Fall is the busiest time of year in the Cellar at Hermit Woods, as it is for most wineries in the northern hemisphere. Fall is when most of our fruit is harvested and begins transforming into wine, but not without much effort and coaxing from our winemaker, Ken Hardcastle, and his assistant, Ben. In just the last few weeks, we have begun fermenting this year’s vintages of Red Scare, Deep Blue, and a new red wine yet to be named. We also recently fermented our Norther Berry Red, Cranberry Cider, and Three Honey Wine. We put the Cranberry Cider in Bottle last week. We will discuss the fall harvest and winemaking period with Ken and sample some of our new vintages. We will also try our latest two-bottle club release, which is about to be released. So, choose a beverage of your own and join us for what will promise to be a fun and educational discussion. Hope to see you at 5:30.
Watch our episode here: https://fb.watch/nhrqRbLQxg/
Our founders are off on their annual sailing trip this week. They had hoped to broadcast live from the boat, but are unable to reach a quality connection. Instead, we bring you this broadcast from another trip few years ago. In a multi-part series, they shared the story of “How We Built This”. Here’s part one, live from Penobscot Bay! Enjoy, and join us next week for a new live show.
Ever wonder where all the leftover fruit solids, the skins, seeds, and pulp, go after we make wine with them? Well, they go to Miles Smith Farm to feed the cows and the pigs. Turns out, they enjoy a cocktail in the afternoon just as much as we do. This is how we met Carole Soule.
Join us for a conversation with Carole as we learn all about her farm and her new book. Hope to see you Monday.
Embark on a sailing adventure with Bob, Ken, and Chuck aboard Chuck’s 22-foot Chrysler Sail Boat, affectionately named Dolgo. Set sail on the picturesque waters of Lake Winnisquam as the trio shares fond memories of Hermit Woods, engaging discussions about wine, beer, and an array of captivating subjects that may arise, all while relishing the joys of a summer excursion. Let’s hope this does not end up being a “Three Hour Tour.”
Every summer, we add Bob’s Tomato Sandwich to our menu when the tomatoes are the freshest. Today we will make the sandwich on the show and pair it with a few of our wines to see which ones go best. I hope you can join us. If you wish to participate at home, this is the recipe.
- One large fresh tomato, ideally heirloom, sliced into two or three thick wedges.
- Two slices of your favorite toast, ideally homemade or bakery fresh.
- Two tablespoons of mayonnaise (give or take)
- Copious amounts of salt and pepper
Toast the bread and spread an even layer of mayonnaise on each slice. Place the sliced tomatoes on the bread evenly to cover the whole sandwich. Sprinkle with lots of salt and pepper (more than you might think). The salt cuts the acidity of the tomato, and the pepper gives it a nice, spicey finish. Enjoy.
To be invited to this event was remarkable enough in and of itself. However, the fact that we were presenting wines not made from grapes at an event dedicated entirely of grape wines made it even more special.
The day surpassed all our expectations. We enjoyed some fabulous white, red, rosé, and sparkling wines crafted by the East’s best winemakers. We got to tour the fantastic new facilities of The Crossvines, a new incubator of winemakers in Maryland and enjoyed an outstanding farm-to-table lunch. But most important was the people. We caught up with some of our long-time industry friends, Carlo DeVito, Richard Leahy, and Joe Fiola, and made many new ones.
Of most importance, Ken provided an outstanding presentation of our new world wines, and on both occasions, our Lakehouse White and our Hermitage were received well and applauded by everyone in the room. We owe a special thanks to Carlo DeVito for suggesting to the event organizers that we attend and Paul Vigna for inviting us. This will be a day we remember for years to come. Join us to learn more or visit our blog to read the whole story and see pictures of our trip. https://hermitwoods.com/2023/08/06/motorcycles-and-wine-adventure/
We have several things we want to talk about today. One, we are excited to continue our collaboration with Stoneface and are collaborating with Tamworth Distilling. We will bring you up to date on these developments. In other news, Ken and I are excited about our special invitation to a prestigious wine event in Maryland next month. We will share details about this opportunity and discuss the challenges of getting our wine where it needs to be—shipping and traveling with wine and the things you need to know. We will look forward to seeing you on our weekly show. Bring something to drink. 🙂
We were disappointed that, despite the best-laid plans, we were not able to get a signal to join you for our weekly live broadcast. We purposefully selected a tent site just a 1/4 mile from a cell tower.
…It was on the other side of the hill. 
Ken and Bob took this brief break in the weather to get a little camping in. We had hoped to share campfire stories with you. It will have to wait. There is always next Monday! We hope everyone had a wonderful evening with some fine beverages.
Cheers, Bob and Ken
Fortunately, Ken’s relentless efforts have borne fruit, both figuratively and literally, and we are thrilled to announce that we now offer a selection of four exquisite dry white wines. Tonight, we invite you to join us for a special tasting where we will savor each of these wines side by side. It’s an opportunity us to explore and appreciate the nuances of our newest white wine creations while learning more about their unique characteristics. Don’t miss out on this enlightening experience.
The Hermits live captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
The release of our Stoneface Colab Wines.
Monday, June 19, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Last year, Hermit Woods Winery & Eatery embarked on an exciting collaborative barrel swap with Stoneface Brewing Company. Our talented winemaker, Ken Hardcastle, joined forces with Stoneface’s Head Brewer, Dan Kiesel, to delve into the world of barrels at both of our establishments. Together, they meticulously assessed the barrels at Stoneface and Hermit Woods to identify the perfect ones for aging our exquisite Petite Blue Reserve and Red Scare wines. Simultaneously, Dan carefully handpicked the barrels with the most promise for creating two exciting new beer flavors at Stoneface.
In a mutual exchange, we swapped four of our barrels with four of Stoneface’s, initiating the experiments that followed. Now, after a year of patiently waiting, we are thrilled to unveil the remarkable results. Today, we invite you to join us as we sample these innovative creations and discuss the upcoming release party scheduled for this Saturday.
The Hermits live captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Meet Deb and Paul, the creative brain trust behind our new brand.
Monday, June 12, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
On this day, we will meet with Deb Lucke and Paul Hartzell and our new web design firm, LTL MTN, to launch the long-awaited redesign of our website. Deb and Paul have worked tirelessly over the past two years helping Ken, Chuck, and Bob re-image the Hermit Woods brand. With all the changes that have taken place since the founding of Hermit Woods, it was long overdue. Ken and I will sit down with Deb and Paul at their home in NY and discuss the process and how our new brand will tell our story. Merike and Chuck will join us remotely. I hope you can join us.
