Autumn is a beautiful season in the Granite State, a special time to experience breathtaking foliage and to discover exceptional vineyards, wineries, and tasting rooms. From locally-grown wine to delicious food and stellar events, our member wineries have so much to share with you this fall. Now you can explore all of them more conveniently than ever with our newly released NH Wine Trail app.
Whether your next winery trip is planned or spontaneous, the NH Wine Trail app offers instant access to GPS enabled maps, winery descriptions, event details, and more. Free to download at the App Store and Google Play, it also features its passport incentive, a fun and engaging way to mark your wine travels. Simply use your NH Wine Trail passport to “check-in” during your next winery visit, and collect a stamp towards some great prize drawings.
However you choose to find your way to our 15 member wineries this autumn, here’s to fall-ing into NH wine with these 3 winery spotlights from across this wonderful winemaking state, including Zorvino Vineyards, the introduction of our newest member winery, Triad Winery, and The Summit Winery.
ESPRESSO YOURSELF WITH ZORVINO VINEYARDS
Cool, crisp nights and the first signs of changing foliage have the crew at Zorvino Vineyards in the mood for autumn, and they are toasting the season with their new Pumpkin Espresso Wine. This 100% pumpkin wine is one of Zorvino’s newest Z Labs creations – small batch, craft combinations that have origin stories worthy of how good they are.
The story of Zorvino’s Pumpkin Espresso Wine begins with 200 pounds of local sugar pumpkins sourced from J&F Farms in Derry, NH. The pumpkins were gutted, sliced, roasted, and peeled before undergoing fermentation. Next, the wine was sweetened, fortified to 18% ABV, and infused with baking spices, including cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Lastly, two pounds of locally roasted, espresso beans from Brew Coffee & Food of Brentwood, NH, were steeped in the wine for one week just prior to bottling.
The result is a wine that is crisp and light in body, a great counterpoint to its rich notes of espresso that make for perfect sipping and – of course – espresso-ing yourself at a cozy gathering this fall.
While all this Pumpkin Espresso magic was happening, harvest season started early at Zorvino Vineyards. The sun and warm weather this summer contributed to a rare August harvest of Itasca, one of the vineyard’s white varietals. These beautiful Itasca grapes are destined for great things, sure to become one of your next reasons for visiting Zorvino.
In the meantime, harvest season in NH is apple season, and Zorvino is celebrating with the release of their staple fall wines: Apple Pie and Caramel Apple. These crowd favorites are sweet, crisp, and decadent, perfect wines for the autumn season.
Before your next visit, be sure to check out Zorvino Vineyards online for their current winery, bistro, and tasting hours, and don’t miss their event schedule. From amazing wines to paint nights, holiday sip and shops, and more, there are so many reasons to visit Zorvino this fall and through the holiday season.
MULL IT OVER WITH TRIAD WINERY
Triad Winery is our newest member winery, owned and operated by Bill and Corinna Reishus and their daughter Alexis in Northwood, NH. While the trio opened their doors this past fall 2023, they have been licensed since 2019, and Bill and Corinna have been making wine for much longer. In fact, when they met 30 years ago, the pair became such avid wine-making hobbyists that they made their own wedding wine!
After having Alexis, Bill and Corinna took a hiatus from making wine, a decision that fermented well. When they returned to their beloved hobby, they visualized what it would be like as a family endeavor. Once they convinced Alexis to apply her background in marketing to the dream of a family winery, all they needed was the perfect name, logo, and location.
They arrived on the name Triad and its corresponding symbol, which resembles three water droplets following one after the other in a circle. It can be found in various forms and cultures around the world but is most-known in Celtic lore and stands for the unity of threeness – like Bill, Corinna, and Alexis. Not to be forgotten is their trio of canine companions, past and present, watching over all the comings and goings at Triad – Pal, Akila, and Remi.
With their name and logo settled, the Reishus crew needed only to find the right location for their boutique winery. They discovered the perfect place in Northwood, NH, an 1841 farmhouse that Alexis happens to maintain is haunted. You can mull this over for yourself with a Triad Mulled Wine or any of Bill and Corinna’s craft wines, which they make with grapes sourced from all over, including the Finger Lakes in NY as well as CA, Chile, Argentina, and of course, NH.
This fall, Bill and Corinna are indeed bringing back their popular Mulled Wine and their special Hot Toddy. For their mulled wine, they start with one of their own aged reds to create a perfect chilly day drink that pulls notes of cranberry, apple, cinnamon, and clove. For their toddy, they start with their own apple-flavored white wine, made from locally sourced NH grapes, infusing it with cinnamon and apple spices. The liquid spices in both autumn treats come from the NH-based Wood Stove Kitchen.
You can enjoy both of these seasonal drinks and any of Triad’s varietals in their bright indoor tasting room or outside in their inviting seating area, complete with fire pits and lawn games. They are open through early November when they switch to their winter hours. These include one weekend a month, usually around holidays, until they fully reopen in late April. No matter when you make it in, Bill, Corinna, Alexis, and the pups look forward to meeting you.
TRY THE FLAGSHIP & GET CHEESY-IN-LOVE WITH THE SUMMIT WINERY
This coming 2025 marks the 10th anniversary year for The Summit Winery, located in picturesque Westmoreland, NH, just around the corner from downtown Keene, NH. Leading up to this exciting milestone, owners Darren and Judy Horn are releasing a new take on their flagship wine.
“We decided to blend our popular Summit Red this year with three different styles,” says winemaker Darren Horn. “The blend will be with our Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Pinotage. We’re really looking forward to offering this to our customers throughout our 10th year anniversary in 2025.”
Coming soon to The Summit Winery is another new release, “The Cheesy Love Shack”, a cheese-themed food truck that will focus on all things for the cheese lover. Judy is still finalizing the menu for this fun cheese-themed venture, but items currently in the running include flatbread pizza, grilled cheese, and paninis, to name a few.
Darren and Judy offer you a warm autumn welcome to enjoy indoor and outdoor seating options at their beautifully converted 1800s post and beam barn. Come celebrate the 10th year of their boutique winery, a place where you can get cheesy-in-love – whether with the beautiful view, with your friends and loved ones, or simply with the great wine and soon-to-be cheese truck. Be sure to follow The Summit Winery on social media for updates on their seasonal events.
NH WINE TRAIL APP
If you have yet to experience the NH Wine Trail app, then awaiting you is seamless connection with our member wineries throughout the Granite State. Free to download at the App Store and Google Play, the app is simple to use, provides helpful information, and offers interactive perks. Try it today to take part in the NH Wine Trail passport incentive. Just visit our member wineries, “check-in” to collect stamps on your digital passport, and earn the chance to be entered into fun prize drawings. All our member wineries look forward to seeing you. Happy autumn!
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