Flag Hill Winery & Distillery, Lee, NH
Where can you find an expansive New England Vineyard, conservation land, a dream wedding locale, and wines and liquors to fit varied palates? Flag Hill is a great place to start. Situated in Lee, NH; a rural farm community very close to the University of New Hampshire, Flag Hill is worth a visit as you travel through the New Hampshire wine trails.
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The Grounds
Flag Hill’s grounds are unique in that the lands are part of a conservation easement, conserved through a public-private partnership. The public is welcome on the grounds, but is still a working farmland that is privately owned. The vineyards sprawl over many acres, and the farmland is just a tiny portion of that…so if you are inclined to do some strolling through lovely New Hampshire woodland and river shoreline after/before your tasting, this is the perfect place.
On the grounds is a beautiful garden pagoda overlooking the vines, perfect for a wine lover’s wedding nuptials. There is a celebration tent too, complete with mood setting lights and paper lanterns, and a dance floor.
The Tasting
For $5 you can taste up to 6 items on the tasting menu, either wine or hard alcohol. If you choose, you can keep the glass at the end of the tasting, or you can choose to trade it in, and use the $5 toward the purchase of a bottle.
I chose to mix the two, starting with the
Raspberry Fruit Wine: Not as sweet as some other New England fruit wines, this wine contains the tartness that often comes with the early summer fruit. It would be a great addition to a spritzer or a summer sangria.
Flag Hill Red: This medium body wine is similar to other non-specific reds, in that it can be paired with any dish, or sipped alone. The difference with this red is that it is slightly spicy, rounding out to a smooth finish.
De Chaunac: Lovers of the light and slightly sweet french Beaujolais will enjoy this wine. It is easy drinking, slightly sweet, with a clean finish.
Pommeau: As the name suggests in French, this wine is a double dose of apples; combining apple cider with apple brandy. The result is a sweet but strong taste that will warm your insides on cool fall days.
Josiah Bartlett Barrell Aged Apple Brandy: I confess that I tried this because of the name…I stared at the name for a while, and then asked…”West Wing?”…after all, Jed Bartlett was known to discuss his beloved UNH on many an episode. The brandy is the same as in the pommeau, but in its straight strong form. This is made for sipping, certainly not for the faint of heart!
Sugar Maple Liqueur: This was by far my favorite from the tasting…pure maple magic in my mouth. It tastes like the deliciousness that you would put on pancakes, but with an extra added warming component.
After the tasting, we wandered around the beautiful grounds, enjoying the sunshine and the vines. If you are in the area, Flag Hill is certainly worth a stop.