Other New Hampshire Wine-Third Annual Winnipesaukee Wine Festival

Wine Tasting Event Benefits Ability Plus, Inc. and Honduras Hope

The third annual Winnipesaukee Wine Festival returns to the Lakes Region this year, introducing palates to wines from around the world and raising funds for two non-profit organizations.

More than 100 domestic and international wines will be uncorked and ready for sampling at the Winnipesaukee Wine Festival on Thursday, June 5 from 5:30 - 8 p.m. in the Winnipesaukee Ballroom at Church Landing on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee in Meredith.

Hosted by The Common Man Family of Restaurants and The Martignetti Companies of New Hampshire, the wine festival will feature wine, spirits and beer from local, national and international wineries and breweries. Tickets are $50 per person, and all proceeds will benefit AbilityPLUS, Inc. of Waterville Valley, N.H., and Honduras Hope.

AbilityPLUS (www.abilityplus.org) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping disabled people of all abilities realize their dreams of inclusion through adaptive skiing and other recreation opportunities. Honduras Hope (www.hondurashope.org) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the economically and politically marginalized poor rural communities of Honduras.

New to the Winnipesaukee Wine Festival this year is a pre-festival wine flight and appetizer tasting the night before, on Wednesday, June 4 at The Common Man’s Lakehouse Grille in Church Landing at Mill Falls in Meredith. A flight of wines from Rombauer Vineyards, and a second flight of wines from Bogle Vineyards, will be served with appetizers made by Lakehouse. Cost is $30 per person, excluding tax and gratuity.

Wineries and breweries participating in the Third Annual Winnipesaukee Wine Festival include Peak Organic Brewing Company and Cisco Brewery of Nantucket, which will feature their Whale’s Tale Ale and Triple 8 martinis. Their martinis will be served down a martini luge ice sculpture created by Jeff Day of Not So Plain Jane’s in Rumney. The event will feature more than 20 vintners, including Lolonis, Landmark, Vineyard Brands, Hess Collection, Rutherford, Trinchero, Robert Mondavi, J. Lohr and Ferrari Carano, among others.

The Common Man’s Lakehouse Grille, Camp and Lago will provide hors d’oeuvres and food to accompany the wines, as will Coyote Grill, The Corner House Inn, Ciao Pasta and Coe House. Entertainment will be provided by jazz duo Don Williams and Dave Tonkin, and numerous prizes will be up for grabs at a silent auction and raffle, including a seaside getaway in Nantucket and a one-of-a-kind acrylic painting. Other prizes include large formats of wine and an overnight stay at Church Landing at Mill Falls donated by the Inns and Spa at Mill Falls.

For tickets and information about the Third Annual Winnipesaukee Wine Festival, call (603) 968-9330 or visit www.thecman.com for secure online ordering. Tickets to the pre-festival wine flight tasting can be reserved at Lakehouse by calling (603) 279-5221. Space is limited for both events, advanced tickets and reservations are strongly suggested. To make a getaway of the event and book a special Winnipesaukee Wine Festival overnight rate at The Inns and Spa at Mill Falls, call (603) 279-7006 or log on to www.millfalls.com.