• Wine Week called off: New Hampshire Wine Week and the Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular, scheduled to happen next week, have been canceled due to the continuous rise in Covid-19 cases, the state Liquor Commission announced in a Jan. 12 statement. All ticket sales to the week’s events will be refunded and the NHLC said it is “working with all of our partners to minimize the impact of this decision.” The statement says that given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the future of the pandemic, New Hampshire Wine Week will not be rescheduled in 2022. “We look forward to seeing everyone in January 2023,” the statement reads. Visit nhwineweek.com to read the Liquor Commission’s full announcement.
• Fody’s winter festival to return: Get your tickets now before they’re gone to the second annual winter festival at Fody’s Tavern in Derry (187½ Rockingham Road) — the two-day event is scheduled to take place on Friday, Jan. 28, and Saturday, Jan. 29, beginning at 5 p.m. each day. Co-owner Maria Foden told the Hippo a variety of outdoor festivities are planned, from live local music each evening and an LED light show to vendor booths and pourings from several area breweries, like Great North Aleworks, Long Blue Cat Brewing Co., Rockingham Brewing Co. and others. Multiple ice bars and hot food stations are also expected, including a fire pit with make-your-own s’mores. Tickets are $15 per person (event is 21+ only) — search “Fody’s Tavern Winter Festival” on Eventbrite for more details.
• Brews and bites: Concord Craft Brewing Co. (117 Storrs St., Concord) is now serving food out of its newly expanded tasting room. Concord Craft Kitchen, which opened on Jan. 12, features a light menu of shareable items like honey garlic chicken tapas on naan bread, house-made hummus with pita chips, and spent grain beer pretzels served with a sweet mustard and a house Kapitol Kölsch cheese sauce. Also included are seasoned burgers, salads and smaller items for kids like pizzas and grilled cheeses. According to co-owner Dennis Molnar, the goal is to add stone oven flatbread pizzas to the menu by the brewery’s fifth anniversary celebration on Saturday, Jan. 22. Concord Craft Kitchen’s current hours are Wednesday through Friday, from 4 to 8:30 p.m., and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Molnar said — the brewery will remain open on Tuesday and Sunday for beer only. Follow them on Facebook @concordcraftbrewing.
• Uncle Joey’s opens in Merrimack: A new restaurant specializing in New York-style pizzas, pastas, fried chicken options, roast beef sandwiches and family-sized to-go dinners is now open in Merrimack. Uncle Joey’s held its grand opening Jan. 10, according to its website and social media pages — the eatery is at 733 Daniel Webster Hwy., the former spot of Spartan Pizza, which closed last fall. Uncle Joey’s is open Sunday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. According to its website, an online ordering platform is coming soon. Visit unclejoeysnh.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram or call 424-5693 to place an order.
At about 3:30 a.m. on a recent Sunday morning, my youngest daughter woke up with a fever. As we are in a global pandemic and we happened to have a couple rapid tests on hand, we tested her for Covid, and sure enough she came back positive.
The following day, my son developed what I will delicately call an “annoying” cough — he also tested positive. Later that evening, my wife noticed that I, too, had developed an annoying cough. I could feel her cringing every time I coughed, or grunted, as she said. Spoiler alert: I had it too.
Hard to call it anything other than an outbreak. My wife remained like a beacon of strength refusing to succumb but for the rest of us, we had to work through what ultimately felt like a pretty standard, fairly fast-moving, if annoying cold.
We know we’re fortunate to have had a mild experience with the illness, but I also know that it’s tough to be stuck in close quarters with the same people day after day after day. It was like we regressed to the early days of the pandemic when we never left the house.
I love my family dearly, but all that closeness begs for a beer or two — especially since whatever variant I ended up with took it easy on my taste buds. I know my wife needed something as she dealt with — and tried to avoid — all of us.
As the omicron variant seems to be running roughshod through masks and vaccines and social distancing, I suspect I’m not alone in finding myself back in quarantine, if not dealing with the actual illness, then certainly isolating due to a “close contact.” Here are three beers that I think just might help you through it. Stock up now.
From the brewery’s “Indulge Series,” this is just that, an indulgence, a wonderful indulgence. This is rich and creamy and silky and so, so smooth, bringing together the delicious flavor of peanut butter and chocolate. You’re thinking this is like a peanut butter cup in a glass and that’s about right. Savor this one at the end of a long day spent in your house, alone.