The Hermits live captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Exploring Ken’s first and favorite wine barrel and the wines that came from it.
Monday, June 5, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Long before Hermit Woods was even an idea, when Ken, Chuck, and Bob explored everything fermentable as a hobby, Ken’s dad bought Ken his first wine barrel. That barrel has since gone on to help age over eighteen wines over the past sixteen years. For this show, we will talk about the importance of this barrel in so many of our wines and sample twelve of these wines from our library. Join us in person or live on Facebook or YouTube.
The Hermits live captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Live from the Garden– Let’s talk summer.
Monday, May 29, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Last week we did a re-broadcast from the garden from last year. Join us tonight as we gather in the Garden to talk summer. We will share some stories of our recent adventures, talk about some new releases, and what we have in store for you at the Garden this year. I hope you can join the conversation.
The Hermits live captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Re-broadcast of our July 4th, 2022 show, Live from the Garden
Monday, May 22, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Ken and Bob are traveling home from an Adventure Bike training Course in VA, and Chuck is flying around the world in parts unknown; we are re-broadcasting our episode from last July in celebration of the opening of our Garden this weekend.
On July 4th, we are excited to have Katie Dobbins performing live in the Garden from 4:00 to 7:00. Katie is the daughter of the former owner of 62 Main Street and has performed there many times on the 4th when her dad owned it. We are proud to be able to bring her back for this memorable holiday. So today, we will spend time in the Garden, starting with a brief chat with Katie during her break from playing. Then, we will enjoy Katie’s music and check in with our food trucks, Angry Hog BBQ, and Pours and Petals. Maybe we will enjoy a wine slushie while we are at it. Join us live on Facebook or YouTube, or if you are in the area, join us in the Garden.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
A recap of our week in Nashville while attending the Craft Beverage Conference.
Monday, May 15, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Join us as we recap our journey to Nashville. Ben, Merike, Ken, Chuck, and Bob spent five days attending the CBC, visiting local brewpubs, and exploring Nashville. Let us tell you all about it. I hope you can join us.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Live from Nashville, Tennessee
Monday, May 8, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Hermit Woods team has traveled down to Nashville Tennessee to attend the National Craft Beverage conference, .CBC. Join us live to learn all about it.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Spring 2023 Wine Club Release Tasting
Monday, May 1, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Join us as we sample the six wines we released for your Spring 2023 Wine Club. We look forward every six months to the next club release. It allows us to share with you the wines we are most excited about and a chance to see many of our club members who we don’t get to see as much as we would like otherwise. Join us as we sample our spring release.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Collaboration with NH Craft Beer and Spirits Producers
Monday, April 23, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Join us as we discuss our recent collaborations with two outstanding craft beverage producers in New Hampshire, Stoneface Brewing Company and Tamworth Distillery. We are excited about three new products we will release soon from a partnership with these two companies. We will sample all three of these products and discuss their upcoming release. We also look forward to sampling the results of some new products that Tamworth and Stoneface are working on with barrels from our cellar. However, we will have to wait for that. Stoneface and Hermit Woods are planning events around the release of our new products in June. I hope you can join us.
Monday, April 17, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
In celebration of our Wine Club Release on Saturday, we will revisit as many of the wines we have in our library from our very first club release in the Spring of 2016. let’s see how these wines have held up over the years.
2016 Spring Club Release
| 2014 Lake House White |
| 2014 Lake House Red |
| 2013 Three Honey Gold |
| 2013 Red Scare |
| 2015 Sap Mead |
| 2014 Harvest Apple Reserve |
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Farm-to-Table Showcase Preview
Monday, April 10, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Many of our favorite local farms and producers will join us on Saturday for our annual Farm to Table Showcase. In celebration of this event, we will present the many fine foods available on Saturday and pair them with the wines we will pour for the show. If you want to join us for the event, you can get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/532060255547. We hope you can join us for our Monday night show and/or our event on Saturday.
The following farms and food producers will be represented on Saturday.
- Black River Produce
- Bridport Creamery
- VT Farmstead
- Cobb Hill Creamery
- Beans & Greens Farm
- Hall Apiaries
- Jack’s Crackers
- Picnic Rock Farm
- New Hampshire Mushroom Company
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Up and coming new releases.
Monday, April 3, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Ken is excited about releasing several new wines that the has been developing. We will be releasing these wines over the next few months. Join us this evening as we sample some of these new wines. We will be sampling our latest version of Meredith Bay White and Wini White, along with two brand new wines, Ozark and Deep Berry. Hope you can join us.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Discovering the importance of the size and shape of your wine glass.
Monday, March 27, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
You may not be aware, but the size and shape of your wine glass can make a big difference in how you perceive the aroma and flavor of your wine. Therefore, choosing the right glass can be very important for wine consumers looking to get the most out of their wine-drinking experience.
In our pursuit of the best choice in a wine glass to serve our guests our wine, we will spend this week’s show sampling our wine in several different glass shapes. Please tune in to learn more about the right glasses choices for our wines and yours. Join in at home. Select some different-shaped wine glasses and a couple of different wines, preferably a white and a red, and sample along with us.
Join Ken, Chuck, Bob, and Merike as they recap their journey to the Eastern Winery Expo in Lancaster, PA.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Monday, March 20, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Every year Ken, Chuck, and Bob attend the Eastern Winery Expo. This year the conference was held in Lancaster, PA. Join us as we share details about our journey two and from the expo, the people and places we visited in Lancaster, and the many things we learned at the conference.
Re-Broadcast from Monday, May 21, 2022 – Interview with Phil Plummer at Montezuma Winery
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Monday, March 13, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Ken, Chuck, and Bob were on the road heading to their annual sojourn to the Eastern Winery Expo in Lancaster, PA, during our usual Monday night live show. In our absence, we have shared our video broadcast from our visit with Phil Plummer at Montezuma Winery at last year’s EWE conference.
Phil has been making wine in New York’s Finger Lakes region for over a decade, spending the bulk of those years at Montezuma Winery, where he has served as head winemaker since 2013. In his time at Montezuma, Phil has taken a lead role in the development and production of a wide-ranging portfolio of wines made from grapes, fruit, and honey, and was instrumental in the launch of Montezuma’s sister wineries, Idol Ridge and Fossenvue.
