Lakes Region Barrel Tasting

The Lakes Region has become a winery tour destination. There are seven wineries in the area crafting traditional, fruit and honey wines and many are using their own fruits grown on-site.

Newfound Lake Vineyards is so new their opening day is linked to the Region's Barrel Tasting weekend October 5 and 6.

This year visitors to this tasting tour will have a unique opportunity to taste young wines directly from the oak and stainless-steel barrels that are used to ferment and age the varietals. It's a chance to taste wine in the early stages of development and meet the winemakers. In addition, many of the wineries will be hosting other local food vendors, offering other wine-related items and prizes.

Hermit Woods Winery in Sanbornton has grown rapidly with a full complement of wines made from grapes and local fruits, including a very interesting kiwi berry related to the kiwi from Australia that is finished off dry. Winemaker Ken Hardcastle has become an expert in finding local fruits to ferment and blend into wine. His fruit wine production includes tomatoes, blueberry, kiwi, crabapple, peach rhubarb and apple. Hermit Woods will be relocating in December to a new retail and production space at 72 Main St. in Meredith.

Hermit Woods Winery
56 Taylor Road (near Steel Hill Resort) Sanbornton, (603) 253-7968
hermitwoods.com
Hermit Woods hours in September —weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.