Line of Sight Triple IPA by Stoneface Brewing Co. (Newington)
When you’re in quarantine, you’ve got to amp up the alcohol content sometimes. While I haven’t tried this one, at 10 percent ABV this should do the trick when it comes to alcohol. It’s at the upper threshold with regard to alcohol content for what I consider drinkable when it comes to IPAs. The brewery says it features notes of “ripe melon and sweet lychee fruits.” (Lychee is a tropical fruit that has a strawberry-melon flavor, according to the Spruce Eats.)
Velvety Antlers Brown Ale by Granite Roots Brewing (Troy)
Brown ales are perfect anytime, so why not when you’re trying to grab a moment of relaxation in the middle of your isolation? This brew is nutty and flavorful in a balanced, drinkable package — as it should be.
What’s in My Fridge
Celebrator by Ayinger Privatbrauerei (Aying, Germany) My brother brought a six-pack of this fantastic brew to a family get-together on New Year’s Day and I’m personally quite thankful that he did. This “doppelbock” features a deep, dark, reddish pour — almost black, honestly — and a delicious maltiness. But don’t be fooled. This is not heavy at all. This couldn’t be more welcoming; I cannot imagine anyone not liking this. It has a touch of sweetness and maybe a touch of coffee flavor before you can embrace the incredible smoothness. I know “smooth” is an overused phrase when talking about beer and the like but it’s definitely the right fit here. Find this beer. Also, am I trying to butter up my brother with this description to make up for the fact that my daughter gave him Covid? No comment. Cheers!
Featured photo: Peanut Butter Imperial Stout by Mighty Squirrel Brewing Company. Courtesy photo.
We are now entering the doldrums of New England winter. There are an unknown number of cold and snowy days in our future. To remove some of the cold, I often like to warm my home with a pot of soup on the stove or a loaf of bread in the oven. Other times I like to make dishes that remind me of warmer days. These bites fall into the latter category.
Made with a plum slice base, these petite appetizers evoke memories of steamy summer days. As your mind travels to thoughts of warmer places, your palate will be enticed by the combination of flavors. Salty prosciutto tops silky cream cheese, both of which are placed upon a slightly tart and slightly sweet slice of plum. In fact all of the elements are so nicely balanced, you may consider eating more than your share!
In addition to being a few-ingredient, small-amount-of-time recipe, it is also low-maintenance. As opposed to many recipes, the thickness of the prosciutto is negotiable. If you have prosciutto that’s paper-thin, it will work. If your prosciutto is thicker than that, it will be fine also. For the cream cheese, whatever you have on hand is perfect. Light, whipped, tub, or bar — all are fine options. Finally, even the plums don’t have to be at the height of ripeness. That sprinkle of sugar and broiler time will help any plum that is underripe.
Let the “I’m pretending it isn’t winter” snacking begin!
Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Cut each prosciutto slice into four smaller rectangles. Place prosciutto rectangles in the heated frying pan, cooking each side for 30 seconds or until crispy. Transfer to a plate or cutting board. Preheat broiler on high. Cut the plums in half along the crease; remove and discard the pit. Cut each half of the plum in half, so that you have four round disks.* Sprinkle each slice with a pinch of sugar. Transfer plum slices to a broiler pan. Place broiler pan on a rack in the highest part of your oven, and cook until sugar melts. (This will take anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple minutes; keep a close eye.) Remove plum slices from broiler. Top each plum with a scant amount of cream cheese and a prosciutto rectangle, folded as needed. Can be served immediately or refrigerated for an hour or two prior to serving.
*If needed, refer to the image attached to this recipe. You want disks, not wedges, of plum for this recipe.
Photo: Plum & prosciutto bites. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler
Shepard Bassett of New Boston is the owner of Shepard’s Pie Baking Co. ([email protected], and on Facebook and Instagram @shepardspiebakingco), a homestead bakery specializing in cinnamon rolls, cookies, cupcakes, waffles and other items available to special order for any occasion. Originally from Hampton Falls, Bassett attended culinary school at the former McIntosh College in Dover before going on to work in a few Seacoast-area restaurants over a period of several years. She moved to New Boston with her family in 2016, also leaving the restaurant industry around then to pursue a career in finance. When the pandemic hit, Bassett had been on maternity leave — she turned to baking at first as a stress-reliever before eventually starting what became Shepard’s Pie Baking Co. in late 2020. Orders can be placed via email or social media for local pickup with at least a week’s advance notice.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
My go-to appliance is definitely my KitchenAid mixer. My husband just bought me a new one for Christmas. … Other than that, I always have a good pair of tongs.
