Tasting Etiquette: How Not to be a Wine Snob

I am a fairly seasoned wine taster. I haven’t been to Italy or Napa Valley yet, but I have been to wineries in several other places, including Texas, Maine, New York and Canada. Wine tasting is one of my favorite activities and I generally find it very enjoyable. But sometimes, there are wine snobs and pushy people who also decide to go wine tasting on the same day you do. 

2014 Barrel Tasting at Hermit Woods Winery

During a recent trip to a New Hampshire winery, I encountered such guests, which prompted me to write a list of do’s and don’ts. Please read them with a good sense of humor. A glass of wine is also helpful. 

DO ask questions. I’m not a wine expert or a sommelier, and even when I have tried a wine before, I like hearing its description. I like hearing about how it is made, what it pairs with and other essential information. I may even ask some questions myself. I appreciate when other people ask questions too. I like watching others learn more about wine. Please just be aware that the winery employee may have several customers to pour wine for, so be patient and courteous. They are there to help and discuss the wine with you, but when it is busy, they have multiple customers to attend to at the same time. Repeating your question over and over doesn’t mean it will get answered any faster. 

DON’T ask awkward questions like “how much residual sugar is in this?” or ask the winery employee to keep repeating the name of the wine. It’s right on the bottle. 

DO try each wine (within your own and/ or the winery’s sample limits). On the particular day I went, it was quite busy, so I had to wait a few minutes between tastings. But I didn’t mind, because it gave me time to enjoy my company and the wine itself. Wine tasting is meant to be an enjoyable, relaxing experience. I dislike feeling rushed. 

DON’T be pushy and impatient. If it’s busy, chances are you will have to wait. Winery employees can only pour so much wine and talk to so many customers at once. They are doing the best they can to give everyone the same great experience. Pushing your way through people to the bar or table is rude, and it doesn’t make the atmosphere pleasant or relaxing. Also, holding out your glass in front of other people isn’t appreciated either. Everyone is waiting for more wine, so please wait your turn. If you’re in a hurry, a busy weekend tasting may not be for you. 

DON’T be overly loud. Remember the “inside voice” we all learned to use in school? Please use it in the winery. I am trying to have a nice relaxing experience, and your yelling doesn’t help. It may be busy and loud due to the crowd, but your voice doesn’t need to rise over everyone else’s. During Lakes Region Barrel Tasting Weekend this past fall, my group visited wineries with some of the same groups of people who seemed to be on the same route. One guest in particular rounded up her group at each winery by yelling loudly. This did not add to the atmosphere, especially when we were in one of the smaller wineries on the circuit. Please be courteous of other visitors. I know we aren’t in a library or anything, but we’re also not in a nightclub. 

Wineries should be places where everyone is welcome, no matter how much they know about wine. One of the things I appreciate most about our New Hampshire wineries is their welcoming atmospheres. I want to enjoy my wine without being elbowed or shoved or having to yell loudly to speak to the person next to me. 

Newfound Lake Vineyards Open for First Official Season

I’m happy to report that there is a new winery officially open in New Hampshire: Newfound Lake Vineyards in Bristol. As if there weren’t enough reasons to visit the beautiful Newfound Lake area, here is one more.

Owner Heidi von Gotz Cogean held a soft opening last fall and just in time for the Lakes Region’s annual Barrel Tasting Weekend. She had a few wines for tasting and a few other wines in the works, including a Carmenere still aging that Barrel Tasting Weekend attendees could taste.

I visited Newfound Lake Vineyards last September on Heidi’s first ‘official’ night open and was excited to return with my family. The winery is nestled up on a hill off Lake Shore Road near Newfound Lake. It’s cozy and welcoming, just like Heidi. In addition to being a great hostess, she is also very knowledgeable about wine so I enjoy listening to her share her expertise.

Heidi’s ancestors in Germany produced wine for many, many years so winemaking has always been part of her life and opening her own winery is a continuation of that tradition. Like her family generations before her, she is focused on homegrown grapes and is currently growing Edelweiss, La Crescent and Marquette grapes in her vineyard.

 “My cousins said, “You can’t make wine in America,”” she laughed, but clearly she is, and has taken some back to Germany for them to taste. Her mother, despite being in her 80s, is an active part of Newfound Lake Vineyards and even handpicked some of the blueberries used in the wine.