Virtual Wine Tasting and Appreciation with Bob
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
Monday, March 6, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Join me this Monday as I sample some of my favorite wines and take you through some basic steps to fully appreciating your wine as you taste it. We will also take the time to talk a little about wine glasses, corks vs. screwcaps, aging wine, storing wine, and wine and food pairing. I hope you can join us. Bring your questions and comments and participate in the conversation. I will taste Red Scare, Petite Blue and Petite Blue Reserve, Deep Blue, and Deep Blue Reserve.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
Tonight’s Virtual Tasting Theme: Northern Berry Redy
Monday, February 27, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Tonight’s Virtual Tasting Theme: Northern Berry Red Wine Ken is bottling the next batch of Northern Berry this week, so we’ll discuss this unique wine. We’ll taste the newest batch alongside our current vintage, plus a couple of older and special batches. Join us live at 5:30 with a drink and your questions, or later at your convenience.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
Meet Katie Dobbins, Host of our new Songwriter RoundUP series coming this Wednesday
Monday, February 20, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Hermit Woods Winery & Katie Dobbins Music partner together to present a monthly music series titled Songwriter RoundUp, where audience members can enjoy talented singer-songwriters from the New England Area in the Lakes Region’s premier listening room. Enjoy songs and stories from host Katie Dobbins and two additional guest artists as they perform acoustically in-the-round.
About Katie Dobbins
With moving lyrics and mesmerizing melodies, folk-pop artist Katie Dobbins captivates audiences and opens hearts. Whether performing solo or with a band in front of twenty or one hundred people, Dobbins brings energy and a personal touch to every show. A storyteller at heart, her catchy words and sense of humor will have you nodding and singing along in no time. Katie’s mission is to share music and light wherever she goes, which is reflected in recent heart-warming reviews from show attendees, like “your songs are like getting a warm hug from a friend” and “this show was full of love, light, and positivity.” Her two albums, She Is Free, and There Is Light has earned her recognition at several local award shows and are available on all streaming platforms.
Join us this evening for a conversation with Katie.
You can watch our first Songwriter RoundUp here:
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
Blueberry Cider vs Blueberry Cider
Monday, February 13, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
For years, Hermit Wood produced a hard cider that was a blend of the classic ingredients used for making hard cider, apples, with the addition of a small amount of blueberry wine to create our Blueberry Cider. Then Ken wondered, what if we made a blueberry cider from just blueberries? Well, that is what he did. Ken used over two lbs of wild blueberries fermented to approximately 7% and sparkled it to about the same amount of bubbles typically experienced in cider. Technically, it is not a cider, but it has all the characteristics of a cider, just made with blueberries. For the first time, these products will be on the shelf at Hermit Woods and other locations. So, we decided a taste test was in order. Join us today as we sample the two products and learn how they differ.
Monday, February 6, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
In honor of Valentine’s Day next week and our Wine & Dessert pairing event this upcoming Sunday, Bob, Ken, and Merike will discuss our Dessert wines and the chocolates and other foods that pair with them. We hope to be joined by Chef Travis to discuss the desserts he’s planning for next weekend’s event as well.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
Celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of our Kickstarter Campaign
Monday, January 30, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Join us for our weekly live tasting! This week we’re bringing out something extra special from our cellar.
In 2013, we ran a Kickstarter to help fund our move to Meredith. As part of that campaign, we released a batch of Three Honey Wine with a special label listing some of our most generous donors. The names of all those donors who committed at a specific dollar amount got their names printed on the Three Honey Wine Kickstarter addition.
In honor of the tenth anniversary of this significant moment in Hermit Woods’ history, we’ll open a bottle of the Kickstarter Three Honey Wine and taste that, along with several other vintages of Three Honey.
Following the show, a limited number of these specially labeled bottles will be available for purchase in the tasting room.
If your name is on this bottle, we would like to offer you a gift certificate that is redeemable for the purchase of one of these bottles as yet another way of saying THANK YOU for your generous support.
Names appearing on our 2013 Three Honey Wine Kickstarter Edition:
| Alex and Luke (.com) |
| Andy Gribbel |
| Ann Dolan |
| Ann S. Wickerham |
| Anthony & Sandra Sabutis |
| Calvin J Root |
| Carolyn and Arnold Robbins |
| Cask & Vine |
| Chris and Theresa Dolloff |
| Dave & Sherry |
| Denise & Fred Naiva |
| Ellen Mulligan |
| Gerry Boeckmann |
| Heidi Kohler Hotz |
| Heitzman Family |
| John & Ginny Carran |
| John Pfleger |
| John T Wilson Jr. |
| Julie Dewdney |
| Karen and Fran Maineri |
| Karen Bobotas |
| Laura M Placentino |
| Lee’s Candy Kitchen |
| Liz Cutler, fine arts |
| Mark and Tami Donohoe |
| Pam Welch and Brian Flanagan |
| Pat Wade |
| Roger Nash / Four Seasons Storage |
| The Nutmeg Inn B & B |
| Warren Holcomb |
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
Meet our new Winemaker Assistant, Live from the Backyard Brewing Company.
Monday, January 23, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
We come to you LIVE from Backyard Brewing in Manchester, NH, as we interview our new winemaker assistant, Ben Martin.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
Live from the French Alps
Monday, January 16, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Chuck, Ken, and Bob had the opportunity to spend some time in France and Switzerland, skiing and wine tasting. They pre-recorded a greeting at 5:30 GMT +1 time from the town of Champany-En-Vanoise on the slopes of the La Plagne Ski area, where they stay until Thursday. They will then travel to Geneva, Switzerland, to do some wine tasting and spend time with their friends Wolfgang and Kazuna.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
Chef Travis Will Prepare our new prix fixe Menu for us
Monday, January 9, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Join Ken, Chuck, and Merike as we discuss Ciders and Cider-Like products! Ken’s got fresh batches of Wild Blue and our Hermit Hard Cider about to be bottled, so we’ll discuss these products and how this particular vintage may differ from previous ones. Tune in live with your questions and comments (and something tasty in your glass!) at 5:30, or later on at your convenience.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
Chef Travis Will Prepare our new prix fixe Menu for us
Monday, January 2, 2023
5:30 to 6:30
Join us for our first cooking show of 2023 as Chef Travis prepares our new Prix Fixe Menu.