What would you have for your last meal?
I think it would have to be tacos. I’d have a whole buffet of options for them.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
I love The Riverhouse Cafe in Milford. They have great breakfast.
What celebrity would you like to bake something for?
Mary Berry [formerly of The Great British Bake Off]. I think about her constantly when I bake and I’d love someday to be able to present her with something. Even if she didn’t like it, I know she’d have something nice to say.
What is your favorite thing that you’ve made for a client?
I did a Twin Peaks cake and it was probably the most fun thing that I’ve ever done. I ended up doing a whole forest of pine trees out of rosemary stalks.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
The farm-to-table movement. It’s something that has been around for a while but I feel like it’s only going to get more and more important. Using local suppliers is probably the most positive trend I’ve seen in cooking.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
I love making curry, because it is so versatile. I really like making some kind of delicious combination of a protein and veggies that you can put on rice or noodles.
Baba’s cherry pie From the kitchen of Shepard Bassett of Shepard’s Pie Baking Co.
2 frozen pie crusts, thawed 4 cups pitted cherries (frozen is fine) 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 1 egg, lightly beaten for egg wash
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roughly chop half of the cherries, leaving the other half whole. In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries and sugar. Cook over medium heat and stir occasionally, allowing the cherries to release their liquids. Add vinegar and extracts and continue cooking until liquid thickens slightly. Dust cherries with cornstarch and stir thoroughly. Remove cherries from heat. Press one pie crust into a pie pan and add cherry mixture. Top pie with second pie crust and cut vents into the crust so that steam can be released. Crimp edges with your fingers or with a fork, then use a pastry brush to apply egg wash. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then drop the oven temperature to 350 degrees without opening the oven door. Bake for another 20 minutes. Remove pie when crust is golden brown and shiny. Allow to cool to room temperature before slicing.
• Lighting the way: Join LaBelle Winery for a special Fire and Ice Weekend at its Derry location (14 Route 111) on Friday, Jan. 14, and Saturday, Jan. 15. Part of the inaugural LaBelle Lights outdoor light display on the winery’s golf course, the weekend will include live performances of fire dancing and ice stilt walking, in addition to bonfires, themed food at LaBelle Market, cocktail specials at Americus Restaurant, a fireworks display and more. Tickets are $15 to LaBelle Lights, which continues from 4:30 to 9 p.m. on select days now through Feb. 26 (no extra charge required to attend Fire and Ice Weekend festivities). Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras celebrations are also planned before LaBelle Lights closes for the season. Visit labellewinery.com/lights to view the full calendar schedule.
• Winter brews: Twin Barns Brewing Co. (194 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) is planning a Winterfest on Saturday, Jan. 15, beginning at noon out on its beer garden. Half pours and full pours of winter-style beer selections from several local breweries are expected to be available, including Post & Beam Brewing of Peterborough, Henniker Brewing Co., Kelsen Brewing Co. of Derry, Liars Bench Beer Co. of Portsmouth, Northwoods Brewing Co. and Vulgar Brewing Co. of Franklin. The Seacoast Pretzel Co. will also be there with fresh Bavarian-style soft pretzels. No reservations or tickets are required to attend. Visit twinbarnsbrewing.com.
• Coffee on wheels: The Weare Real Food Market (65 N. Stark Hwy., Weare) is getting a food truck that will be stationed in its parking lot, offering coffee, tea, assorted pastries and more. Weare’s My Coffee is expected to launch on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 8 a.m., and will likely have a regular schedule soon after. Matt Rivero of the Weare Real Food Market said the truck will operate as a “drive-thru” business for convenience, as the closest coffee drive-up is more than five miles away. The plan, he said, is to eventually add breakfast sandwiches and other items in the future. Since its opening last March, the Weare Real Food Market has offered local products like fresh veggies, breads, baked goods, honeys, gifts and other non-perishables and handcrafted items. Visit realfoodmarkets.com or follow them on Facebook @wearerealfoodfarmersmarket.
