Check in on yelp to get a discount off your bill! Our group of 5 arrived on a sunny Saturday to a bustling tasting and retail space. Inside we found a large bar, a gourmet deli, books, treats, and gifts. I recommend stopping into this spot even if you don't consider yourself a wine drinker. The winery offers two choices for tastings - a cheaper version where the wine is pre-selected and a more expensive version where you can choose from a larger list of wine. For the next hour (yes, an hour!) we were treated to an overview of the winery, their dedication to sustainability, history of each vintage, and fun facts. Our hostess was Jen and she is the bomb! Out of 6 wines that I tasted only two (2!) were made from grapes. You must be thinking - then they all must be gross and sweet. Nope. Not true. The wines made from fruit had balance and very good flavor. I definitely recommend making your way into this space to spend time trying out some non-traditional wines. The winery has a great spot outside with a high top table where you can enjoy some of the delicious treats (but not wine) that they sell inside. read more

So for starters, to call this a "winery" is somewhat a misnomer as you will not find a single product made of grapes at Hermit Woods. A "Meadery" is significantly more accurate as most of their products are meads or plays on meads. However that being said none of it is particularly noteworthy. Beyond the issue if terms, I have several complaints: 1) $5 to $7 for a tasting is obscene considering this a is a fairly new business to the "wine" business. Yes, you do get to keep the glass, but honestly I'd rather they keep the glass and I get to keep my money. 2) Everything and I mean EVERYTHING is DRY as in D-R-Y dry. In general that is fine, but would it kill you to have a little variety? 3) Wine and those who make / sell it are, in general, pretentious. If you go to wineries on a regular basis you expect some of this and learn to discount it. That being said one of our servers, a grey-haired bearded man was the most PRETENTIOUS hipster I haver ever met in all my years tasting wine. Honestly you should keep him off the tasting line as he spent more time explaining the "wine" than pouring. My wife and I were a group of 2 and he outright ignores us after pouring our first of six glasses. Instead he explained about 6 times what the difference was between "kiwis" and "kiwi berries" to the group beside us. Thankfully there was a really nice black haired woman who helped us finish out our flights. So word of advice to the owners: fire the pretentious jerk, and give a raise to the nice black haired female server. 4) the woman who was at the counter felt like she was severely overwhelmed. It took about 15 minutes for her to ring out a single customer group. However, I think that she just needs some more time to get used to their hipster iPad system. 5) the amount of paper used to wrap individual glasses and the wine and then the bag they put them in is excessive. So with all that being said, let me offer one tip: buy the heirloom crabapple and skip the tasting. It's the only good "wine" Hermit Woods has and the tasting is too expensive to find this out. read more

My girlfriend and I stopped by here for a tour and tasting and we loved it! We did the tour with one of the owners, Bob. He was very friendly and helped us find more fun things to do in the area too! The wine was great, the staff was very pleasant, overall an awesome time! Highly recommend it. read more

This winery is great! I was visiting NH for a friends wedding and we went on a tour of the winery for her bachelorette party. First, the important stuff- This wine is unique and absolutely delicious. Unlike most small wineries, which seem to focus on producing very sweet wines, this winery has a big French influence, and uses local fruits to produce dry, crisp, flavorful wines and meads. I paid $20 for the tour/tasting. I got to sample 6 wines for that much, plus one downstairs whilst on the tour, and two bonus wines they threw in. They also wrapped up the glass used for the tasting and let us all take them home as souvenirs. All of the wines were tasty, the staff was classy, interesting, welcoming and entertaining. We bought three bottles, the house red, blueberry mead, and apple wine (15.3% alcohol content!!!) If you live in the area, or are just passing through- go out of your way and hit this place up. They're doing something very cool, and I won't be surprised at all if they're a very big name someday. read more

