Flag Hill Winery

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Flag Hill Distillery & Winery
Location Lee, New Hampshire, USA
Founded1990
First  vintage 1994;29 years ago (1994)
Key peopleBrian Ferguson - Distiller/ Winemaker
Known forCayuga
Varietals La Cresant, Marechal Foch , Niagara (grape)
Other productsGeneral John Stark Vodka, Josiah Bartlett Apple Brandy, Karner Blue Gin, Flag Hill Rum (white and spiced), sugar maple liqueur
DistributionNH, MA, VT, NY, RI
Tasting Open to public 11-5 pm daily
Website www.flaghill.com
43°04′57″N71°01′40″W / 43.08250°N 71.02778°W / 43.08250; -71.02778

Flag Hill Distillery & Winery is located in Lee, New Hampshire, United States. It is the largest vineyard in the state. [1] Flag Hill was the first legal distillery in New Hampshire after Prohibition. [2]

Contents

History

The land where Flag Hill is located has been farmed since the 18th century, and was formerly a dairy farm. Frank Reinhold Sr. bought 180 acres (0.73 km2) in the area in 1950, and in 1985 his son Frank Reinhold Jr. took over the property with the hope of growing grapes, which he began planting in 1990. [3] [4] The first harvest took place in 1994 and was released in 1996, [4] [3] with the production of 500 cases of wine. [5]

Flag Hill winery was the second winery to open in New Hampshire, preceded only by Jewell Towne Vineyards. [6]

A barn dating to the late 18th century hosts the winery and tasting room. [4] There are 21 acres (85,000 m2) of vineyards, and the winery produced about 4,000 cases of wine annually as of 2011, as well as 2,000 cases of liquor at its distillery. [6]

The winery grows French-American hybrids such as De Chaunac, Marechal Foch and Vignoles, as well as American hybrids such as Cayuga White and La Crescent. These varietals are more resistant to New England's cold winters than most other varietals. [7]

See also

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References

  1. Kevin Zraly, Kevin Zraly's American Wine Guide, p.123 (2007)
  2. DeVito, Carlo (November 30, 2021). The Spirit of Rye: Over 300 Expressions to Celebrate the Rye Revival. Simon and Schuster. p. 128. ISBN   978-1-64643-178-6.
  3. 1 2 Carlo DeVito, East Coast wineries: a complete guide from Maine to Virginia p.45-46 (2003) ( ISBN   978-0813533124)
  4. 1 2 3 Cattell, Hudson. Wine East. appellationamerica.com (Jan-Feb 2004). The Wineries of New Hampshire
  5. Cattell, Hudson (January 15, 2014). Wines of Eastern North America: From Prohibition to the Present—A History and Desk Reference. Cornell University Press. ISBN   978-0-8014-6899-5.
  6. 1 2 Cattell, Hudson, Wines & Vines (December 8, 2008). "New Hampshire Producers Stand Together".
  7. "Carving a niche in new England's North country". Wines & Vines. January 2006. Retrieved January 20, 2010.