Currently, there are three Newfound Lake Vineyards wines available for tasting: Wild Blue Oak, Carmenere and Pinot Grigio. Fermenting in the winery were cabernet sauvignon and merlot that will become Wicked Good Red, a Bordeaux-style blend that is, as described, wicked good. I tried this blend in the fall and really enjoyed it. It seems others did as well because Heidi completely sold out. She expects to have it ready by August or early fall. (UPDATE: the week after I visited, she released her Sweet Blue)

The Pinot Grigio, made from pinot gris grapes, is an Italian style wine that is bright and crisp with a slight effervescence. What I enjoyed about this wine most is its smoothness and lack of harsh acidity often found in other pinot grigios. This wine should be well chilled before serving. It would be a great pairing with a seafood or pasta dish with creamy sauce.

Any guests who visited the winery during Barrel Tasting Weekend last fall and tried the Carmenere straight out of the barrel can now try the finished product. This wine is dry, smooth and mellow with a subtle hint of pepper. It was aged in French oak to bring out the grapes character and has developed nicely since the fall.

The Wild Blue Oak is a blueberry wine made with local fruit from the Newfound area, hand picked by Heidi’s mom, and berries from Taylor Farm in Alton. This wine is dry and reminiscent of a red wine made from grapes but has a very nice aroma and flavor of blueberries. Also aged in oak, this wine pairs well with game meat, red meat and chocolate.

“Your taste buds change every day,” Heidi said, noting that some wines are better with food to complement a meal. She also recommends cooking with red wine if you have a bottle that has been opened for a while.

In addition to the Wicked Good Red, Heidi is currently working on a few other wines as well. She had one version of rhubarb wine last fall, but is developing a sweeter version. She also hopes to release a sweet blueberry wine and a sweet cranberry wine and an additional Cranberry Bog wine by the fall. She also collected her own sap from her property and said a wine made with maple syrup may be in her future plans.

For now, she is celebrating her first official season and tending to the grapes in her own vineyard, hoping the wildlife won’t disturb them too much. She has been busy producing wine and has the winery fully stocked with cases of wines.

Newfound Lake Vineyards, located at 567 West Shore Road in Bristol, is open until November on Friday evenings from 5:30-8:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon-5 p.m. Visit newfoundlakevineyards.com for more information and updates.

Hermit Woods Winery's Uncorking

I am a huge fan of New Hampshire wineries so it is always a pleasure to see them grow and prosper. We have already seen LaBelle Winery move into a beautiful new facility in Amherst, which has allowed them to expand not only their space, but offerings, wine dinners, classes and events.

Recently, I had the pleasure of joining the founders of Hermit Woods Winery, formerly of Sanbornton, for their official “Uncorking,” the grand opening of their new winery in downtown Meredith. They worked tirelessly through the winter months to upgrade the old Fermentation Station building that gives them much more room to offer tastings, sell their products and most importantly – produce wine.

“This is really a special day for us,” said Bob Manley, one of Hermit Woods’ founders. “Ken, Chuck and I have worked hard the last 10 months and we are excited to open the doors.”

Manley thanked their family, friends and many others involved in the project. He also noted that the response from other businesses and the Meredith community “has just been fantastic.”

“Most importantly, I want to thank our customers. You have helped make our business a success and supported us from the beginning,” Manley said.

Manley, Ken Hardcastle and Chuck Lawrence started Hermit Woods in 2011 after forming a strong friendship. The original tasting room and wine production space were located in Manley’s home. He joked that he was finally going to be able to have his master bedroom and basement back with the opening of their new Meredith space.

“We had a love of wine and we wanted to produce wine with native fruit from our area in the style of regions from around the world,” Manley said. “Our wine is made with fruits grown right here.”

Hardcastle said they will actually be adding a “fermentable landscape” in front of the winery so they can grow fruit right on site.

Before opening the doors during the official grand opening, all three founders ‘uncorked’ the winery with a giant wine opener and invited guests to head inside.

“We are excited about doing our part in Meredith for Main Street,” Manley said, “and we look forward to being here for a really long time. Please take a sip of wine, wander around and enjoy the place.”

For this special occasion, Chef Kevin Halligan of Local Eatery in Laconia served up a delicious selection of appetizers, made to order on a grill right on the Hermit Woods deck. 

The weather was so great on this day, many guests looked like that had a hard time deciding whether to stay inside and check out the winery or just enjoy the view and sunshine outside from the deck.

Hardcastle, the winery’s head winemaker, gave guests a tour of the winemaking space located in the lower level of the building. Included were some of his test batches, including some yeasts and a day lily wine. A geologist by trade, Hardcastle is constantly experimenting with different yeasts to see what he wants to use in his wines. “Wine is a living thing,” he said.

In addition to their wine, Hermit Woods is partnering with other local businesses like Oglethorpe Fine Arts and Crafts and the Bread Peddler to offer a variety of items for sale in the winery. The space is set-up nicely, with room to sip wine and browse. There is also a nice deck off the front entrance, which will be an ideal place to sit and relax during the summer months.