So - on our wonderful trip to Gilford NH and our stay at the Fireside Inn and Suites, we took time to visit the Hermit Woods Winery, a short drive of about 15 mins in Laconia. A very enjoyable experience! It was Labor Day weekend and we arrived the day before - a Sunday/ for the noon tour. They generally do tours of the winery each hour, followed by a generous tasting of your choice of 6 of their wines, along with a souvenir wine glass. The tour was interesting and informative, given by one of the founders and owners. The tastings were fun - we all had our preferences - hubby and I purchased 3 of the bottles we had sampled. The winery offers a mini deli, where you can purchase a light meal and eat outside on their umbrella covered deck. Very nice! We enjoyed a charcuterie plate of cheeses and meats, along w another glass of wine, and hubby's beer. The owners -and their spouses- were so helpful and knowledgeable about their products. Truly a delightful several hours! read more

We have been going to Hermit Woods Winery for the past few years and always keep our house stocked with their wine. It was only right that we had the welcome party for our wedding at Hermit Woods. We met with Bob several times before the party and he was extremely easygoing. We were very pleased with the entire event and the staff at Hermit Woods. We would highly recommend stopping in for a tasting or even having an event there. read more

Super! First word that comes to mind. Three of us had the $7 tasting which includes a glass of six samples. They are so happy at this place and their dog is friendly, too. Very attentive and you can tell they are proud of what they have to offer. We bought several bottles and a few gifts for friends. read more

Nice variety of wines you typically won't find in the local liquor store. Tried eight different kinds, ranging from kiwi to elderberry. You must try the honey wine. read more

This is a great place to visit when in Meredith, NH. They work magic with low bush blueberries and other local produce. Be sure to try their Petite Blue Reserve. Staff are friendly and very knowledgeable. read more

My wife and I finally went to this out-of-the-way-nestled-in-Central-NH winery last Summer and were amazed at how trendy it was. As we sat at the bar, we were educated on the wine making process by Ken, and learned from Bob & Jerilyn, what it has taken to get this dream-come-true - a reality! We loved, loved, loved, the Blueberry and Crab Apple wines we tested and ultimately purchased. We have also been in contact with Bob with requests to purchase wines for friends we left there in NH, as gifts for the holidays. I would highly recommend a visit to Hermit Woods to anyone traveling through the area! Can't wait for next season! Great job guys! read more

My husband and i cant get enough of the hermit woods winery! We have been to 4 or 5 of the wine tastings and each time we have found the winery to provide a wonderful atmosphere with great people and delicious wine to taste. My husband never drank wine before we went there and he only went because i wanted to try it, now he drinks wine all the time. It has been a great experience spending time at the winery and we couldn't have been happier with the friendliness of the staff and the knowledge they had to offer about their wines, it is nice to see people so passionate about what they do. Cant wait for next season, thanks for some great summer memories Hermit Woods Crew!!! read more

First off I was super excited that this place is dog friendly, as long as your dog is nice. I happened to walk by it while visiting the cute town of Meredith with my aunt and decided to stop in. The people who work their are very friendly and welcoming. I was able to taste 6 wines and got to keep the glass for $5! They made my first wine tasting experience amazing! Their wines are all very flavorful and unique. Definitely something for everyone. read more

Hermit Woods is a required pitstop if visiting Meredith. It's as much an enlightening experience as it is a lovely place to grab a tasty sandwich with a local craft beer or one of their fine wines. These guys have single-handedly elevated the cultural climate in Meredith, offering a great experience for neophytes and experts alike. The staff is always friendly, and the owners are accessible and clearly dedicated to providing nothing shy of a delightful experience. Prices are fair; the atmosphere clean and interesting; and, the selection of accessories and gifts well curated. Bravo guys and thanks for investing in Meredith. read more

We found this place through Groupon. It was wonderful. The staff was very welcoming and walked us through all our samples. I did not realize that they had fruit wines until the last minute, and they are not usually my thing but they were really good. We ended up buying 2 bottles but regretted not buying more after we left. Bought the Crab apple and the strawberry rubarb. read more

Great place! Our group really enjoyed our experience. Will try and go again next year!

