Wölffer Festival of Trees, Lighting of the Vines Are Dec. 7
Are holiday cheer and wine synonymous? Or just in the Hamptons?
This year, Wölffer Estate Vineyard will celebrate the holidays with a host of events on Saturday, December 7, featuring a holiday gift bazaar during the day and a gala cocktail party—with a countdown to the Lighting of the Vines—that evening.
The annual Lighting of the Vines has become a signature event for Wölffer, and the vineyard is adding another holiday tradition to that day’s festivities. Wölffer’s inaugural Festival of Trees will feature Christmas trees decorated by local businesses and designers, to be auctioned off for charity during the evening’s gala cocktail party. Over 15,000 LED lights will delight wine drinkers when the switch is flipped, Rockefeller Center–style, on Saturday evening.
Prior to the cocktail party, Wölffer will be hosting an outdoor Holiday Gift Bazaar from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. featuring local vendors and artisans. Enjoy sipping on Wölffer wine while you peruse the offerings.
A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales, the trees and the holiday gift bazaar will be donated to Fighting Chance, a cancer counseling center in Sag Harbor, and Maureen’s Haven homeless shelter. Tickets for the gala are $90 for adults and $45 for youth under 21 years old. There’s no charge to attend the holiday gift market.
The lights will stay on the vines through the end of January, serving as the perfect holiday backdrop for Wölffer’s Candlelight Fridays. As the weather cools, the Sagaponack winery gets festive with the music series.
Held weekly into the spring, Candlelight Fridays combat the chill and inevitable tedium of the off-season with live music from 5–8 p.m., wines by the glass and bottle, and cheese and charcuterie plates for purchase. With no cover charge, it’s a popular, relaxing way to kick off the weekend. Mellow bands play inside the winery tasting room, and outdoor heating lamps allow East Enders to comfortably enjoy the crisp air—enhanced by a glass of warm, mulled wine or a rich red—on the back terrace.