Course 1
Sweet Potato Crostini: Sweet potato slices with a bittersweet medley of cranberry-apple goat cheese, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh rosemar. Paired with: Heirloom Crabapple
Course 2
Shrimp: Sauteed in a buttery Lakehouse White wine sauce and dusted with tomme, a savory semi-soft cheese with nutty and citrus flavors, on a bed of braised kale. Paired with: Lake House White
Course 3
Short Rib Slider: Braised for 4 hours in our full-bodied Lake House Red and Red Scare wines, with caramelized onions and arugula on hearty ciabatta bread. Paired with: Red Scare
Course 4
Apple Crisp Pocket: A classic fall-season dessert cooked in a flaky pastry pocket and served with rich, vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel, finishing the night with a sweet and tangy bite
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
A Year in Review
Monday, December 26, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join us today as we reflect on a busy and eventful year at Hermit Woods. Bob, Ken, Merike, and Travis will be sharing some of the amazing things that have happened in 2022, including the expansion of our kitchen, the construction of a new patio, the launch of a music venue, and the presentation of 29 fantastic performances on our new stage. We would love for you to join the conversation and share any highlights from your experiences at Hermit Woods or any special moments from your own life. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with us and reminisce about the year gone by.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
Exploring our Library Wines
Monday, December 19, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Library wines are older vintages of wine that are stored in a winery’s “library” or collection. These wines are typically kept in optimal conditions, such as in a temperature-controlled cellar, to ensure they are well-preserved and continue to age gracefully.
Library wines are often sought after by collectors and connoisseurs because they have had more time to develop their flavors and complexities. In general, wines tend to improve with age, and library wines can offer a unique and often highly sought-after tasting experience.
Hermit Woods occasionally offers special releases of our library wines to give our club members the opportunity to try these older vintages. Join us this Monday to take a deep dive into our library and learn what we will be releasing into our Tasting room following the event.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine
Meet Chris Mega, Pianist, Sound Engineer, and Concert Manager
Monday, December 12, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
In 2021, Chris was one of the first performers to play our new concert grand piano in The Loft. Since then, he has become an integral part of the music team. In addition to continuing to entertain our guests regularly during our Friday and Saturday piano nights, he books all other pianists and warm-up artists for our Thursday Listening Room series; he is responsible for artist relations, stage setup, and equipment management, sound engineering. Chris also assists with marketing ideas and execution, along with creative direction for our new music venue. Finally, and most important, Chris had become a friend and proven himself to be invaluable to the success of The Loft.
When Chris is not performing at the winery or helping with The Loft, He is the Executive Director of the Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra. He also performs, teaches music, records concerts, and spends time with his family. Join us on this day to meet Chris and learn more about him and his many talents.
Monday, December 5, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
The Hermits are away at a Very Important Meeting this week, so instead of our usual live broadcast, we’re sharing a throwback from early 2021. In this episode, we dug deep into Petite Blue, our best-selling and award-winning blueberry wine. Give a watch, and feel free to comment with any questions, which we’ll answer later on. We’ll be back again with a new show next week. Cheers!
Introduction from the original video on Feb 7, 2021:
Join us as we dig deep on our Petite Blue. We will talk about and share several vintages of Petite Blue and Petite Blue Reserve going back as far as 2012. We will explore the differences between our canned Petite Blue and bottled if any. Our Petite Blue wine is our most famous wine, having been shared on the Today Show with Kathy Lee and Hoda, selected as the best craft beverage in New Hampshire by the editor, Ray Isle, at Food & Wine Magazine, and chosen as the one thing you should not miss when visiting NH in June of 2019 by Oprah Magazine.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
We present the release of our 2022 Heirloom Crabapple Cider!
Monday, November 28, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
We are excited to release our latest Heirloom Crabapple Cider vintage. This has become a crowd favorite at Hermit Woods. This cider is crafted from 100% local heirloom Dolgo crabapples and freshly pressed sweet cider. A tangy, slightly sweet, balanced, lively, and thirst-quenching cider of complex depth and bright apple aromas. Dolgo crabapples were initially imported to the US from Kazakhstan in the 1800s. They were used to add flavor to the cider crafted at that time. We, of course, have been using Dolog’s in many of our wines and ciders since before we opened in 2011. So join us as we sample this new cider among other wines and ciders crafted from this excellent fruit.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
We present our first Champagne Style Wine in the form of Cirque De Strawberry!
Monday, November 21, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
We are very excited to be releasing, for the first time, a carbonated wine in the style of Champagne, Cirque De Strawberry, a Strawberry Rhubarb Wine. We partnered with Flag Hill Winery, which has the equipment to bottle wine at the necessary pressure to achieve the same pressure and bubbles as Champagne. We are excited to, again, work with Deb Lucke for the design of our newest label. Join us as we talk about the evolution of this product and sample our new wine and other versions of our sparking wines as we prepare for one of our favorite holidays, Thanksgiving.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Join us for a tasting of some of the deepest darkest corners of our Library.
Monday, November 14, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join us in person or via YouTube or Facebook for this fascinating deep dive into some of our earliest wines. We will dig into the darkest corners of our library collection and sample some of the first wines we made as early as 2007. Join us in the Loft as our live audience, and you, too, will be able to sample these early wines. In the collection will be our first spiced mead, our first Kiwi Wine, our 2012 Melange, a bottle of Blue, and a Japanese Knot Weed wine. We expect some will be very drinkable, some, not so much. It will be a fascinating trip down memory lane, and we will learn a lot about our early beginnings, even before we even thought about opening a winery.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Virtual Tasting of the Fall Release Club Wines.
Monday, November 7, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
We are currently engaged in our semi-annual Wine Club Release. In this episode, we will sample the six wines in this Fall’s release. That will include the following: 2019 Lake House White, 2018 Elderberry Wine, 2018 Hermitage, 2021 Strawberry Rhubarb, 2021 Northern Berry Red, and 2020 Deep Blue. I hope you can join us and consider sampling along with us as we sample and discuss these vintages.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Celebrate Halloween with us as and meet our Trick or Treaters.