My favorite wine from my visit was a delicious blueberry wine called "Petite Blue Reserve". The beautifully set winery was a pleasure to visit, it reminded me of some of the nicest Sonoma Wineries I had been to. The tasting room overlooks the lush New Hampshire country hillside and Ken Hardcastle, the Vintner staffs the room and discussed the delicious Hermit Woods Winery wines with me (I believe he is there generally every day they are open). While they make delicious traditional wines, my favorites are some of the non-traditional wines made from fresh local New Hampshire fruit. It's a special place, I'm planning on going back for a weekend visit to enjoy the fall foliage and some delicious wine! read more

Came here on a rainy day in the lake area. Walked in and saw the dreaded bridal party taking up most of the bar area. We patiently stood behind a few people waiting for a space for a tasting. A woman came right over to help us, moved some items off the end of the bar and accommodated us immediately. We had a great tasting with some very unusual wines, which I don't usually like, but they were really great! The staff was very knowledgeable about the wines and a fun group. They have the typical winery things for sale, but as an added bonus they have a deli in the back! The place was very clean plenty of staff to handle a busy crowd even on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I would definitely recommend a visit here and recommend thir tasty wine! read more

It was very nice. ..............Friendly staff. Good wines. ........... Close to the center of town.......

Way too expensive for half sized- bottles of wine and I don;t care for the wine. We did a tasting and tried a whole variety and had a hard time even picking one I liked enough to buy a bottle of. read more

We tasted your Karmin Ayre right from the barrel during your first barrel tasting event in 2011. We bought some of the 2011 vintage at the 2012 tasting but decided to let it age another year before opening it today. It was well worth the wait. it was so full bodied that we compared it to our favorite old vine Zinfandel from California. Well done guys. Charlie and Mary-Kathryn Sanbornton read more

Great place in a cool little lake side town. Very knowledgeable and informative about the wine process and flavors. Highly recommend!

My boyfriend and I came here for our first wine tasting. Wine is always my drink of choice but he usually doesn't enjoy it. We had such a great experience and my boyfriend even ended up liking quite a few of the wines! Bob was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. We learned not only about their wines, but about wine in general and the entire wine making process. I would highly recommend a wine tasting here and definitely try the Three Honey Gold! read more

Loved this place! Went here on a whim, as we were staying around the area. Great winery, right near the lake, clean and bright! The people working were wonderful and vibrant! The wine was soooo good! We also went there on the wine and chocolate event, which we didn't even know was happening so that was a bonus! If we are ever in the area we will be back! read more

Wow. Such a great place! So happy we stopped in. Very friendly happy staff! Great selection of wine glad we got a tour.

Came here on a whim while driving through town; we were told Ken the vintner was available for a tour and it was such a great time! He was so personable and knowledgeable and gave us a ton of info about home fermenting and brewing. After the tour, we sampled wine with Caitlyn and it was fantastic. The wine was delicious and she told us all about making wine without grapes. I highly recommend you stop by and see what this up and coming wine region has to offer!! read more

My fiancé and I visited Hermit Woods for the first time last February on a spontaneous birthday trip to New Hampshire. (We live in CT) We enjoyed the atmosphere, informative staff, history, tour, and samples of wine. After trying a few kinds, we decided to purchase 5 different bottles to take home. We've enjoyed these bottles on holidays with family and friends. Over the past year we have visited a number of wineries in NH, CT, and VT. I can hands down say the wine and experience we enjoyed best was at Hermit Woods in Meredith NH. I'm excited to say we are headed to New Hampshire this weekend and we are looking forward to stopping by again. We will be purchasing a very special bottle during this trip. It's to put in our time capsule during our wedding ceremony because this is a great memory for us. We will be opening the time capsule on our five year anniversary and will enjoy the wine very much. Thank you! read more

Hermit Woods has an amazing mission - to make wine from local, sustainably grown fruit that is as good as that made in warmer climes from traditional wine grapes. Much of the fruit they use has been grown organically or is wild-harvested. And they use many unusual fruits you just won't find anywhere else - Northern Kiwi, Rose Hips, Crabapples foraged from abandoned orchards, to name a few. The propietors are wonderful, interesting, intelligent people who are off to a grand start. Definitely worth a trip. read more

