The Cartells at Maugle Sierra Vineyards
The Cartells at Maugle Sierra Vineyards brings one of Connecticut’s longtime party bands to Ledyard on Sunday, August 16, for an afternoon of Motown, R&B, rock & roll, swing, jazz and dance music. The band performs from 3 to 6 p.m. as part of the vineyard’s Sunday live music series.
This is a band built for exactly this kind of afternoon. The Cartells have spent decades playing concerts, clubs, weddings and community events across Connecticut, with a repertoire deliberately wide enough to jump from the Great American Songbook and Motown to rock, R&B and contemporary pop. The common thread is that much of it is meant to get people out of their chairs.
And there’s room for that at Maugle Sierra Vineyards. The Ledyard winery hosts live music most Sundays from 3 to 6 p.m., with outdoor seating and a relaxed format that lets guests bring small bites, buy a bottle or flight and spend the afternoon listening to music among the vines.
About The Cartells
The Cartells aren’t newcomers to southeastern Connecticut’s music circuit.
The group has built its reputation on versatility, moving between jazz, swing, Motown, R&B, rock & roll and pop instead of limiting itself to one era or genre. That’s made the band a regular choice for events where the job isn’t simply to play familiar songs but to keep a crowd dancing.
There’s considerable experience behind that party-band exterior.
Founding member Joe Grieco has performed on recordings by artists including Phoebe Snow and Big Al Anderson, while guitarist Tom Majesky toured with Grayson Hugh and has appeared on NBC’s Today. Saxophonist and trumpeter Bill Holloman has recorded or performed with an extraordinary range of artists, including Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Diana Ross, Steve Winwood, Elton John and Steven Tyler.
Vocalist and percussionist Karin Barth-Tyska previously toured with Connecticut swing band Eight to the Bar before helping form The Cartells. Bassist Jay Wiggin is a UConn School of Music graduate whose performance credits include Carnegie Hall and tours in the United States and Japan.
Put all of that experience together and you get a band that can change gears quickly. A Motown song can give way to swing, then rock or a contemporary dance favorite without the afternoon feeling like several unrelated sets.
Back at Maugle Sierra
The August 16 appearance is also a return trip.
Maugle Sierra booked The Cartells earlier this summer on June 21, describing them simply and accurately as a well-known local band to dance to.
That repeat booking makes sense. Sunday afternoons at the vineyard are set up around live music, with the winery open from noon to 6 p.m. and performances generally running from 3 to 6.
This isn’t a formal concert where everyone faces a stage and waits quietly between songs. Get a glass of wine, find a table outside and settle in. If The Cartells get people dancing, nobody is going to look surprised.
An 18th-Century Farm Turned Vineyard
Maugle Sierra occupies part of a 97-acre historic farm in Ledyard, with the property’s house dating to 1740. Owners Paul and Betty Maugle planted their first vineyard in 2002 after Paul spent years working internationally as a food scientist, nutritionist and aquaculturist and developed an interest in winemaking during travels to wine regions including southern France and Chile.
The winery began welcoming the public on weekends in 2007 and later added its Sierra Sunset tasting room and patio.
The vineyards themselves are planted with grapes suited to Connecticut winters, including St. Croix and Marquette, and those estate-grown grapes appear in several of Maugle Sierra’s current wines.
Among the current choices are 1740 Ledyard House White, Ledyard Sunset White, Rendezvous, St. Croix, 1740 Ledyard House Red and Ledyard Sunset Red. Wine flights are also available.
Bring Some Food, Leave the Drinks Home
Maugle Sierra allows guests to bring small bites and hors d’oeuvres, so putting together a few snacks for the table is fine.
The beverage rule is stricter: outside alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks aren’t permitted. Drinks consumed at the vineyard must be purchased there.
Outdoor seating is first come, first served. Indoor reservations are available by email for groups of six to 10, while leashed pets are welcome outdoors.
With The Cartells playing until the winery closes at 6, arriving before the 3 p.m. start gives you a better chance to claim a comfortable spot before the music begins.
Event Details
Date: Sunday, August 16, 2026
Time: 3:00–6:00 p.m.
Performer: The Cartells
Location: Maugle Sierra Vineyards
Address: 825 Colonel Ledyard Highway, Ledyard, CT 06339
Music: Motown, R&B, rock & roll, swing, jazz and popular dance music
Vineyard Hours: Noon–6:00 p.m.
Seating: Outdoor seating is first come, first served.
Food: Guests may bring small bites and hors d’oeuvres.
Outside Beverages: Not permitted, including alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.
Wine: Available by the glass, bottle and flight.
Pets: Leashed pets are welcome outdoors.
Phone: (860) 464-2987
More Information
More information is available at the Event Website link below.
