Piscassic Pond Winery received its license in 2003 and sold its first batch of mead (also known as honey wine) in 2004.  This winery would be deemed small, producing between 500 and 600 cases of mead each year.  Located in Newfields, New Hampshire, their product can be purchased in-state only.

Making mead is a multi-step, yearlong process.  The ingredients for mead are three:  honey, water, and yeast.  These ingredients are combined in a vat, and after approximately six weeks, it has become alcohol.  However, at this point the beverage does not taste very good.  In order to produce mead that is pleasing to the palate, it needs to mature for about a year.  After the initial 6 weeks, it is moved from its initial vat into another vat to continue aging.   Once matured, the mead is filtered, bottled, and labeled.

Like other wines, mead can be dry, semi-sweet, or sweet.  However, being made from honey, mead tends to be sweeter than its grape counterparts.  A dry mead has the sweetness that is similar to a semi-dry wine.  Of course, with 800 pounds of honey needed to make 320 gallons of mead, that shouldn’t be too surprising.

Piscassic Pond Winery also produces different varieties of mead.  They produce both melomels and metheglins.  Melomels are meads that has been infused with fruits, such as elderberry or pumpkins.  Metheglins are meads that have been infused with spices, such as rosehips or winter spice.

I brought a few samples home from my interview.  While I don’t consider myself anywhere near enough qualified to review mead, I do have to admit that I found it to be quite appealing.  From its beautiful golden color to its honey aroma to its rich flavor, I enjoyed my initial foray into mead.

To learn more about mead or Piscassic Pond Winery, please visit their website.