The winery produces about 30 different wines per year. Their new wines will be released this summer, but during the event guests were able to sample four wines: Three Honey Wine, Red Scare, Maple Blue and Karmin Ayre. I have tried all of these wines before but I never get tired of them; they are all so good. The Maple Blue is the perfect wine for the season because it is actually made with local sap and low bush blueberries.

The winery is currently open on Fridays from 3-6 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Beginning in May, nearby Newfound Lake Vineyards in Bristol will also be open, so take a trip to the Lakes Region and make a day of it. Visit hermitwoods.com for more information.

3rd Annual Lakes Region Barrel Tasting Weekend

This past weekend was one of my favorite events: the third annual Lakes Region Barrel Tasting weekend at seven wineries. This gives guests an opportunity to meet the winemakers, take a tour of their winery and taste wines right from the barrel or tank before they are done aging.

On Sunday, several wineries were reporting an outstanding turnout, with attendance numbers way up over last year, even with the weather being less than ideal. I made it to five of the seven wineries this year. Unfortunately, I was not able to visit Newfound Lake Vineyards in Bristol or Sap House Meadery in Center Ossipee. I did attend Newfound Lake Vineyards soft opening last weekend and was able to try owner Heidi Cojean’s Wicked Good Red, Sauvignon Blanc and some Carmenere still aging in the barrel. I can’t wait to see what else she produces in the future but I know it’s going to be great. My friend Carol and I had a great visit with her and her family and enjoyed their hospitality. I also heard that Sap House Meadery had their fabulous vanilla bean mead available for tasting, which is perfect during cool fall days.

On Saturday, my mom and I went to Haunting Whisper Vineyards in Danbury. Downstairs in their winemaking area, we tried vignoles that was ready to be bottled and a young syrah. Young marechal foch and carmenere were also available.

Upstairs, we tried their new apple wine, made with cider apples from Apple Hill Farm in Concord. This recipe has some cinnamon added, resulting in apple pie in a bottle. This wine is so delicious. It would be perfect for a cool fall day, warmed in the crockpot.
Another new wine I tried was Misty Bog, a sweet port-style cranberry dessert wine. This wine was intense but delicious, perfect for Thanksgiving dinner. It could also be mixed with sparkling wine for a great cocktail.

On Sunday, a group of us planned out our route and headed to Coffin Cellars in Webster first, where we tried a couple of different wines, including their latest batch of cranberry pomegranate from the tank. This has always been one of my favorite Coffin Cellars wines and is currently sold out, but the wine from the tank was delicious.

I highly recommend their kiwi berry wine. It was made in a small batch but it is sweet, fruity and delicious. Get some before it is gone.

Also back in stock is their jalapeno wine. This wine may not be for everyone on its own, but it would be great in a bloody mary.

Our second stop was Hermit Woods Winery in Sanbornton. First, we headed upstairs where owner Bob Manley told us all about the great wines the winery has made this year. We tried a few 2012 wines, including Kiwi, Knot Mead, Petite Blue and Deep Blue.

The Deep Blue, a port-style blueberry dessert wine was my favorite. It is intense and flavorful. Manley called it a “party in the mouth” and recommended trying it with blueberry pie, vanilla ice cream and a slight drizzle of this wine on top. It is easy to see why this wine received a rave review from a wine expert.

Sadly, the winery sold out of their very popular crabapple wine, but Manley said he was excited for this year’s batch, calling it “the best crabapple yet.”

Downstairs, owner and head winemaker Ken Hardcastle let us sample the 2013 Blue right from the barrel. Once complete, this wine will be a deep, dry red similar to a pinot noir. The skins are left on the blueberries a little bit longer and the oak helps concentrate the flavors. This wine will also age well.

After Hermit Woods Winery, our group headed to Stone Gate Vineyard in Gilford, where Peter Ellis greeted us with a taste of Marechal Foch straight from the tank. Sadly, the winery is closing this month after many great years of winemaking. But, Haunting Whisper Vineyards will make their grapes into wine and Peter and Jane will get a much-deserved break and time with their family.

Our final stop on Sunday was at Gilmanton Winery in Gilmanton. First, we met John Jude, winemaker, where we were able to try peach and blueberry wine right out of the containers that had been going through first fermentation for about two weeks. They were cloudy in color but fruity.

Outside, we tasted a couple other wines including Seyval, Malbec, Graces and the House Wine-an intriguing blend with chocolate flavors.

Overall, this event was an even bigger success than last year. Even unfavorable weather does not keep wine lovers from hitting the trail. 

NH Oldest Winery: Jewell Towne Vineyards

I recently visited Jewell Towne Vineyards in South Hampton, New Hampshire’s oldest winery. My only complaint is that I didn’t visit sooner. They have a great story to tell, a beautiful vineyard and excellent wine.

