This 1998 Cuvee RJR from Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery in Westport, Mass., is labeled as “Southeastern New England traditional method sparkling wine.”

Journal / files

LITTLE COMPTON — On Sunday, Sakonnet Vineyards hosted the 2009 Coastal Wine Trail Kick Off, a two-hour tasting event featuring samples from eight wineries that have joined together to market their products and vineyards. They say that on any given day, a handful of vineyards in Rhode Island and Massachusetts are within your reach.

The concept was launched for the first time in the fall of 2006 with the idea that New Englanders don’t have to go to California to enjoy wine country.

We have our own little corner tucked away here in the heart of the Southeastern New England Wine Growing Appellation. It’s a wine region with a Southeast facing coastline that captures the warm Gulf Stream waters in the summer and fall. This cool grape-growing region concentrates on vinifera varietals and hybrids. White and sparkling wines do well here.

In Rhode Island, the Coastal Trail group is Newport Vineyards, Middletown; Greenvale Vineyards, Portsmouth; Sakonnet Vineyards, Little Compton; and Langworthy Farm Winery, Westerly. In Massachusetts, the members are Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery, Westport; Running Brook Vineyards, North Dartmouth; Truro Vineyards of Cape Cod, North Truro; and Travessia Urban Winery, New Bedford, which uses all Massachusetts grapes since they have no vineyard.

Travel from one to the next, they suggest. Go from tasting room to vineyard tour and stop at a B&B if you are so inclined. It’s a staycation alternative.

Wines to try include:

•Rosecliff Pinot Gris, Skipping Stone (90 percent Cayuga and 10 percent Vidal Blanc) or Chardonnay at Greenvale.

•Newport Riesling, which won Best of Show out of 458 entries at the Atlantic Wine Competition, Sauvignon Blanc and In the Buff, a no-oak Chardonnay at Newport Vineyards.

•Vidal Blanc or the newly introduced Petite White, a blend of Gewürztraminer and Vidal Blanc at Sakonnet.

•Brut Cuvee RJR, a sparkling wine, Rose of Pinot Noir and Rkatsiteli, a Georgian grape, at Westport Rivers.

•Chardonnay or a late harvest Vidal at Running Brook.

•No-oak Chardonnay at Travessia.

•Pinot Grigio, Cranberry Red or Triumph, a meritage, at Truro.

•Westerly White or Rhody Riesling at Langworthy.

Just to motivate you a little more, there’s a passport to pick up at any winery. Those who have it marked at four, six or all eight wineries by Dec. 31 are in the running for prizes including a cruise to Bermuda, a weekend stay at Newport’s Cliffside Inn or gift certificates from every winery.

All the wineries have Web sites to visit to learn more about their wines, tastings and tours. They are greenvale.com, newportvineyards.com, langworthyfarmwinery.com, trurovineyardsofcapecod.com, sakonnetwine.com, westportrivers.com, runningbrookwine.com and travessiawine.com. Learn what food pairs with the wines on many of those sites.

Visit CoastalWineTrail.com for a listing of area B&B’s and restaurants between the wineries. All the winery links are on the site as well.

gciampa@projo.com