Monday, October 31, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Hermit Woods hosts hundreds of young children and their families every year as they trick or treat along Main St. Join us as we go live from our front deck, meet some of the families, and see the outstanding costumes on display.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
The Loft Listening Room
Monday, October 24, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
With our club release this week, we have included our latest Wine Club Book, which we use to both provide details about the wines in our club release and tell the ongoing story of our winery. Over the years, we have covered many topics, including how we got started, why we do what we do, how we make wine, etc. In this Fall 2022 Club Book, we write about how we came to open Music Venue. We will spend some time with you talking about what brought about the construction of the listening room, what it means to us, and what we hope it will become. I hope you can join us.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Wine made in partnership with Stoneface Brewing
Monday, October 17, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Several Months ago, Ken and the brewer from Stoneface Brewing swapped barrels to experiment with aging our wine in former Stoneface barrels, and Stoneface is crafting beer out of former Hermit Woods barrels.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Sampling our current ferments. Hermitage and Red Scare
Monday, October 10, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Merike, Ken, and Chuck sample both fresh ferments of our Hermitage and Red Scare side by side with our current vintages.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Live from Chuck’s family Camp on Lake Umbagog.
Monday, October 3, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Chuck, Ken, and I took a couple of days to visit Chuck’s family camp on Lake Umbagog. We shared our adventure with you.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Apple season and the wines that come with it.
Monday, September 26, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
It’s Apple Season! Join us this week as we explore Crabapples. We are mid-ferment of this year’s batch of fruit. We’ll talk about the various products we make and how we make them while we taste a few, of course!
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Suprise Broadcast from a surprise location.
Monday, September 19, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Ken, Bob, and Chuck will have a rare moment when we are all together and can take advantage of the time to get away for a few days together. We are on yet another adventure together, and we look forward to sharing it with you this Monday, the 18th. We are hoping Merike will be able to join us from the winery to keep us on track as she does so well. 🙂 Hope you can join us.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Discovering our Flight and a Bite and appreciation
Monday, September 5, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Discover the flight and a bite and learn about wine appreciation today. We discuss the various ways to appreciate your wine when tasting or discovering new wines. From color, clarity, and the legs and tears the form on the glass to the aroma, bouquet, and tasting of your wine. So what should you be looking for as you inspect and sample your wine? We also cover the basics of wine pairing as we try our mixed flight of Lakehouse White, Petite Blue, and Winnipesaukee Rosé with the small bits our Chef created to pair with the flight. All the ingredients were sourced from local farms and producers. I hope you enjoy our video. Cheers.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Local foods and local Menu with Chef Travis Greene
Monday, August 29, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Chef Travis Green will take us on a guided tour of some of the many wonderful ingredients that we source from farmers and producers all over New England. Merike, Travis, and Ken, with Bob joining from afar, will talk about these foods and how they enhance our menu and pair with our wines.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Exploring Sparkling Wine and Previewing our Soon to be Released Sparkling Strawberry Rhubarb
Monday, August 22, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
We will review our soon-to-be-released Sparkling Strawberry Rhubarb and discuss Hermit Woods’s experience with sparkling wines, their origins, and how they are made. The French long believed sparkling wine was a flaw before the early 17th century. What many people don’t know about sparkling wine is that it is believed to be first produced and appreciated by the British. The first commercially produced sparkling wine in France came from the Limoux, a commune in the Languedoc region of France. Dom Pérignon, often erroneously considered the inventor of Sparkling Wine, was originally charged by his superiors at the Abbey of Hautvillers to get rid of the bubbles as so many bottles were breaking as a result. This and much more. Hope you can join us.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Meet the Makers of Mo’Cheese, Meredith’s newest Cheese Company
Monday, August 15, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
We recently learned there is a new cheese maker in Meredith, maybe the only commercial cheese maker in Meredith. They recently contacted us to see if we would be interested in carrying their cheese. Well, we were so excited to hear from them that we decided to not only meet them ourselves but to introduce them to you. It is a husband and wife team, Kim and PJ Mohan, who make, sell, market, and deliver their cheese. Such is the life of small business owners. We look forward to meeting them, learning about their cheese, what motivated them to get into the cheese business, and, most importantly, sampling their cheese. We will be meeting them for the first time along with you. So join us with your questions and learn all about their new company. See you Monday.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Today we introduce four new wines and pair them with selections from our menu.
Monday, August 8, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
This week we are excited to introduce to you four new wines. Ken has been working on some of these wines for a long time; others just came together last year. We have always wanted to broaden our white wine selection at the winery, and we have finally done it. Some of these wines will compete for top billing; they are simply that good. Join us as we sample these wines and try them with some of our menu items from our eatery.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Live from the Palmer Motorsports Track
Monday, August 1, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Ken, Bob, and Chuck took a brief opportunity to step away from the winery for a couple of days to engage in another passion of theirs, which should not be comingled with wine, motorcycle riding. We visited the Palmer Motorsports Track in Palmer, MA, for a non-sportbike track day. They spent the day alternating between racing around a 2.5-mile track and learning how to be better riders in the classroom. For our live broadcast, we went live during the walk around the track on the day before race day to begin our learning.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
The evolution of Lake House White
Monday, July 25, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Learn the history of Hermit Woods’s popular Lake House White. From early experimentation (some not even named Lakehouse White), thru formula balance, into the current stage of refinement and barrel aging. Pulling from the library for examples of each stage in the progression, one of which has never been for sale. We will discuss sourcing materials as the batch size increases and gain a deeper understanding of how to harvest, ripen and ferment rosehips, a critical component of this dry white burgundy-like wine.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Meet Jennifer Kelley, Executive Director of the Lakes Region Children’s Auction
Monday, July 18, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction’s mission is to engage the community to financially support children in need with a vision to ensure that every child is empowered to succeed and positively impact a thriving Greater Lakes Region community. The organization has raised 7.3 million dollars for its cause since its founding in 1982. Hermit Woods has chosen to support this organization for several years now. We are excited to have their Executive Director, Jennifer Kelley, with us tonight to discuss an exciting new fundraising opportunity this August, An Evening of Broadway, and the many other things the organization is up to in the coming year. Jennifer has been the Executive Director for almost five years now and is really excited to be part of such a great organization providing support to so many amazing charities across the region.