• Restaurant farewell: After a 20-year run, the Contoocook Covered Bridge Restaurant has closed its doors as its lease has come to an end, according to announcements on its website and Facebook page. The eatery was open for its final day of full service on Jan. 2, followed by a few days of limited menu items between Jan. 4 and Jan. 7 to sell out its remaining liquor, wine and beer. A new eatery called Reed’s Tavern is expected to take over the 16 Cedar St. space in Contoocook Village by this summer — it’s named after the original iteration of the building, which was known as Reed’s Drug Store at the turn of the 20th century. Visit reedsnh.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @reedstavernnh for updates.
After this week’s cover went to press, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission canceled 2022’s Wine Week events. Looks like we’ll have to wait another full year for “return of the big pour.” In the meantime, the cover story features interviews from wine makers (whose bottles you can find in the state) and information about Mocktail Month.
Explore new wines and meet the makers at NH’s Wine Week & raise a glass to mocktail month.
From the vineyards of Napa Valley to multiple growing regions across Europe, dozens of internationally known winemakers brave the Granite State’s cold January weather for a celebratory week of tastings, seminars and special dinners at local restaurants. New Hampshire Wine Week is back — and after the pandemic forced its transition to a series of virtual tastings in 2021, anticipation is high for in-person events to return for the first time in two years.
Taking place from Monday, Jan. 24, through Friday, Jan. 28, New Hampshire Wine Week has always revolved around the Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular. The expo-style wine tasting features thousands of wines to taste from around the world — usually poured and handed out by the winemakers themselves — in addition to locally prepared food options for pairing.
“Our broker community, our winemakers and our customers are really excited that we were able to bring it back,” said Lorrie Piper, director of sales, marketing, merchandising and distribution for the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. “I do feel like winemakers really understand the importance of New Hampshire as a market and they know their customers. … One thing I’ve learned is that our customers are hungry for information. They want to know where the products are coming from and to educate themselves about the different brands.”
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission experienced a robust holiday sales period and, despite ongoing supply chain issues that have impacted retailers nationwide, Piper said current inventory levels across the state’s nearly 70 Liquor & Wine Outlet stores remain strong.
“Fortunately, New Hampshire is in a better position than most other states, thanks to our ordering practices, inventory requirements and capacity in our million-plus-case warehouse,” she said.
A spectacle of wines
New Hampshire Wine Week’s main highlight, the Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular, returns for its 18th year to the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown on Thursday, Jan. 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. Since its inception, the Spectacular has become known as one of the largest wine tasting events in the country, with around 1,700 products from regions all over the world.
Attendees are given a program upon entry, which includes a floor map of each food and beverage purveyor to navigate through the tasting. It offers a unique opportunity to meet with winemakers face to face, and to learn more or ask questions about each of their products.
“Every year, we try to be on top of the trends [and] of what customers are looking for,” Piper said of the Spectacular’s planning and logistics. “We find that the millennial consumer, especially, [is] willing to spend a bit more on higher quality and high-end wines. Those typically come from Italy and France and are also made domestically. … We’re also seeing that people are looking for wines that fall into the ‘better for you’ category, so lower sugar and lower-calorie products. We tend to see the majority of those coming from the United States.”
Visitors to this year’s Spectacular hail from all over the West Coast, including several in California’s Napa and Sonoma counties, as well European nations like France, Italy, Spain and Austria. New Hampshire winemakers also join in on the fun with offerings of their own.
You likely won’t get to stop by every single table in the main Grand Tasting room — to get the most out of the event, Piper recommends planning your visit to include tables you know may be pouring your favorite wine styles, or your favorite grape varietals or growing regions.
In addition to the thousands of wines, the Spectacular features all kinds of silent auction items, a raffle, and dozens of food samples served by local chefs on site. The Common Man, LaBelle Winery, Rig A Tony’s, the Nashua Country Club, Red Beard’s Kitchen of Manchester, Tuscan Kitchen of Salem, the 110 Grill and Flat Iron Catering are all among this year’s participants.