Peter and Brenda Oldak moved to their 12-acre farm in 1977 and planted six grape vines in 1982. At that time, Peter was a home gardener with a background in science and chemistry who started experimenting with winemaking and planted more vines and varieties to see what would grow best in New Hampshire. Four years later, he was making wine and in 1990, there were 60 varieties of American, European and French hybrid grapes in the vineyard area of the farm. He found that its location facing the Powwow River made a great microclimate for grapes.

In 1990, the vineyard was officially established, named after the Jewell Towne Historic District of South Hampton. Peter narrowed down the grapes to 20 varieties and with the help of other agricultural and wine professionals, further developed his winemaking skills.
Peter’s work paid off, because in 1992, Jewell Towne’s South Hampton White won a gold medal and best hybrid of the show from the American Wine Societies national competition. A second wine, Alden, won a silver medal.

“This is what I call the beginning of a hobby run amok,” said Brenda recalled during a tour of the vineyard.

Two years later, the winery went commercial, producing 40 cases of wine that sold out in three weeks. With visitors flocking to the vineyard, the Oldaks realized they needed a tasting space and had reserved an area on the property for that purpose. The tasting room was built in 1998 and has been expanded since due to the winery’s continued success.

During my visit, vineyard employees and volunteers were harvesting grapes, a process that usually occurs from September through October. After the grapes are harvested and weighed, they are put through the crusher stemmer. From there, they enter the bladder press. We had a chance to see this process in motion during the tour and it was very neat.
Brenda showed us the vineyard’s plants, set eight feet apart, set-up in a vertical shoot positioning formation for maximum grape ripening. The vineyard’s microclimate makes it so little irrigation is needed. She also noted the plants have 10 to 15 foot roots.

“You can’t make top quality wine from bad grapes,” Brenda said.
Inside the winery there are 500 and 1,000-gallon tanks and an automated bottling and corking system. The Oldaks have come quite a long way from making wine in their garage and bottling, labeling and corking bottles by hand.

“For us, it makes a huge difference,” Brenda said of the automated machine, noting it now takes them five to six hours to bottle, cork and label the amount of wine from a large tank, versus two days by hand.

While I had tried a few of Jewell Towne’s wines before, the sampling list at the winery was extensive and it was hard to choose only a few to try.

“We are really focused on winemaking,” said Brenda in the tasting room, surrounded by awards and articles written about the winery.

The wine speaks for itself. I tried Cayuga White first, one of Brenda’s favorites. This wine is off-dry with flavors of tropical fruit and melon. Next, I tried Traminette, a Gewurztraminer and Seyval hybrid that is sweet and delicious. I took a bottle of this home, along with their Vidal, an off-dry, full-bodied white that is smooth and fruity.

Jewell Towne is one of the only wineries in New Hampshire that produces Steuben, an off-dry rosé similar to white zinfandel, but with much more flavor and depth.

For reds, I really enjoyed their River’s Edge, a semi-sweet red blend of Concord and Leon Millot grapes; Landot Noir, a mediuim-bodied wine with aromas of licorice and leather; and their Port, which is fruity, but much less harsh on the palate than others I have tried.
In addition to liking each wine I tried at Jewell Towne, I also loved the atmosphere. The tasting room was cozy and welcoming; the vineyard was beautiful and the staff was friendly, knowledgeable and took their time letting us try each wine. Even my friend Amanda, who doesn’t usually drink red wine, enjoyed their selection and she took a bottle of red wine home.

Do not wait as long as I did to visit Jewell Towne Vineyards. They are open year-round from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Visit jewelltownevineyards.com for more information.

NH's Award-Winning Wines

Hermit Woods Winery in Sanbornton has consistently produced award-winning wine this summer, taking home medals in several competitions.

At the Indy International Wine Competition in Indianapolis, Indiana, they took home silver medals for their Petite Blue Reserve and Lake House White. The Indy is the largest scientifically organized and independent wine competition in the United States. This year’s competition received nearly 2,200 entries from 15 countries and 40 U.S. states, evaluated by 50 distinguished judges.

In other prestigious wine competitions this summer, Hermit Woods took home a total of six more gold, silver, and bronze medals. Other award winners include a gold medal for their Three Honey Wine at the Mazer Cup, the world’s premier mead competition; a silver medal for their Mélange; a bronze medal for their Petite Blue in the Fingerlakes International Wine Competition; a silver for their Heirloom Crabapple; and a bronze for their Kiwi Wine and Petite Blue in the Big E wine competition in Springfield, Massachusetts.

