Nestled in the heart of the beautiful Nashoba Valley in central Massachusetts is a special treat for connoisseurs of fine fruit wines and for those who are passionate about New England's agricultural heritage. The Nashoba Valley Winery produces award-winning wines from the fruits of the tree, bush and vine in the winery beside the 55-acre orchard.

The Drive to Nashoba
If you are not in a big hurry, getting to Nashoba Valley can be half the fun. The area near Bolton is peppered with quaint antique shops and art and craft galleries that are run from people's homes and barns. The countryside is gorgeous, with rolling hills and valley vistas that make a leisurely drive through the back roads breathtakingly beautiful, especially during the fall foliage display.

The Orchard and Gardens
We recommend that you step into the store as soon as you arrive to check the schedule of tours and to see what is available for pick-your-own that day. The staff is very helpful and friendly, and will direct you to the correct area so that if you want McIntoshes, you don't end up with Gravensteins. We suggest that you pick your favorite fruits first; so get a bag at the shop and head out to the fields. The offerings change weekly which means that there is always a new treat to try. Peaches, blackberries, raspberries, plums, and apples are available in season from July to late October. The walk to and from the picking areas includes interpretive signage about the orchard along the way. You may want to bring your camera and a picnic lunch; both are welcome.

An extra special treat is the wide range of apple varieties -- over 70 different kinds. Although many of the names will be familiar, Nashoba Valley also grows over 60 antique varieties of apples that are difficult to find elsewhere. It is fun to see and taste the apples that our great-grandparents might have known and we commend the orchard for its efforts to bring these specimens back to the tables of New England.

(Note: if the idea of picking your own fruits and vegetables appeals to you, you may want to consider checking out the related article which describes some of the other places in the greater Boston area that offer this option.)

Winery Tours
Back at the winery, tours are offered throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. Tours begin in the pressing room, where one of the wine makers demonstrates how they use various presses to get all the juice out of the fruit. The juice is then fermented in giant tanks at precise temperature levels. Most wines are then bottled (the exception is for some of the more full-bodied wines, which are aged in freshly charred oak barrels before they are bottled). We visited Nashoba on a Sunday near closing, and didn't get to see the bottling/corking/labeling machine in action, but it looked impressive nonetheless. Then it's on to the tasting. This is arguably the best part of the tour, where you get to sample all the fabulous wines produced on the premises. Wine maker Larry Ames and his dedicated staff work hard at the craft, and it really shows in their high quality product.

Nashoba Valley Winery makes wines in four general classes: dry whites; dry reds; semi-sweet; and dessert wines. The wine list changes over time; recent offerings included:

• Dry whites - Gravenstein and Baldwin (apple wines), Dry Pear, and Vidal Blanc (Nashoba's first grape wine).
• Dry reds - Dry Blueberry (wonderful, deep clear color and flavor) and Chrysleton, which is made from elderberries.
• Semi-sweet wines - Cyser (an old-fashioned honey mead with apples), Cranberry-Apple (the perfect Thanksgiving wine!), Strawberry-Rhubarb, and Semi-sweet Blueberry.
• Dessert wines - Blueberry Port, Plum, After-Dinner Peach, and Raspberry (our favorite!).

The winery also produces hard cider, a crisp, fruity sparkling alternative to beer.

Special Occasions
The grounds and an antique stone house next to the winery are available for weddings and other functions -- call for pricing and availability. There is a gazebo overlooking the pond that was being used for wedding photos when we arrived; it seemed like the most picturesque spot in the county.

Nashoba offers an Apple Blossom Festival in May; a Red, White and Blue Barbecue in July; the "Taste of Massachusetts" in August; and Oktoberfest in the fall. These festivals feature local produce, local food products and live music, and are free to the public.

In early December, you can kick off the holiday season with a traditional Lighting of the Orchard. This event features Noshoba's phenomenal holiday wines, enjoyable gift shopping, winery tours and tastings. The festivities also include hay rides and a special visit from "you know who!" for the kids.

For an updated events schedule, visit Nashoba's web site.

How to Get There
From Route 495, take Route 117 (Exit 27) west one mile to Bolton Center. Turn left at the flashing yellow light, and follow the signs one-quarter mile to the winery entrance on the left.

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