I hope you can join us.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Red Scare Vertical Wine Tasting
Monday, July 11, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join winemaker Ken along with co-founders Bob and Chuck (and host Merike) for a Vertical Tasting of several vintages of our Red Scare. We will be broadcasting via Facebook and YouTube live, as well as welcoming a live audience to the winery. Please RSVP and let us know if you will be joining us in person.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
July 4th, Live from the Garden
Monday, July 4, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
On July 4th, we are excited to have Katie Dobbins performing live in the Garden from 4:00 to 7:00. Katie is the daughter of the former owner of 62 Main Street and has performed there many times on the 4th when her dad owned it. We are proud to be able to bring her back for this memorable holiday. So today, we will spend time in the Garden, starting with a brief chat with Katie during her break from playing. Then, we will enjoy Katie’s music and check in with our food trucks, Angry Hog BBQ, and Pours and Petals. Maybe we will enjoy a wine slushie while we are at it. Join us live on Facebook or YouTube, or if you are in the area, join us in the Garden.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Interview with Joe Bernier, Founder of Angry Hog BBQ
Monday, June 27, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
We are back in the Wine and Beer Garden today to interview Joe Bernier, Founder of Angry Hog BBQ. Join us to learn all about BBQ in the Garden at Hermit Woods.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Live from Boston
Monday, June 20, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Ken, Chuck, and Bob will be in Boston on a photoshoot with Steve Marsel. We are in the process of updating our brand and require some fresh photography. So we hired one of Boston’s best. We have no idea where we will be at 5:30, but we promise to go live from wherever it is. So join us for the surprise, and we will tell you about our experience. Thank you Aeronaut Brewing for hosting our show today.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
A fireside chat (without the fire)
Monday, June 13, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
With Ken just returning from a week in Italy and a busy summer approaching with lots of exciting changes at the winery, we thought we would keep it casual and let the conversation take us where it may. We will learn about Ken’s recent trip and talk about some of the recent shows we have as part of our listening room series and our recent comedy show. Bring your questions and join the conversation. Ken, Bob, and Merike will be live and we hope Chuck will join the audience.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
As summer approaches, we explore our Rosés
Monday, June 6, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
With Ken and Chuck off on travels across the globe this week, Merike and Bob, take the opportunity to explore Hermit Woods’s selection of Rosés. Heirloom Crabapple, Winnipesaukee Rosé, Strawberry Rhubarb, and lastly, one that some would argue is not a rosé, our Northern Berry Red (we think it was a nice addition to the lineup).
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Live from the Wine and Beer Garden
Monday, May 30, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
On Friday, May 27, we opened our Wine and Beer Garden at 62 Main Street, across Dover street from the winery. We will be open all summer and fall, consistent with the wineries’ hours with some minor variation. Join us live at 5:30 for $1.00 Slushies and watch the show in person. We will use this opportunity to talk about the new and exciting things happening this summer and beyond. I hope you can join us.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Today we will explore the wines of our two-bottle-a-month Club.
Monday, May 23, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Hermit Woods offers two wine clubs. Our standard Club features our most popular wines made available to our members in the Spring and Fall. Our two-bottle-a-month Club is for our more adventurous club members. We offer two bottles of our most unique or rare wines, meads, and ciders every month. We select these wines from our wine library, some will be limited releases, and others will be one-offs that Ken has made to learn about a new fruit or blend. We will explore wines that have already been shared and some that have yet to be released. I hope you enjoy.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Exploring our new collaboration with Stoneface Brewing
Monday, May 16, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Today we will sample the early results of our new collaboration with Stoneface Brewing. We recently swapped barrels with them to allow them to explore some new beers made in Hermit Woods barrels and us to explore some new wines aged in former Stoneface barrels. We are excited about this first-time experience for us. We also would like to invite you to join us in person as our live audience for this fun event. So you, too, can sample the new products right alongside us and participate in the show. If you can’t join us in person, please join us live on Facebook or YouTube.
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
The Hermits get together for the first time in weeks. Join us to catch up on their adventures.
Monday, May 8, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join us today as the three of us, who have not seen each other for several weeks, gather remotely from afar and talk about our travels and adventures. Bob is in Willmington, NC, Chuck at the Edge of the Ledge, and Ken is home. Merike will be monitoring from home and answering any questions you might have if we can’t get to them live. I hope you can join us. 🙂
The Hermits live; captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Chef Travis Greene releases his summer menu.
Monday, May 2, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join us as we sample Chef Travis Greene’s summer menu to be released this week. Ken and Merike will try all the new offerings and share their thoughts with you. Bob is traveling and was not able to join (although, he does make a brief appearance from the highway in GA).
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Wine Packaging, bottles, and their various shapes, cans, boxes, bags, tune in and learn all about it.
Monday, April 25, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Wineries have packaged their wines in many ways over the years. Today there are more ways than ever. Join us for a fun and educational discussion of wine packaging. We will explore the historical context of this subject and some of the many modern ways we package and sell wine. I hope you can join us.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Spring Club Release Wine Tasting
Monday, April 18, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join us this Monday as we sample through our Spring Club Release selections. Included in the release are 2021 Strawberry Rhubarb, 2019 Lake House Red, 2020 Winnipesaukee Rosé and Sparkling Rosé, 2020 Petite Blue, and Petite Blue Reserve. Whether you wish to sample along with us or simply learn about these fabulous wines, I hope you can join us for this event.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Building a wine cellar
Monday, April 11, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join us this Monday to learn about storing and aging wine. Have you ever thought about building a wine cellar? What are the pros and cons of cellaring your wines? What do you need to consider when choosing the best way to store your wines. How to choose the right wines to fill your cellar? What kind of investment do you need to make to begin cellaring wines? There are a lot of considerations. Join us as we attempt to break down the answers to these questions and help you make the right decisions.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Barrel-aged vs Stainless Steel
Monday, April 4, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join us this Monday to learn the difference between wines aged in barrel vs. wines aged in stainless steel. Barrels offer dozens of ways that winemakers can influence our wines’ finished taste and quality. I often refer to our barrel room as our winemaker’s spice cabinet. However, just like food, not all wine requires the spice cabinet to taste great. Thus many wines are aged solely in stainless. We will sample five wines aged in barrel and the same five wines that have never seen wood. This side-by-side comparison will help us understand and share the nuances between these different aging methods.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Recap of Eastern Winery Exposition
Monday, March 28, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
The Hermit Woods partners are back after a busy week at the Eastern Winery Exposition in Syracuse, NY. Join us as we share our experience attending talks and spending time with winemakers from across the Eastern US.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Interview with Phil Plummer at Montezuma Winery
Monday, March 21, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Phil has been making wine in New York’s Finger Lakes region for over a decade, spending the bulk of those years at Montezuma Winery, where he has served as head winemaker since 2013. In his time at Montezuma, Phil has taken a lead role in the development and production of a wide-ranging portfolio of wines made from grapes, fruit, and honey, and was instrumental in the launch of Montezuma’s sister wineries, Idol Ridge and Fossenvue.
