Long before the release of "Sideways," I dreamt of visiting the West Coast to take a tour of wine country. I love the landscape and its intricate cover of grape vines. I am interested in the process of wine making. And -- let's be honest -- I like to drink wine! But then came kids, and my wanderlust was forced to take a back seat to baseball games and weekends at the water park.
A couple of years ago, my professional musician husband played his trumpet for a wedding held at the Nashoba Valley Winery in Bolton, MA. He was so impressed by the place, he took us all (the whole family) back at apple picking time to show us around. Then while our boys enjoyed the "fruits of our labor" from the apple orchard, my husband and I sampled a few of NVW's locally grown and produced wines. They were surprisingly delicious!
So this morning, I googled "Boston area wineries," and I was surprised to find almost a dozen wineries within easy driving distance of Medford. (I found another dozen or so if you're willing to drive to the Cape or to Western MA.) While there are many I'd like to visit this summer, I'm thinking seriously about making reservations now, at NVW for their Father's Day Brunch. (They happen to have a fantastic restaurant on the premises known for it's "imaginative cuisine inspired by farm-grown ingredients.")
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Here are some of the others on my list:
- Alfalfa Farm, Topsfield
www.alfalfafarmwinery.com - Turtle Creek Winery, Lincoln
www.turtlecreekwine.com - Willow Spring Vineyards, Haverhill
www.willowspringvineyards.com - Plymouth Bay Winery, Plymouth
www.plymouthbaywinery.com - Plymouth Winery, Plymouth
www.plymouthwinery.com - Crystal Brook Farm, Sterling
www.farmfresh.org/food/farm.php?farm=801 - Hardwick Vineyard & Winery, Hardwick
www.hardwickwinery.com - Nashoba Valley Winery, Orchard and Restaurant, Bolton
www.nashobawinery.com - Obadiah McIntyre Farm Winery at Charlton Orchards Farm, Charlton
www.charltonorchard.com
For more information about Massachusetts wineries and vineyards, check out Mass.gov's page on Massachusetts grown farm products and specialty foods. Or visit the Massachusetts Association of Farm Wineries & Growers.