 “We have only been entering wines for competition for a couple years now, and have yet to not come home without a medal. We are very proud of this accomplishment,” said Bob Manley, one of three winery partners, in a winery announcement. “Winning medals is important, but what is most important to us is what our customers have to say, as long as we are making them happy, we will be happy.”

Past medals include a silver medal for their Three Honey Wine and Crabapple Wine. 

Hermit Woods Winery opened in 2011 so these accomplishments are impressive, but I am not surprised they have seen so much success. Their wines are good and it is clear winemaker Ken Hardcastle really thinks about the ingredients themselves, using them to their full potential. I love visting the winery and listening to him talk about each wine, because his passion and dedication are so evident. The tasting room is also very nice, so if you haven’t visited yet, put it on your to-do list before the winery closes for the winter.

Next year, Hermit Woods Winery will move to downtown Meredith, where they will have more room for winemaking. 

In other New Hampshire wine news, Candia Vineyards has won some medals for their wine this year. At the Big E, their Diamond won gold; their Noiret and Crescent won silver medals. At the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, they were the only winery from Maine or New Hampshire to win a medal. Their Ice Storm took home a silver medal. At the International Eastern Wine Competition, Diamond won a silver medal. Candia Vineyards was also the only winery from Maine, Massachusetts or New Hampshire to be recognized with a medal. To learn more about this winery, visit candiavineyards.com. 

Sweet Baby Vineyard Label Release

My friend Amanda and I recently visited Sweet Baby Vineyard in East Kingston for their label release event. Owners Lewis and Stacey Eaton decided it was time to redesign their wine bottle labels, letting go of the label they had since they opened the winery in 2008. They worked with Be Good Branding and Pixels & Pulp to create the winery’s new brand and labels, which is fun and whimsical and still very “sweet.” 

Lewis said while the old labels meant a lot to them (their daughter’s hands were pictured on it), they felt it was time for a change and wanted something that would get noticed on supermarket shelves.  The new labels include more information about their commitment to local farms and list the farms that grow their fruit. They also note that 10 percent of their profits will be donated to the farmers because they believe that growing local and supporting local businesses is so important. 

I had already seen the new labels in my local supermarket and thought what a nice gift they would make during the holidays. If you are looking for their wines in stores, please note their Kensington White and Kensington Red are now Chardonnay and Amarone, named for their grapes. The winery used to be located in Kensington in the Eaton’s home, but they moved to a new location in East Kingston last year. This gave them more production space and room to house events like this one. If you haven’t seen their new tasting room yet, I highly recommend visiting. 

I was excited to try two new Sweet Baby wines, as they recently added pinot grigio and cabernet sauvignon to their lineup. While these are not wines I would typically choose to drink, I was impressed with both. The pinot grigio is off-dry and smooth, not acidic like some can be. I’m not sure I would have known it was a pinot grigio in a blind tasting and that made me like it that much more. The cabernet was dry but also very smooth with a nice finish. I could see that wine pairing well with pasta dishes or steak. Sweet Baby made a believer out of me because I took home a bottle of each. 

Because I like sweet wines, I like Sweet Baby’s Bartlett pear, a dessert-style wine, and the apple and blueberry wines, both semi-sweet. The pear wine is light in color but rich in flavor and could be enjoyed at the end of a meal all by itself. Pairing recommendations include cheese like warm brie. 

The apple wine is smooth, crisp and a great wine for fall. Made from New Hampshire apples, it would go well with pork or chicken dishes and even desserts like apple crisp or cobbler. 

The blueberry wine is also made from New Hampshire fruit. This wine is medium bodied and resembles more of a red wine than a fruit one, though it is enjoyed chilled. I love the aroma and flavor of this wine, along with its rich, purple hue. Try this wine with cheesecake for a delicious pairing. 

While I enjoyed these wines, the Amarone was my favorite of the day. Lewis told me I was going to like it and he was right. I went home with two bottles. This wine is full-bodied and rich, with notes of blackberries and raspeberries. While dry wines aren’t usually my favorite, this one has a smooth finish and softer tannins. While recommended pairings are Italian foods, meats, stews and cheese, I will probably be sipping this wine on its own during the fall and winter months. 

Sweet Baby Vineyard is located at 14 Powwow River Road in East Kingston. They are open year round on Saturdays and Sundays from 12-5 p.m. and Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 12-4 p.m. For more information, visit sweetbabyvineyard.com. 

Barrel Tasting Weekend: A Look at Last Year

Mark your calendar for this year's Lakes Region Wine Barrel Tasting, October 5-6. This year, Newfound Winery is being added to the list. Here is my column from last year on this fabulous event. For more information on this year's event, read on here. Newfound Lake Vineyards is new this year. 

