What began as a Christmas gift and a hobby has grown into a family legacy rooted in agriculture, preservation and a passion for producing quality wine.

As Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery celebrates its 40th anniversary, founders Bob and Carol Russell and their son, Rob, are reflecting on the determination that transformed a former dairy farm into one of the region’s established wineries.

The story began in 1971, when Carol gave Bob a home winemaking kit for Christmas.

“My husband never does anything just as a hobby,” Carol recalled.

Bob began making wine with grapes purchased from markets in Providence and Boston before experimenting with growing his own. In 1978, he and Rob planted 100 grapevines representing 10 varieties on the family’s property in Dighton.

The family’s connection to wine, however, began even earlier. When Bob met Carol’s parents in 1958, her father introduced him to a world beyond beer.

“My father said to Bob, ‘There’s another world out there besides beer. There’s wine,’ ” Carol recalled.

Her father had served as president of Germania Wine Cellars in Hammondsport, N.Y., a winery purchased by Carol’s grandfather, Max Grifenhagen, around 1929.

Preserving the working landscape

For the Russells, establishing a vineyard was about more than producing wine. Having grown up in New Jersey, Bob and Carol witnessed farmland disappearing to development and wanted to preserve agricultural land.

“We were always involved with preservation of the working natural resources, and we loved farming,” Carol said.

In 1982, the couple began searching for a commercial vineyard location before choosing Westport. A chance encounter with local grape grower Jim Richards, who was successfully cultivating Chardonnay on Horseneck Road, helped convince Bob that the South Coast was suitable.

That November, the Russells purchased the 110-acre Long Acre Farm, a former dairy farm owned by the Smith family since the late 1800s. Although the property had been subdivided for approximately 50 houses, the family instead restored its historic buildings, converting the dairy barn into the winery and renovating the farmhouse into what is now the company store.

Today, the Russells own approximately 435 acres of preserved farmland.

“We don’t feel that we own the land,” Bob said. “We’re God’s stewards.”

Growing a vineyard from the ground up

In 1986, the family planted 44,000 vines of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling, varieties selected for producing sparkling and still wines.

Rob, a former carpenter, joined the business after training in vineyard management on Long Island. He helped prepare the property, install thousands of posts and string approximately 300 miles of trellis wire.

The first commercial harvest came in 1989, the same year another Russell son, Bill, joined as the winery’s first winemaker. A recent Boston College graduate with a philosophy degree, Bill learned the craft with guidance from Eric Fry of Lenz Winery on Long Island.

The first wines went on sale in 1991, followed by sparkling wines in 1992, including MAX, named in honor of Carol’s grandfather.

Overcoming skepticism

Although the Russells proved quality grapes could be grown in Westport, convincing consumers and restaurants that New England could produce fine wine presented another challenge.

Bob described the skepticism as a “glass ceiling” that took approximately 10 years to overcome.

Carol handled marketing, sales and public relations, traveling to Boston several days a week to introduce the wines to restaurants and retailers. Among those she approached was L’Espalier, a prominent French restaurant whose chef, Frank McClelland, became an early supporter.

She questioned why restaurants that promoted locally sourced produce and seafood were reluctant to serve local wine. If chefs valued local carrots, lettuce, corn and fish, she reasoned, why not wine?

The family pursued recognition through competitions and wine writers. Westport Rivers earned a gold medal for its Chardonnay at the Orange County National Wine Show, while Bob recalled a blind tasting in Boston that compared the family’s sparkling wine with considerably more expensive Champagne, including Dom Pérignon.

Those efforts gradually helped establish credibility for Westport Rivers and other New England wineries.

“Excellence,” Bob said when asked what the family had done differently. “We don’t pursue perfection. We pursue excellence.”

Working with New England’s climate

Four decades after the family’s first plantings, growing grapes in southeastern Massachusetts still requires patience and an understanding of unpredictable weather.

Rob said the vineyard’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean is critical to its success. The ocean moderates temperature extremes, delaying spring growth to reduce frost damage, extending the growing season in fall and limiting sudden winter temperature swings.

“The water takes the highs and the lows out of the weather patterns,” Rob explained.

That influence is particularly important for the European grape varieties grown at Westport Rivers, which are more sensitive to cold than many native varieties.

“We’re on the northern edge of where we can grow the types of grapes that we’re growing,” he said.

The cooler climate also makes the area well suited for sparkling wine production. Today, the vineyard grows approximately a dozen grape varieties commercially, with another 20 to 30 being tested experimentally. The winery produces between 25 and 30 wines.

Each growing season presents different challenges. Rob said 2026 initially looked promising before heavy rainfall complicated the harvest, while 2025 benefited from consistently dry weather.

“Every year presents different opportunities and different challenges,” he said.

After approximately 30 years as winemaker, Bill was succeeded by Marcos Montez, who previously operated a winery in New Bedford.

Bringing the community to the vineyard

Over the years, Westport Rivers has become more than a place to produce and purchase wine. The family has created a destination where visitors can enjoy the landscape, learn about agriculture and experience locally produced food and wine.

“The best place to sell wine is here,” Bob said.

Carol organized wine and food festivals, including the New England Spring Picnic, Champagne Gala, Chardonnay Festival and Oyster Festival, with proceeds benefiting agricultural, fishing and open space causes. She also established the Long Acre House for food and wine education and founded the Russell Art Gallery to showcase local artists.

Her preservation efforts extended beyond the vineyard. As chairperson of the Westport Open Space Committee, she helped document the town’s farms, open spaces, historic sites and agricultural resources.

Today, the winery welcomes visitors through seasonal activities and a popular summer music series featuring live entertainment and food trucks. Westport Rivers also participates in Coastal Wineries of Southeastern New England, a group of approximately 14 wineries that collaborate on events and share resources.

Celebrating 40 years

To commemorate its 40th anniversary, Westport Rivers released a special vintage sparkling wine called “Founders 40.”

Looking back, Carol said the journey required far more than a passion for wine. From introducing unfamiliar wines to skeptical buyers to organizing events and overseeing sales, she learned nearly every aspect of the business firsthand.

She emphasized that operating a winery is not always as glamorous as it appears. Behind every bottle are years of planning, physical labor, unpredictable weather and the daily demands of maintaining a working farm.

For Bob, the winery’s longevity reflects the family’s commitment to the land, pursuit of excellence and willingness of multiple generations to carry the business forward.

When asked what has been the key to Westport Rivers’ success over the past four decades, the family offered a simple answer.

“Family.”

What started with a Christmas winemaking kit has grown into a business that helped change perceptions of New England wine while protecting hundreds of acres of farmland.

For the Russells, that legacy extends beyond wine to preserving a working landscape and ensuring the land remains part of Westport’s agricultural heritage for generations to come.