“It’s really just small bites they’ll be serving. It kind of rounds out the event and gives people a chance to try pairing a wine with a food,” Piper said. “These are chefs that are obviously very skilled in creating different flavor profiles, and so it’s an opportunity to discover something that goes great with a cabernet, or goes great with a Bordeaux or a pinot grigio.”
More than $2.5 million from the Spectacular has gone to Easterseals New Hampshire. According to Easterseals senior director of events Christine Pederson, proceeds directly benefit its early intervention program, which provides physical therapy, speech and language pathology and other services to children ages 3 and under.
Wining and dining
Beyond the signature Spectacular, Piper estimates there will likely be more than 40 additional events across the Granite State during Wine Week. The multi-course wine dinners, also returning on a similar scale for the first time since January 2020, are often attended by the winemakers.
“It’s typically an intimate setting … where you get to meet them, and they’ll walk you through the specially prepared menu and serve one of their wines with each course,” Piper said. “They talk to you a little bit about the history, and the notes that you’ll detect in the wine and all that.”
Winemakers and brand ambassadors also hold bottle signings and wine tastings at various Liquor & Wine Outlet stores — most of them run for two hours and are free to walk-in visitors.
A continuously updated list of each bottle signing and wine dinner, complete with details on each wine that will be poured, can be found at nhwineweek.com under the “featured events” tab.
Meet the winemaker: Joseph Carr
Founder and winemaker, Joseph Carr Wines and Josh Cellars, joshcellars.com
Joseph Carr
The son of a lumberjack and a stock car racer from Vermont, Joseph Carr launched his first wine brand in 2002, a premium cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley. He started Josh Cellars a few years later as a tribute to his father, whose nickname was Josh — that brand originated from a collaboration with Sonoma winemaker Tom Larson. At the insistence of his wife, Deirdre, Carr added chardonnay to the Josh Cellars portfolio and over the years also added merlot, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, rosé and a collection of reserve wines. In 2021 Josh Cellars was named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine.
What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?
We actually pour quite a few of our wines — I want to say six, maybe seven different varietals of the Josh Cellars brand. We’re also going to be doing a four-course wine dinner in Nashua [at Bistro 603].
What makes your wines unique?
When Josh Cellars was born, Tom [Larson] was encouraging me to make wine outside of Napa Valley, and he showed me vineyards in Sonoma and in the Red Hills. … I learned that while Napa Valley was where we actually produced everything, the grapes were coming from all these other small boutique growers. … We made cabernet sauvignon the first year, because that was all we could afford to make. Now, all in all, we have 11 varietals that are nationally distributed. We produced an Italian prosecco from the Veneto region with [winemaker] Daniel Posey and his son that was one of the first prosecco rosés ever produced in Italy. We’ve also raised money and done special labels for the National Volunteer Fire Council and for Operation Gratitude, which is a foundation created by a retired marine that writes letters and sends care packages to servicemen and women overseas.
What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?
The wine business is always evolving, particularly in America. … The great thing about America is that people, especially of the generations of today, have a very open mind … and when you come to events like this one, you’re going to have a chance to taste lots of different things from lots of different producers and styles. It also gives us an opportunity to show our innovation. So for example, a couple of years ago we started making wine in Pasa Robles, California, which we had never done before. The wines coming out of there used to be high in alcohol and I wasn’t really a big fan of them. But we realized we could pick the grapes a little earlier and still get the ripeness that we want to produce a very approachable cabernet sauvignon.
What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?
I look at New Hampshire as another part of my home. I lived in New England for over 20 years and I’ve spent a lot of time up there, so coming back is going to be a lot of fun. I know that I’m going to get the chance to reconnect with some people that believed in me along the way.
Meet the winemaker: Brian Ferguson
Owner and head distiller, Flag Hill Distillery & Winery, flaghill.com
Brian Ferguson
Totaling 14 acres in the town of Lee, Flag Hill is one the largest vineyards in the Granite State. Originally on the site of a dairy farm, Flag Hill began as a winery with its first harvest in 1990, growing over the last couple of decades into a family-operated vineyard, distillery and popular wedding and event venue. Owner and distiller Brian Ferguson and his wife, Maddie, use the land to produce grapes for the winery, grain for the distillery and vegetables for its events. Ferguson is a graduate of Penn State University; he took over as head distiller in 2013 and acquired the business two years later.