Join Ken, Chuck, and Bob, with Merike joining remotely, for a conversation with Phil at Montezuma Winery in the Fingerlakes NY.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
A discussion of local farm and food providers.
Monday, March 14, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
This past weekend, Hermit Woods hosted its first Farm to Table Food Show. Several farmers, food producers, and vendors joined us in the loft for a wine tasting and sampling of some of their fine foods. Today we will share some of those special foods with you on the show. Also, Merike, Dani, Travis, and I attended the New England Made Show on Sunday and discovered some new products that might be coming our way soon. We will share some of those discoveries. I hope you can join us.
Wozz! Kitchen Creations
Jack’s Crackers
Winnipesaukee Chocolates
Picnic Rock Farm
Beans & Greens Farm
Hall Apiaries
Fortuna’s Sausage
Black River Produce
Springerle Emporium
Loon Chocolate
Farmers and Cooks
Blackwater Mustard
5 Generations Creamery
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
The Hermits visit with the owner, Chris Collias, of Beans and Greens Farm
Monday, March 7, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Beans & Greens has constantly sought to provide as much high-quality, locally produced food & fun as possible for over 30 years. Located on Sawyer’s Flats, or The Intervale, Beans & Greens makes its home on the old Rand & Smith Farm. In the late 90’s the team renovated the 200-year-old timber-framed barn, in addition to having Beans & Greens farmstand’s new home designated a historic landmark.
The Beans & Greens campus is also home to several other unique Timber Frame buildings, including the historic farmhouse and potting shed, the reclaimed and redesigned 1800’s rear of the main barn, and numerous other outbuildings. In the middle of the grounds is our pavilion, built by the Howe Family (led by timber framer Andy), from scratch, from their own forests.
Chris Collias, the owner and President of Beans and Greens Farm, purchased the farm stand in 2020. With more than 26 years as an entrepreneur, Chris draws from his leadership experiences and business insights to help companies achieve their true potential. He is adept at mergers and acquisitions, having founded, bought, and sold more than eight companies during his career, the largest being Progressive Gourmet Inc.
Chris founded Progressive Gourmet in 1992 with a pick-up truck and a dream. Through hard work, dedication, and continual management improvement Progressive Gourmet grew from one employee in 1992 to over 300 in 2016 with the company earning Inc. 500 honors in 2008 as the 63rd fastest-growing company in America. Progressive Gourmet was sold to a strategic investor in 2016.
Chris has helped numerous companies tackle leadership challenges and formulate sales strategies. He has been able to implement management systems that foster teamwork, improve corporate culture, and lead to cohesive growth strategies. Chris was a member of TAB (the Alternative Board) where he helped other CEO’s work through the unique challenges of their businesses.
Chris graduated from Babson College with a double major in Marketing and Economics. He also serves as a volunteer Coach in Babson College’s Coaching for Leadership and Teamwork Program. Chris is a certified Analyst in the Predictive Index® (PI®). Other training includes Cornerstones Management System, Baseline Selling, Sandler Sales Institute, and Mastering the Rockefeller Habits seminars.
He is very excited to be part of the Lakes Community and to grow the Beans and Greens legacy by focusing on family, farm, food, and fun!
When not working Chris enjoys cooking for his family and driving his son and daughter crazy with inspirational quotes. Additionally, he enjoys golfing with friends (not well) where he has been known to tell a joke or two.
We look forward to talking with Chris about his latest adventures and what he has in store for Beans and Greens Future.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
The Hermits visit Sap House Meadery and chat with the founders
Monday, February 28, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Matt and Ash, business partners and cousins, started Sap House Meadery on Christmas Day 2009 when a conversation began after dinner. They were discussing a building in the center of town and how it was up for sale. It wasn’t long into the conversation when it was suggested that they turn it into a meadery. Something so few people have ever even heard of. Well, the rest is history. Matt and Ash and amazing meadery in Downtown Ossippee and so much more along the way.
We look forward to meeting with them at the meadery and learning more about their journey and some of the exciting things that they have in store for the future. Matt and Ash are two of the most creative people I know and are always finding themselves on the cutting edge of many things. We look forward to sampling some of their latest products and sharing some of ours with them. I hope you can join us for what I know will be a fun and informative event.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Cooking Show with Guest Host and Club Members Mathew and Lynn Denette
Monday, February 21, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Exploring wine is one of Matt and his wife, Lynn’s, many adventures. Like the many other adventures that Matt and Lynn fill their lives with, “the trails not yet explored are the most interesting because we never know what’s around the next bend and who you are on the adventure with changes everything.” Matt and Lynn’s wine adventure is much like all their others, discovering what’s around the next bend and meeting new people.
Ken, Chuck, and I were happy that Matt and Lynn found us around the next bend. They have been visiting us and enjoying our wine for years now. Matt and Lynn have become more than just customers and club members. They have become dear friends and companions as we venture around the next bend together.
Matt and Lynn have become dedicated fans of our Monday night show. They have been following along exploring the many wine and food pairings along the way. When we did our first cooking show a few weeks ago, Matt and Lynn were at home following right along, adding their own ideas to everything we suggested.
Matt was inspired. He began exploring ideas of his own and sharing them with us, so we invited him to join us live and prepare some of his fun and exciting ideas and wine pairings with you.
For our show tonight, Matt acquired, directly from France, escargot. He will be spinning a few crepes crafted with a blueberry wine batter with apple-blueberry wine filling. He will create a beurre au melange with baguettes and sample Red Scare with foie gras and a few other French and exotic foods they have discovered in their experimenting. We will be paring Hermit Woods wine, primarily available in NH Liquor Stores and other wine shops.
We will be sampling Heirloom Crabapple, an award-winning medium sweetness, tangy wine. Petite Blue, a Burgundy-style dry blueberry wine with characteristics of pinot noir. Three Honey Gold – a light, intense, long-lasting, complex wine aged in French oak. Of course, Matt’s favorite, Red Scare – as Matt describes, “the most unique multi berry melomel imaginable,” made with blueberry, blackberry, raspberries, and honey.