Our 2012 Barrel Tasting Group

Six Lakes Region wineries recently held a Wine Barrel Tasting Weekend, which is like a regular wine tasting with an added bonus: a chance to try wines right out of barrel while they are still aging. I had been waiting for this weekend for months and it definitely lived up to my expectations.

Because I had already visited five out of the six locations in the past, I was really looking forward to trying some different wines and learning more about the process right from the winemakers.

A group of us piled into my friend’s Jeep and headed out on the tasting trail. Our first stop was Coffin Cellars in Webster, where Tim Austin and his mom and helper Lorna had apple and blackberry wines to taste, in addition to their already bottled raspberry, cranberry pomegranate, jalapeno and lime wines.

The apple wine is made from a sweet blend press of fruit from a local orchard. It is my favorite Coffin Cellars wine to date, with a great balance of tartness and sweetness.
Blackberry is not a new wine for Coffin Cellars, as winemakers Austin, his brother Jamie and father Peter get the berries from their family fields. It is always very popular, as it captures the essence of blackberries in a well-balanced wine that is semi-sweet and delicious.

Our next stop was Haunting Whisper Vineyards in Danbury where husband and wife team Eric and Erin craft an great selection of wines. Erin greeted us downstairs, where we tried carmenere, DeChaunac and syrah right from stainless steel tanks. She reminded us that these wines still have some aging to do and will further develop over time, with some reaching their full potential in another year.

Many of my friends enjoyed the carmenere and syrah, which where both a little bit too dry for my taste, while I really enjoyed the DeChaunac. Even at this step in the process, it was fruit-forward and had a nice berry aroma.

I am never disappointed by Haunting Whispers’ wines and ended up purchasing a bottle of Sunapee Red, a new offering this year. A blend of leon millot and marechal foch grapes, it has an earthy aroma but a tasty, surprising candy apple flavor and smooth finish.

Ken Hardcastle, Hermit Woods Winery

Our third stop was Hermit Woods Winery in Sanbornton, where we had the chance to taste two Chilean wines directly out of French oak barrels. Ken Hardcastle, one of the Hermit Woods winemakers, was in the downstairs area of the winery giving tastings of the four-month old syrah and carmenere, which will not reach their peak for some years. The wines are barrel aged for four to 20 months, Hardcastle explained, which helps the tannins develop and “marries together nicely” the fruit and oak. Both wines were slightly dry and the syrah had notes of pepper and spice. It will be interesting to try their finished products in the future.

Our last stop on the group tour was Stone Gate Vineyard in Gilford, where Peter Ellis greeted us in the lower level of his winery with samples of young vignoles and frontenac. The vignoles was dry while the frontenac displayed some of its fruit character found in the finished product. Upstairs, when we tried the bottled vignoles, it was fruit forward, with notes of honey and pear.

Kelly & I at Stone Gate Vineyard

I had to purchase a bottle of apple wine, made from a blend of macintosh, macoun and cortland apples from an orchard down the street. It is light and tart, much like the apple wine at Coffin Cellars.

Because our group ran out of time on the first day, my mom and I visited the two remaining wineries on the second day of the event, stopping first at Gilmanton Winery. Here we met winemaker John Jude, a former chemistry teacher originally from California, who works with owner Marshall Bishop to craft the array of Gilmanton wines. He explained the winemaking process, including the different steps red and white wines take from the beginning of production. He also showed us a refractometer and hygrometer, two key winemaking measurement tools that measure the sugar level and the right time to bottle, respectively.

We tried young carmenere and merlot, bottled recently at the winery and varietals that will get better with age. The carmenere was peppery and spicy, with notes of tobacco. The winery’s current carmenere, and the wine Jude said he is very proud of due to its depth and overall character, sold out over the weekend due to its popularity.

I brought home a bottle of Blue Berry Surprise, a wine recently made at the winery from local blueberries. 

Our last stop on the tour was Sap House Meadery in Center Ossipee where young entrepreneurs Ash Fischbein and Matt Trahan make a variety of meads, or honey wines. I had never been to Sap House before, but it was definitely worth the trip. The building is beautifully decorated, warm and cozy, and their offerings are unique.

I entered the Meadery thinking I wasn’t going to like anything, but I left with a bottle of their Vanilla Bean Mead, which is sweet and smooth with the finish of cream soda. Trahan also let us try it with hot apple cider and it was a great combination. He said it is probably his favorite Sap House Meadery offering. My mind has definitely been changed.

We tried a traditional honey mead and the sugar maple mead, still going through the barrel aging process. They were stronger than the bottled meads but still very tasty.

This event, which I called ‘Christmas for wine lovers’, was a great experience. Not only did we get to meet all of the winemakers, but we got a better glimpse into all of the hard work it takes to make the finished product we all appreciate so much. 