What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?
We’ll be pouring our sparkling Cayuga and our Cayuga white wines. Those use grapes that we grow here on the farm. We get really excited about showing off the wines that we do really well, and those two definitely fall into that category.
What makes your wines unique?
Our sparkling Cayuga and our Cayuga white … make what I believe is a perfect example of what can be done really well here in New England. We have the absolute perfect climate for growing white grapes to make intensely aromatic white wines. Everything about where we are here is perfectly attuned to it, [from] the climate, to the temperatures at harvest being colder and the amount of growing degree days that we get so that we don’t have super overly ripe fruit. We have perfectly ripe fruit for making aromatic whites and slightly underripe fruit for when we want to make sparkling wines. … We have another grape called La Crescent, which is probably my favorite one that we grow here on the farm. It’s really beautiful and aromatic but has a lot of acidity. We do everything we can to manage the acidity during the winemaking process, and we blend it with a little bit of the Cayuga white grape, which has a little bit lower acid, and it makes this incredibly beautiful aromatic white wine.
What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?
There is a shift in general to healthy living, and I think the pandemic has brought this out even more. People are asking themselves, ‘How do I live healthier?,’ and so they’re starting to ask more questions about whether there is a lot of sugar in this wine, or what additives may be in the wine. Sulfites have always been a question, but we’re starting to see more of those questions. … People want to know more about the agricultural practices in winemaking. There’s definitely been an uptick in that.
What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?
The Wine Spectacular itself is just an incredible event, because there are so many people that have the same affinity for the things that we love. … It’s great for our staff who go, because we actually get a lot out of the event. For me, personally, I run into winemakers from other parts of the country who I otherwise don’t get a chance to talk to, and I’m able to bounce thoughts and ideas off them. … So it’s a great way to not only see a lot of great wines but also talk to a bunch of people who you normally wouldn’t have access to. If you’re a wine lover, it really is an incredible opportunity.
Meet the winemaker: David Phillips
Co-owner and president, Michael David Winery, michaeldavidwinery.com
David Phillips
David Phillips and his older brother Michael are fifth-generation wine grape growers and natives of Lodi, a city about 40 miles south of Sacramento in California’s Central Valley. After graduating from the University of California at Davis in 1987, Phillips embarked on a worldwide tour of wine across multiple regions of Europe, South Australia and New Zealand. He then went on to work for an international cork company in San Francisco before returning to Lodi to help his brother run the family business in 1989. Michael David Winery’s lineup of products includes selections of zinfandels, cabernets and petite sirah wines under multiple labels, like Freakshow, Earthquake, Inkblot, Rapture and many more.
What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?
I know for sure that I want to do our Inkblot petite sirah. That’s a dynamite wine for a cold winter night, because it’s so dark and deep. We’ll be featuring our Freakshow labels too — we have three different varieties that we do under the Freakshow label, which are a cabernet, a zinfandel and a red blend. We also have a new listing called Lodi Red, and that’s a heritage blend of old grapes that go back to the days of Prohibition, when our great-grandparents were shipping grapes from all over the country. … Those vines are still thriving today, because our soils here are so deep and sandy.
What makes your wines unique?
We’re in a special location here in Lodi because of the San Francisco Bay influence. We have a micro-climate that’s very different from the rest of the Central Valley. We’ll get these warm or hot days in the summer, but then at night the sea breeze comes in and cools us off. The grapes, and the vineyards in general, just love that. Lodi has more than 100,000 acres of grapes planted here. It is by far the largest wine growing region in North America. … We’re most famous for zinfandel, because we have more old vines here than any other place in the world. [We have] vines that are anywhere from 80 to 135 years old that we’re still picking grapes from.
What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?
I think people are learning to step up a little bit and go for those higher quality levels and try new things. … Crazy labels, actually, have also really caught on. You can only sell a wine for the label one time, but if you back it up with good juice in there, hopefully people will buy it over and over again. That’s kind of been the key to our success with these brands.
What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?
We enjoy coming out there and we just love New England in general. … One of the nice things about coming out and doing these shows is you make a connection with people and you feel like they’re part of the family when they support your product.