Hope you can join us for this fun event. You can tune in on Facebook or YouTube.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Wine and Chocolate Tasting
Monday, February 14, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we will sample all of our dessert wines, including a library wine or two, with some of the many wonderful Chocolates that we have available at the winery from Winnipesaukee Chocolate and Loon Chocolate. If you would like to join us in our tasting, you can purchase our wines in the Tasting Room or online here.
Hope you can join us for this fun event. You can tune in on Facebook or YouTube.
DESSERT WINES
2017 Melange $36.95 (375 ml) Club Price $29.56
A big, bold melomel (fruit+honey wine) made from whole fruit and honey, including blueberries, elderberries, blackberries, Aronia berries, black raspberries, hyssop crabapples, peaches, and autumn berries. This sweet wine is a great dessert treat. A complex and engaging sipping wine. Drink 2020 – 2030
2017 Melange Blanc $49.95 (375 ml) Club Price $39.96)
A big complex dessert wine for sipping pleasure. Composed of a blend of all local ingredients (rhubarb, peach, quince, pear, crabapple, and autumn berry) resulting in a wine of great complexity and depth. Enjoy chilled on its own or with dessert. Drink 2017-2027.
2019 Deep Blue $19.95 (375 ml) Club Price $15.96
An after-dinner treat, this intense wine is full of complex blueberry aromas and flavors with deep tannins balanced with a delicate sweetness. Nearly a pound of wild, low bush blueberries is in each 375ml bottle. Drink 2019 – 2028+ Available in the NH State Liquor Stores.
2017 Deep Blue Reserve $39.95 (375 ml) Club Price $31.96
An after-dinner treat, this intense wine is full of complex blueberry aromas and flavors with deep tannins balanced with a delicate sweetness. Nearly a pound of wild, low bush blueberries is in each 375ml bottle. Aged in French Oak barrels for 20 months developing port-like depth and character. Drink 2019 – 2029+
2018 Deep Red $32.00 (375 ml) Club Price $25.60
An after-dinner treat, this intense wine is bursting with raspberry and honey aromas and flavors and soft tannins balanced with a delicate sweetness. Nearly a pound of pesticide-free raspberries along with locally sourced honey in every bottle. Enjoy chilled. Un-filtered. Drink 2017-2027.
2015 Passion Popper $29.95 (375 ml) Club Price $23.96
Whole, local, kiwi berries that are similar in flavor to common New Zealand/California kiwi. Over two pounds of these rich, organic fruit are in every bottle of this intense wine. Some complex aromatic notes are derived from a portion of this wine aging in a small French Oak barrel for 2.5 years. A treat for sipping with robust cheese or dark chocolate. Drink 2017-2027.
2018 Deep Honeyberry $29.95 (375 ml) Club Price $23.96
A cold-hardy fruit grown pesticide-free by Great Northern Berries in NH, these honeyberries are reminiscent of blueberries but with their own unique flavor. This wine is crafted as an intense complex sipping wine bursting with bright acidity and dark berry flavors.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Lakehouse Red Vertical Tasting
Monday, February 7, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
In honor of the February release of our Two Bottle a Month Club, we will be holding a vertical tasting of multiple years of our Lakehouse Red. In the past, we have found this wine to age very well over time. We will be releasing our 2015 Lakehouse Red to our Club Members. Tune in to learn more about this wine and its many vintages. If you would like to join in, you can purchase the current vintage of Lakehouse Red in the tasting room or online.
Hope you can join us for this fun event. You can tune in on Facebook or YouTube.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Live from Twin Barns Brewery
Monday, January 31, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join us as we interview Owner Bruce Walton and Brewer Randy Booth. We will be broadcasting live from the brewery floor. We look forward to learning more about the brewing process, sampling some of their current beers, and learning about what Randy has in store for the future. We also hope to learn about some of the exciting things coming to you this year from the Brewery.
We can’t wait to talk beer with the Twin Barns Team. We hope you can join us. You can tune in on Facebook or YouTube.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Live from Defiant Records and Craft Beer, Laconia, NH
Monday, January 24, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join us as we interview the Co-Owners, Kristin Bastille, and Mike Testa of Defiant Records. Inspired by the movie Empire Records, Kristin knew that she wanted to own her own record store and not just any record store. Mike Testa, an Insurance Agent by day and passionate fan of rock music and record buying by night, grew up on the movie High Fidelity. The two banded together to combine their two movies/generations, added their other love, beer, and came up with Defiant Records. In addition to craft beer and records, you can also find some creative food and live entertainment at their establishment. That’s all the three of us at Hermit Woods need to know to decide that we must meet Kristin and Mike and learn more about her creative adventure in Downtown Laconia.
We will be broadcasting live from Defiant Records and learning more about Kristine and her creative new business venture on Main St. in Downtown Laconia, right next to the newly remodeled Colonial Theater. We can’t wait to meet Kristin, sample the craft beers she has selected to offer, possibly try some of her food and hear her story. We hope you can join us.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Exploring new and exciting fruits and wines coming in 2022
Monday, January 17, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join us today as we explore several new wines that will be released for the first time in the coming year. Ken is very excited about the opportunity to work with some new fruit and combine some old ideas in different ways to bring you some new and exciting wines.
We will sample these wines directly from their barrels and fermenters in a partial state of completion. Please bring your questions and comments and join us for this lively discussion.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
Cooking Show: Cooking Mussels with Lake House White
Monday, January 10, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
This Monday, we will prepare Mussels with Lake House White wine live. Join us to learn how to prepare a classic french style mussel recipe using Lake House White wine. We will take the opportunity to talk about the importance of wine and food pairing, taste our Lake House White and take you through the step-by-step process of making this excellent recipe. You will have to bear with us; this will be our first cooking show. It should be good for a few laughs.
You can find the recipe here for those of you who wish to join in.
The Hermit’s live, captivating and impassioned stories of crafting and enjoying fine wine.
What’s on new for 2022!
Monday, January 24, 2022
5:30 to 6:30
Join us as we look to the future. Last week we did a retrospective on the year 2021, this week, we want to explore with you some of the exciting things we have planned for 2022. New Loft tastings, Garden, kitchen expansion, movie nights, special events, and who knows, Ken might just have some new wines up his sleeve. Bring your ideas and suggestions, we would love to know what you would like to see from us in 2022 and beyond. Also, share your ideas for future topics and destinations for our Monday Night Live show.
Click here to see our 2020 and 2021 showshttps://hermitwoods.com/2020-and-2021-facebook-and-youtube-live-broadcasts/