Weekend Escape: Flag Hill Winery

Most people do not associate wineries, vineyards and winemaking with New Hampshire. This is with good reason; we have very fertile soil, it rains too much and our winters last eight months. These are not exactly premium wine producing conditions, but somehow Flag Hill Winery makes it work.

Since 1996, Flag Hill has been producing wine on their beautiful estate in Lee, NH. During this time they have been able to find ways to adapt their vines to the harsh and variable New England winters. Like many New England wineries, Flag Hill has to rely on unique varietals or grapes and partially on fruit wines. For those of you who do not prefer fruit wines, they have a nice line of more traditional wines as well.

Expect to see names such as Vignoles and Marechal Foch stocked on their shelves rather than Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. Do not be dismayed, they make some comforting and carefully crafted wines. These varietals have been selected due to the way they adapt themselves to the colder climate and overly generous soil. The most notable of these unique varietals are the Cayuga and Seyval Blanc, which were a crisp and vibrant revelation. However, it was the North River Port that was the biggest surprise of all. The spices, almond and caramel jump from this six year, oak-aged delight!

Every year, Flag Hill hosts a Harvest Fest. They welcome guests into their vineyard to help them bring in the grapes. Typically, tickets for this event are around $10 per person. It takes place towards the end of September or early October. If you are looking for something fun to do, make this it. It is not often that someone can say that they have helped in a winery’s grape harvest! If you are interested in attending, be sure to sign-up to receive the details and the date of the event (dates change year to year depending on when the grapes are ready for harvesting).

If you are looking for a unique wine experience, Flag Hill is definitely worth the quick drive (about 40 minutes from Nashua). You will leave with a renewed appreciation for New Hampshire wine and hopefully with a bottle of their North River Port!

Flag Hill Winery
297 North River Road
Lee, NH 03861
603-659-2949

Weekend Escape: Flag Hill Winery

A great way to learn...occasionally pick at random

This past weekend I happened to stop into Wine Society to pick up a couple bottles. Wine Society has a nice selection and offers labels that are not readily available anywhere in the area. While meandering around the racks, looking for a Spanish wine, I spotted a bottle of Portuguese wine. At $12 a bottle I figured it was worth a try.

The bottle selected was from Douro, a world famous wine region, but not for the typical wine that most are accustomed. Douro is the home of Port, which is a heavily aged and fortified wine. For many years, Port dominated the grape demand in this region (mainly Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca and Tempranillo, known in Portugal as Tinta Roriz). This left only leftover grapes for the unfortified wines. Times and tastes have changed. With the recent influx of capital, many Port producing wineries have given unfortified wines a more prominent place in their portfolios. This move has proved beneficial, as Portuguese wines are an ever improving value offering in foreign markets.

Picking a bottle at random can be a rewarding or awful experience. So where does this experience fall?

2007, Castello D’Alba Colheita, Red Blend, Douro, Portugal - $12

The Colheita was a medium-full bodied wine that exhibited a very clean, almost shimmering, ruby red complexion. The aroma was of earthy dark berries with an undertone of oak. The palate was fresh and lively with plum and cherries dominating with very good acidity. The wine possessed very pleasant warmth towards the end.

It is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca. There is very little information about this wine available, but I was happy with the selection and would rate it at 87 points. It is a very pleasant sipping wine and would go well with pasta or leaner cuts of meat.

If you are ever in the area, stop by Wine Society (Amherst St in Nashua, NH) for a unique bottle of wine. Being random is a great way to learn new things about different regions and your tastes!


Source:
- Johnson, Hugh; Jancis Robinson. The World Atlas of Wine: Sixth Edition. Mitchell Beazley. Pgs. 216-218.

A great way to learn...occasionally pick at random