New Hampshire Wine Week 2022 Monday, Jan. 24, through Friday, Jan. 28. Visit nhwineweek.com for the most up-to-date information and upcoming events Be sure to contact each restaurant or liquor store outlet directly for the most up-to-date details on bottle signings and wine dinners.
18th annual Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular When: Thursday, Jan. 27, 6 to 9 p.m. Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St., Manchester Cost: $65 for the Grand Tasting in the expo room (purchase them online; tickets to the Bellman’s Cellar Select VIP tasting room are sold out) Visit: easterseals.com/nh
New Hampshire Mocktail Month
Even if you’re not a wine drinker, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission is inviting you to participate in another promotional campaign — the second annual New Hampshire Mocktail Month, which is also observed in January. The NHLC has partnered with Old Forester Bourbon and The Mocktail Project, a grassroots movement launched in 2017 by Jesse Hawkins as an initiative to promote responsible consumption and a stigma-free drinking culture.
On Thursday, Jan. 13, at 5 p.m., Hawkins, along with Old Forester master taster Jackie Zykan, will lead a free virtual event via Zoom demonstrating unique mocktail and cocktail ideas. The discussion will also stream live on the NHLC’s Facebook page.
All throughout January, nearly 30 Granite State eateries have added specialty alcohol-free mocktails to their menus. The NHLC also recently launched an online recipe guide detailing ingredients, garnishes and tips for how to replicate each mocktail at home.
“The way the recipe book is laid out, each page has a recipe for a mocktail and it tells you where you can order it and where it was created,” NHLC director of sales, marketing, merchandising and distribution Lorrie Piper said. “If you were making it at home and you wanted to turn it into a cocktail by adding alcohol, it tells you how to do that too.”
The NHLC is inviting those who visit any of the participating restaurants to share their experiences on social media, by posting pictures with the hashtag #nhmocktailmonth.
Here are a couple of mocktail examples featured in the recipe guide. The full list can be viewed and downloaded at liquorandwineoutlets.com/responsibility.
Jingle juice
From behind the bar at Tandy’s Pub & Grille, 1 Eagle Square, Concord, 856-7614, tandyspub.com
2 ounces orange juice
2 ounces pineapple juice
Splash cranberry juice
Top with Sprite, serve on the rocks and garnish with an orange, cherry and a lime
Forester smorester mocktail
From behind the bar at Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua, 888-3000, skymeadow.com
2 ounces guava juice
1½ ounces pear juice
1 ounce authentic homemade sour mix
½ ounce cherry juice
Pour over ice in a shaker. Serve straight up or on the rocks. Garnish with an orange and cherry.
Vanilla ginger sparkler
From behind the bar at The Common Man (locations in Concord, Merrimack, Windham, Claremont, Ashland and Lincoln)
½ ounce vanilla syrup
1 ounce cranberry juice
½ ounce lime juice
2 ounces house sour mix
2 ounces ginger ale
Bottle Signings & Wine Tastings
Winter Wine Spectacular. Photo by Timothy Courtemanche
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 69, 25 Coliseum Ave., Nashua. Call 882-4670.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• BODEGAS LAN Lorea Amatria, brand manager for Bodegas LAN, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.
• BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• HARKEN WINES Adam Popp, winemaker for Harken Wines, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 49, 32 Plaistow Road, Plaistow. Call 382-8511.
• RABBLE WINE CO. Loren Miller, winemaker for Rabble Wine Co., will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 2 to 4 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 41, Southgate Plaza, 380 Lafayette Road, Seabrook. Call 474-3362.
• FERRARI-CARANO VINEYARDS & WINERY Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 2 to 4 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• JUSTIN VINEYARDS & WINERY Justin Baldwin, founder of Justin Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• BODEGAS LAN Lorea Amatria, brand manager for Bodegas LAN, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.
• RABBLE WINE CO. Loren Miller, winemaker for Rabble Wine Co., will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 79, 5 Brickyard Square, Epping. Call 679-1799.
• MONSIEUR TOUTON SELECTION Andrea Lucignani, Italian wholesale portfolio manager for Monsieur Touton Selection, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 49, 32 Plaistow Road, Plaistow. Call 382-8511.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 5 to 7 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• WINES FROM CALIFORNIA Winemaker Adam LaZarre of Wine Hooligans will be hosting this event, giving participants the opportunity to learn first hand about California wines. Products to be featured include selections from Adler Fels and Cycles Gladiator. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 7 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. $12; tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite. Call 888-0271.
• BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 1 to 3 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• FERRARI-CARANO VINEYARDS & WINERY Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 1 to 3 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 34, 92 Cluff Crossing Road, Salem. Call 898-5243.
• KLINKER BRICK WINERY Steve and Lori Felton, owners of Klinker Brick Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
Wine Dinners
• SHARE A SPLASH WINE DINNER Yoav Gilat, founder and CEO of Share a Splash Wine Co., will be in attendance. Tues., Jan. 25, 6 to 8 p.m. Copper Door Restaurant, 41 S. Broadway, Salem. $95. Visit copperdoor.com or call 458-2033.
• BANFI WINE DINNER Dino Altomare of Banfi Vintners will be in attendance during this five-course wine dinner. Tues., Jan. 25, 6 p.m. Tuscan Kitchen, 67 Main St., Salem. $120. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 952-4875.
• SERGE DORÉ SELECTIONS WINE DINNER Serge Doré, founder of Serge Doré Selections, will be in attendance during this multi-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua. $125. Visit skymeadow.com or call 888-9000.
• SPIRE COLLECTION WINE DINNER Tom Gannon, Northeast regional manager for the Spire Collection, will be in attendance. The dinner will include a five-course menu with wine pairings. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 9 p.m. CR’s The Restaurant, 87 Exeter Road, Hampton. $95. Visit crstherestaurant.com or call 929-7972.
• CECCHI FAMILY ESTATES WINE DINNER Andrea Cecchi, CEO of Cecchi Family Estates, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tuscan Kitchen, 67 Main St., Salem. $95. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 952-4875.
• FERRARI-CARANO WINE DINNER Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tinos Kitchen + Bar, 325 Lafayette Road, Hampton. $95. Visit tinosnh.com or call 926-5489.
• CASTELLO DI QUERCETO WINE DINNER Marco Fizaletti of Castello di Querceto will be in attendance during this five-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tuscan Market at Tuscan Village, 9 Via Toscana, Salem. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 912-5467.
• SOKOL BLOSSER WINE DINNER Allison Sokol Blosser, co-president, CEO and second-generation winegrower at Sokol Blosser Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 8 p.m. Copper Door Restaurant, 15 Leavy Drive, Bedford. $95. Visit copperdoor.com or call 488-2677.
• HESS COLLECTION WINE DINNER Dave Guffy, senior vice president of winemaking and viticulture for The Hess Collection, will be in attendance during this five-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26; the event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the dinner at 6:30 p.m. The Common Man, 88 Range Road, Windham. $95. Visit thecman.com or call 898-0088.
• FRESCOBALDI WINE DINNER Mike Miller of Marchesi De Frescobaldi will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Toscana Italian Chophouse & Wine Bar, 3 Pleasant St., Portsmouth. $125. Visit toscanachophouse.com or call 570-3600.
• JOSH CELLARS & JOSEPH CARR WINES DINNER This special four-course meal will feature wine pairings from Joseph Carr Wines and Josh Cellars. Wed., Jan. 26; the event will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the dinner at 7 p.m. Bistro 603, 345 Amherst St., Nashua. $95. Visit bistro603nashua.com or 722-6362.
• KLINKER BRICK WINERY DINNER Julie Handel, Northeast regional manager for Klinker Brick Winery, will be in attendance. Following the reception, guests are invited to partake in a specially curated wine and food pairing menu by chef Corey Fletcher. A la carte options will also be available. Wed., Jan. 26, 5:30 p.m. Revival Kitchen & Bar, 11 Depot St., Concord. Price and menu info TBA. Visit revivalkitchennh.com or call 715-5723.
• J. LOHR VINEYARDS & WINES DINNER Cynthia Lohr, co-owner and chief brand officer for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Greenleaf, 54 Nashua St., Milford. $125. Visit greenleafmilford.com or call 213-5447.
• MICHAEL DAVID WINERY DINNER David Phillips, co-owner and president of Michael David Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. O Steaks & Seafood, 62 Doris Ray Court, Laconia. $75. Visit osteaksandseafood.com or call 856-7925.
Featured photo: Winter Wine Spectacular. Photo by John Hession