Love this winery and plan on visiting it whenever we're in NH! Their Blueberry Ice wine is particularly good! The owners strive for purity and taste in an organic and sustainable manner, which is always a plus for my husband and I. We were fortunate to meet the winemaker, Ken, who provided an informative and enthusiastic info session on how the wines are made. PLUS, they're dog and horse friendly - you can't beat that! read more

The crabapple, their signature wine, was so delicious I'm considering buying a case. nice clean, sweet taste, but not sugary at all. I'm sensitive to wines and no hangover the next day! The rose hip wine and the Knot-Tomato wine were great paired with savory italian dishes. read more

Good time spent with the wine tasting and tour...recommended if want to slow down and learn a bit about wine

Wonderful atmosphere, knowledgable and enthusiastic owners, excellent variety of wines to taste! Looking forward to coming back!

I first found out about this winery while visiting my Dad who lives in Sanbornton. I saw the Hermit Woods Winery's signs for wine tasting and being one to try out new wines, I decided to drive by. At first sight, I was in love. The house and yard were pristine and well decorated for Fall. Everyone was so friendly that I immediately felt at home in this family run business. My Dad and I arrived at the end of the wine tasting yet no one tried to hurry us along but in fact, quite the opposite, the owners were very excited to tell us about the wine, and let us take our time to taste each wine and ask questions. We left that evening not only with a case of wine but with a new knowledge about wine and wine making and were looking forward to the next season. Since that day, whenever I visit my Dad, the owners, Ken and Bob have been more than helpful. In advance, I have made an appointment to buy more wine and with their busy schedules, they have stopped long enough to answer more questions and tell me about their latest creations. Honestly, so far I have loved all the wines I have tried; the Blueberry Mead (absolutely delicious), the Apple (my favorite so far, a very crisp and flavorful white wine), the Crabapple (a little sweeter and perfect with a spicy appetizer or meal) and the Malbec ( which is the smoothest Malbec I have ever tasted). I plan on visiting them again in June to try some of their other flavors, the Tomato and Kiwi to name a few. I highly recommend visiting this winery if you're in the area-- you won't be disappointed. read more

Everyone was very pleasant. We had a great tasting. They were very thourough about going over the wines. We ended up buying a dozen bottles of various wines and will be bringing them back to CA. The setting is every nice for a wine tasting and very reasonable for the tasting. if you are in the area it is worth checking it out. We will be going back later this week to get more. read more

Loved this place. We weren't sure if we should make this detour, but I'm glad we did. At the end of the tasting, we ended up with a couple of Meads (honey wine), but also got the heritage which is one of their full bodied red wine and their special dessert wine...passion popper, yum! This was a beautiful winery/store with a warm, inviting atmosphere. We got to meet the owners and I loved to hear such passion for their craft. I also loved that they are trying to get their fruits and honey from the local area, supporting the local farming community. We had an overall great time. read more

Wine was delicious. Establishment is clean and the staff was very friendly. Our host was great we really enjoyed him. It cool that you buy your glass so you have a memento from your trip there. And it's a nice glass!! Will definitely be returning on my next trip!! read more

My friends and I spontaneously decided to go into Hermit Woods after seeing a sign on the highway. Upon entry, we selected the six wine premium wine tasting and were paired with a lovely woman (and adorable dog) who guided us through the wine tasting process. Not only did we try some incredible and unique wines, but we learned so much about the wine making process, wine tasting, and general wine tips. Great find in Meredith, NH and would definitely recommend stopping by for just an hour if you happen to be driving through the area. read more

LOVE HERMIT WOODS WINERY!!! Sampled their wine purchased by my father- FABULOUS!!

I had the good fortune to visit Hermit Woods several times over their first summer (2011) and it was a wonderful pleasure everytime. They make a number of different wines and each tasting experience featured 5 or 6. The winemakers are great people, the location is stunning, and the wines are unique and well worth including in any winelovers collection. I'll be looking forward all winter to their second season and tasting all the new creations for 2012. read more

It was my girlfriends first wine tasting so we decided to stop at hermit woods. We payed for the large glass, allowing 6 bottle tastes but she allowed us to try all of them. They had great wines, especially since they were all locally sourced from organic farms. Great customer service and wine! Would recommend. read more