Flag Hill Winery

Flag Hill Winery, also known as Flag Hill Distillery & Winery, is a vineyard, winery, and distillery in Lee, New Hampshire. The business operates from a historic agricultural property whose land had been farmed since the eighteenth century and was formerly used as a dairy farm. The property became associated with the Reinhold family when Frank Reinhold Sr. purchased approximately 180 acres in 1950. His son, Frank Reinhold Jr., assumed control of the property in 1985 and subsequently developed it as a grape-growing and wine-producing operation. Grape planting began in 1990, with the first harvest following in 1994. The initial wine release came in 1996 and amounted to approximately 500 cases. Flag Hill became the second winery to open in New Hampshire, after Jewell Towne Vineyards. Its location in the state also shaped its production choices: the vineyard focuses on grape varieties suited to the cold winters and challenging growing conditions of New England rather than relying primarily on classic European varieties that may be less resilient in the region. The vineyard has grown French-American hybrids including De Chaunac, Marechal Foch, and Vignoles, as well as American hybrids such as Cayuga White and La Crescent. These grapes support the winery's regional identity and reflect the practical requirements of northern viticulture. A late-eighteenth-century barn on the property houses the winery and tasting room, linking the visitor experience to the site's agricultural history. Flag Hill also has a distillery operation. It was described as the first legal distillery in New Hampshire after the end of Prohibition, giving the business a place in the state's modern craft-spirits history as well as its wine industry. Production figures reported for 2011 indicated approximately 4,000 cases of wine and 2,000 cases of liquor annually. The same reference identified roughly 21 acres of vineyards and described Flag Hill as the largest vineyard in New Hampshire. The brand's core proposition is therefore closely tied to place: locally grown grapes, adaptation to New England's climate, a working agricultural setting, and combined wine and spirits production. Available reference material does not establish a broader corporate parent, public listing, national distribution footprint, or a complete current product catalogue. Flag Hill is best characterized as a regional New Hampshire winery and distillery whose identity is based on its farm heritage, vineyard, tasting-room experience, and production of wines and distilled beverages.

The land now associated with Flag Hill Winery had been farmed since the eighteenth century and was previously operated as a dairy farm. In 1950, Frank Reinhold Sr. acquired approximately 180 acres in the Lee, New Hampshire, area. The property remained within the Reinhold family, and in 1985 Frank Reinhold Jr. took over its operation with the intention of establishing a grape-growing enterprise. The first vines were planted in 1990. Because New Hampshire has cold winters and a relatively demanding climate for viticulture, the vineyard selected hybrid grapes with greater regional hardiness than many traditional European wine grapes. The planting program included French-American varieties such as De Chaunac, Marechal Foch, and Vignoles, together with American hybrids including Cayuga White and La Crescent. Flag Hill's first grape harvest occurred in 1994. Wine from the early production was released in 1996, when the operation produced approximately 500 cases. The winery became the second to open in New Hampshire, following Jewell Towne Vineyards, and consequently formed part of the state's early modern wine industry. The winery operates from a late-eighteenth-century barn that contains the winery and tasting room. The historic building and agricultural setting became important parts of the visitor-facing identity of the business. By 2011, the property was reported to contain approximately 21 acres of vineyards and to produce about 4,000 cases of wine each year. Flag Hill later developed an associated distillery. The business was identified as the first legal distillery in New Hampshire after Prohibition, extending its role beyond grape wine into distilled beverages. In 2011, reported annual output was approximately 2,000 cases of liquor in addition to the wine production. The combined winery and distillery model gave Flag Hill a distinctive position within New Hampshire's beverage sector. The available reference material provides no detailed account of later ownership changes, named current executives, national expansion, public-market activity, or specific marketing campaigns. It does, however, establish a consistent operating concept: a family-linked farm property transformed into a cold-climate vineyard, winery, and distillery, with production and hospitality centered in Lee, New Hampshire.

• 2011

  Reported vineyard and production scale

  [1]Flag Hill Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material described approximately 21 acres of vineyards, annual wine production of about 4,000 cases, and annual liquor production of about 2,000 cases.

• 1996

  First wine release

  [1]Flag Hill Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  The first Flag Hill wine was released, with initial production reported at approximately 500 cases.

• 1994

  First vineyard harvest

  [1]Flag Hill Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  The vineyard produced its first grape harvest.

• 1990

  Grape planting begins

  [1]Flag Hill Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Flag Hill began planting vines, selecting hybrid varieties suited to New Hampshire's cold climate.

• 1985

  Frank Reinhold Jr. takes over the property

  [1]Flag Hill Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Frank Reinhold Jr. assumed control of the property and began pursuing the development of a grape-growing and wine-producing operation.

• 1950

  Reinhold family acquires the farm property

  [1]Flag Hill Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Frank Reinhold Sr. purchased approximately 180 acres in the Lee area. The property had a long agricultural history and had previously operated as a dairy farm.

A place-based New Hampshire winery and distillery emphasizing farm heritage, cold-climate grape varieties, local production, and visitor experiences in a historic barn setting.

• Wine · 1996

  Flag Hill wines

  The winery produces wines from grape varieties selected for New England conditions. Its vineyard includes French-American hybrids such as De Chaunac, Marechal Foch, and Vignoles, along with American hybrids including Cayuga White and La Crescent. These varieties are valued for their ability to withstand cold winters and support regional wine production.

• Distilled spirits

  Flag Hill distilled spirits

  Flag Hill operates a distillery alongside its winery. Available reference material identifies the operation as the first legal distillery in New Hampshire after Prohibition and reports approximately 2,000 cases of liquor produced annually in 2011. Specific spirit names and the full current range are not established by the supplied sources.

1. 1Flag Hill Wineryen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Flag Hill Winery official websiteflaghill.com