Ah yes, the fall… or, as we like to call it “Cider Season” is here and just as expected, the nights have gotten cooler, the days are shorter, and the vines and wines are all underway for another harvest. We often chuckle at all that we have going on this time of year. Between the busy tasting room, the impending harvest, our private parties we are hosting, the club events, and of course, our big club trips, we haven’t had a chance to breathe. And, before you know it, the holidays will be here. Wow does it all go by so fast.
This past year has been wonderful. We have had more club members visit us in our new-ish tasting room than ever before. This summer we spent time together in Tuscany Italy, sailing on Casco Bay in Portland, tasting wine together in the Finger Lakes and sharing stories in and around RiverWalk. We have set records with our cider sales (now in over 200 stores in NH) and in our tasting room, Rhythm Tap & Grille and at farmers’ markets, fairs, and festivals. This summer we have had an incredible growing season in our vineyard, with what will likely be our first real crop to harvest. And, we have hosted over 1000 people in our spaces for private events and celebrations. Phew! I’m exhausted just writing this!
Looking ahead, we have more events planned for club members, such as the October Club Event Weekend, the handcrafted holidays, more trips in 2026 and we are already planning 2027. Not to mention all of the wine and cider we are currently making, bottling and shipping out to all of you. So, we hope that you are all doing well and you are pleased with the wines in this (last) traditional club shipment. In the future, you’ll all have complete control over the wines you receive, the frequency you receive them, and the number of wines in your order. It’s all a part of our move to the new “Subscription Club” model you’ve been hearing about.
In the meantime, enjoy Cider Season. If we don’t see you before, Happy Holidays as well. Take care!
Mark & Stephanie – Owners
Discover Ireland! A week+ on the Emerald Isle
May 14-22, 2026
Land Tour, Circuitous Itinerary of the whole island.
Join fellow Seven Birches Wine Club Members on this bucket-list trip to Ireland, May 14-22, 2026. This 9-day, 8-night trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland will bring you to another world of breathtaking views, Irish culture, food and heritage in a most affordable way.
The Danube: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary
November 3 – 10, 2026
8 Days / 4 Countries – Danube River Cruise for Wine Lovers.
Cruise along the peaceful Danube River through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary—stopping at some of Central Europe’s most splendid capitals and charming towns. A Certified Sommelier will travel with you on your cruise to host lectures, tastings, and tips on food–and-wine pairing.
The Timeline
2010 – Seven Birches Winery was founded
2012 – Construction of new winery & tasting room
2013 – Opened new facility at Windy Ridge Orchard
2015 – Moved business to Lincoln, NH
2016 – Opened new facilities at RiverWalk Resort
2018 – Opened expansion tasting room at the Atrium
2019 – Planted first block of 76 hybrid vines
2020 – Launched Rhythm Brand, more vines
2021 – Opened Rhythm Studio, total vines now 454
2022 – Expansion construction starts, more vines planted; total of 518 vines.
2024 – Phase 2, Grand New Winery, Club Room, Tasting Room OPEN
2025 – Rhythm Cider Distributed Statewide
The Story
Prior to 2010, Mark LaClair was a hobby winemaker, making wines at home out of all sorts of fruits. In 2010 he founded Seven Birches Winery with his partners at Windy Ridge Orchard in North Haverhill, NH. That year, Mark started the first commercial batch of Apple and Blueberry wine, followed by the first vintage of grape wines from South America in the spring of 2011. In the fall of 2012, they began construction of a purpose-built winery at the orchard to allow for some expansion. That new facility and tasting room opened in the summer of 2013, offering customers more variety, more space, and a far better experience. It was a fantastic venue for growing the winery for the next few years.
At the end of 2015, after having a successful five years at the orchard, Mark decided it was time to move the winery into a year round facility in the bustling tourist town of Lincoln, NH. In the spring of 2016, Seven Birches Winery moved into its new home at the new RiverWalk Resort at Loon Mountain, still under construction at the time. The tasting room and the resort opened that June. In December, 2018, the winery opened its second tasting room called the “Atrium Wine Bar at the Lincoln Village Shops” across the parking lot from RiverWalk Resort. This second tasting room allowed for a more comfortable experience on busy days, and a new venue to host public and private events.
In May of 2019, Seven Birches planted a 76-vine test vineyard in the RiverWalk Resort backyard. The vines are all hybrid grapes that will withstand the harsh winters and will ripen its fruit in the shorter NH growing season. In October, 2019, Seven Birches completed the renovation of a new private function space adjacent to the Atrium Wine Bar only to be renovated again in 2020 for more COVID-safe tasting room space. 2020 also saw the launch of Seven Birches Winery’s newest product line, Rhythm Cider as a stand-alone brand made by Seven Birches Winery with the intention of being distributed around New England and beyond. 218 more vines were planted in 2020 along with 160 more in the spring of 2021. There are now 518 vines in the ground with the first block harvested in the fall of 2021. Construction of RiverWalk Resort’s phase 2 began in the spring of 2022 and is now complete.
The new winery facility opened in 2024 and incorporates a 5000 square foot winery, 3000 Square foot tasting room, 1000 Square foot “Club Room” and 2000 square feet of outdoor patio space. The “Rhythm Studio” has evolved into a full-service restaurant inside RiverWalk Resort called Rhythm Tap and Grille and Rhythm Cider is now distributed state-wide in New Hampshire.
In 2025, Seven Birches Winery will have made the most wine and cider ever in its history (amount still being determined) and we will now have cider available in over 200 stores and restaurants across New Hampshire.