Stone Gate Vineyard's Last Season: Go Visit Now!

Wine Barrel Tasting event last fall 

Stone Gate Vineyard in Gilford, one of my favorite New Hampshire wineries, opened recently during the Memorial Day weekend. Though this was great news, they also announced that this was going to be their last season. So with this news, I am encouraging everyone to visit. If you haven’t been there yet, go. And if you have already visited, go back and enjoy the great wine, atmosphere and hospitality.

Stone Gate Vineyard is owned and operated by Peter and Jane Ellis. I met them a few years ago while I was a waitress at an Italian restaurant in the area. I happened to notice Peter’s Stone Gate shirt and we struck up a conversation about the winery. I promised to visit and a year later I finally fulfilled my promise. I have to admit I am somewhat partial to this winery because it was the first one I visited in New Hampshire, and Peter and Jane really helped develop my love of wine. 

This winery is so welcoming and isn’t intimidating for anyone who knows nothing about wine. I have always felt like a member of the Ellis family while visiting and have enjoyed sharing their wines with my friends and family. I have also had the pleasure of meeting their daughter and her children at the winery – it’s a family vineyard.

Peter and Jane had been making their own wine as a hobby for a few years before they opened the winery. They had spent some time in California in wine country during one of Peter’s business trips, and learned even more about wineries. Eventually, their hobby evolved into a business. Their on-site vineyard is currently filled with cold weather grapes that are hardy enough to survive New England winters. They were told they couldn’t grow grapes in New England, but like many other New Hampshire wineries, they have really proved that statement wrong.

When I visited during opening weekend, there were nine wines available for tasting at Stone Gate Vineyard. I can honestly say I like them all, and have really enjoyed watching their wines develop and change over the years. Since Peter doesn’t personally like any sweet wines, his wines tend to be on the drier, semi-sweet scale, which many wine drinkers will enjoy. It is important to note, however, that many visitors may not know most of the wines right away, but give them a taste and let Peter and Jane guide you through what you may or may not like.

One of my favorite Stone Gate wines is Cayuga, a hybrid grape developed at Cornell University in New York. This wine is described as off dry with a floral nose and is very smooth. It has been compared to a Riesling, but I find it has its own unique qualities. Many white wine drinkers will enjoy this wine well chilled. 

Steuben is another New York hybrid grape available for tasting. This wine is semi-sweet, light and fruity. On the nose, it reminds me of the Niagara grape but has different fruit flavors on the palate.

My favorite Stone Gate wine is definitely their Riesling. This semi-sweet wine celebrates the best of the delicate grape’s characteristics, without being too manipulated, according to Jane. She said they like to let it be and the result is so nice. I recommend purchasing a few bottles of this wine if you like it because it consistently sells out and quantity is limited.

The Apple wine is made with three different kinds of apples from a local orchard down the street. This might be my second favorite wine at Stone Gate. It has a lovely apple aroma that reminds me of apple juice. On the palate, it is very smooth and pleasant with just the right amount of acid. 

The Steuben is a semi-sweet, light and fruity wine with a Concord grape nose. Many white wine drinkers will enjoy this one as well. 

One of the most unique wines at Stone Gate is the Winnipesaukee White, a semi-sweet wine made from Niagara grapes, the cousin to the Concord grape. This wine smells and tastes very much like adult grape juice. It’s very different from most wines you may have tasted before.

Three red wines are currently available at Stone Gate, including their only blend, Winnipesaukee Red, from Rougeon and DeChaunac grapes, a Frontenac, Marechal Foch and a Cabernet made from California grapes. I noted a raspberry nose on the Winnipesaukee Red. It is very pleasant with a smooth finish. The Frontenac is slightly drier but still fruity, with berry flavors.  The Foch is full-bodied with cherry and earthy notes, with a slight effervescence to it that is noticeable on the finish. 

The 2010 Cabernet is made from grapes that were hand-picked in California. This wine is full-bodied, smooth and aging very well in the bottle, Peter noted.

Though I have been to Stone Gate numerous times since my very first visit, I never get tired of trying their wines and helping others discover it as well. To say I am going to miss them is an understatement. 

Stone Gate Vineyard is located at 27 David Lewis Road in Gilford. The tasting room is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5 p.m. 

Hermit Woods Wine Dinner

This text will appear in the Hippo on Thursday, May 30 in my wine column. But this wine dinner was so good I wanted to share additional links and photos. 

What happens when a local winery, restaurant and bed and breakfast come together? In short, there’s great wine, delicious food and excellent hospitality. This was my experience at Hermit Woods Winery’s second annual Wine Release Dinner, the event that marks the beginning of the winery’s season and introduces members of the media to their offerings.

