leaves from Martha's Vineyard, so with every sip, you'll get a taste of the island.
We may not have rolling hills of vineyards to behold, but Vineyard Square is a two-minute walk from an excellent selection at Vintage MV Wine & Spirits and for us, there's nothing nicer than a drink or two with a view of Edgartown Harbor. The Vineyard Trust is in charge of the Edgartown architectural tour, which takes you to see the many historic buildings around Edgartown. However, the English settlers who called Martha's Vineyard weren't its first inhabitants, so Martha's Vineyard wasn't the island's first or only name. Martha's Vineyard Food and Wine Festival explores the island's rich culinary history, presenting its exclusive food and wine event on Martha's Vineyard.
Eventually, the vineyard expanded to 50 acres and the couple grew varieties such as Chenin Blanc, Viognier and Zinfandel, according to the Vineyard Blog.