A group of us met at Hermit Woods Winery, located in Sanbornton near Steele Hill Resort. The boutique winery opened in 2011, offering wines made from grapes, fruit and honey (meads). Co-owners Bob Manley and Ken Hardcastle greeted us, noting Chuck Lawrence, a commercial pilot, was in Portugal. Hardcastle, a geologist by trade and the winery’s chief winemaker, said their goal is to use local fruits and products to create classical style, dry wines.

“Every year Ken achieves more unique combinations, bringing out the qualities in the wines,” said Manley. “This is our second annual wine release dinner and we want to make this a tradition.” 

Our group tried seven different wines, beginning with the 2012 Whiteface, a new fruit wine made with whole quince, rhubarb, peaches and rosehips. While this combination may not sound like something you expect in a wine, it has lovely aromas of peaches and a light hue. I found this wine to be very unique but pleasant with a nice smooth finish. A limited quantity will be available at the winery.

The 2012 Kiwi Wine is something I was really looking forward to trying, as past batches have sold out before I had the chance. The 2012 wine was made with two local organic kiwi varieties, chosen for their tartness. This wine has great aromas and flavors of honeydew melon. It is off dry and could be compared to a Riesling, but has its own uniqueness and isn’t overly sweet. 

As Hermit Woods has been open for a couple of years now, they are able to age some of their wines. One example of that is their 2011 Blue Mead, a blend of two separate wines: blueberry wine and honey mead. This wine is off dry and should be served slightly chilled. The 2011 Elderberry Oak is another example of an aged fruit wine, similar to the elderberry wine but this one is fermented warmer and aged in an oak barrel. 

One wine made from grapes at Hermit Woods is the 2011 Ermitano, a cabernet sauvignon made from Chilean grapes. “Ermitano” means hermit in Spanish, and this wine is big, bold and deep red in color. Big red wine drinkers will enjoy this one, as it was aged in oak for seven months. 

One of my favorite wines of the night was the 2012 Deep Blue, an intense, port style wine made with low bush blueberries. The aroma of this wine is great and the finish is very smooth despite noticeable tannins and strong alcoholic heat. 

Following this tasting, the group of us headed to the Lake House at Ferry Point, a Sanbornton bed and breakfast on Lake Winnisquam where John and Cindy Becker are the innkeepers. There, Chef Kevin Halligan from Local Eatery in Laconia and his wife, Gillian, were busy preparing a fabulous seven course menu, each course paired with a different Hermit Woods wine. First, we sampled a blueberry Bellini, made with Hermit Woods’ Hermitage wine. 

“It’s so exciting to share our wines with everyone. You are the first through the door to try them,” Hardcastle said as dinner began.

I have worked with Halligan in the past and eaten at Local Eatery restaurant, so I knew dinner was going to be amazing because he is such a great chef. He uses as many locally sourced products in his restaurant as he can, which supports local farms and businesses and equals a very high-quality product. He did an exceptional job pairing Hermit Woods’ wines with an exquisite menu and explaining his choice for each. 

We enjoyed pan-seared scallops paired with Lake House White; a lobster cocktail paired with Harvest Apple, a mixed greens salad paired with Three Honey Wine, braised rabbit paired with Knot Mead, pork medallions paired with Petite Blue Reserve and three cheese blintzes paired with Mélange. The last time I had such a wonderful meal was at Local Eatery earlier this year, but the wine pairing made it that much better. 

During the meal, I thought about what made Hardcastle and Halligan so good at what they do: they both respect their ingredients and celebrate the best qualities in their products. Hardcastle allows the grapes and fruit awaken the palate in his wine, while Halligan showcases each item on a plate, put there for a reason. 

One of my favorite pairings was the third course. The complex flavors in the award-winning Three Honey Wine went really well with the mixed greens, apples, honey glazed almonds, fresh goat cheese and honey ramp vinaigrette in the salad. 

“These were outstanding food and wine pairings,” Manley said, praising Halligan for his choices. “We are looking forward to continuing this tradition.”

Following dinner, some of us stayed at the Lake House, where we had a classic New England inn experience. I was lucky enough to be able to stay in the Sunrise Room, which has the inn’s best view of the lake. The Becker’s served an excellent breakfast in the morning of pancakes, sautéed strawberries and a local egg omelet. 

This experience was truly amazing and I was very thankful to be able to experience the wine, food and hospitality offered by these three local businesses. I was also very impressed with the wine and I highly recommend trying it. 

Hermit Woods Winery is now open for the season. Visit them weekends from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. until July and August, when they will also be open Wednesday through Friday from 1-5 p.m.