Saturdays this Winter
11am - 12pm @ Seven Birches Winery
The Palate Project
with founder, Mark LaClair
Join Mark LaClair, Founder of Seven Birches Winery, for a unique, interactive wine class this Saturday. Each class, Mark will guide you through a new, unannounced topic and wine tasting, making every session an exciting journey of discovery.
This one-hour class is designed for all experience levels — whether you’re curious about wine or already a seasoned enthusiast. Mark leads a conversation with participants, exploring their current knowledge and tailoring the lesson to ensure everyone learns something new.
Each session includes:
- New Wine Topic – usually something Mark is passionate about
- Guided wine tasting — explore flavors, aromas, and textures (2-3 samples)
- Interactive discussion — ask questions, share experiences, and deepen your understanding
- Hands-on learning — leave with practical tips and insights to enhance your wine knowledge
Best of all, this class is FREE and offers a relaxed, welcoming environment where wine is approachable, curiosity is encouraged, and learning is fun.
Mark LaClair
Seven Birches Winery Founder
For Mark, the journey began during childhood, before consuming wine was age-appropriate. Family friends made wine in their home cellar. The buckets, the tubing, the smell, was all something unknown and misunderstood by Mark at the time. “You can make wine at home? Who knew?” Wine was around the dinner table at home, but nothing that stood out at the time and Mark paid no attention.
Fast forward to 1991 in Boston, MA where Mark was attending college. A roommate was a chef at a fine dining restaurant and would bring home wines from the restaurant to try. Together they explored the wine and Mark fell in love with the endless wine varietals, blends, aromas, flavors, history, culture and how it made him feel.
Over time, Mark learned through tasting, reading, watching videos, and sharing with friends and family his passion for wine. He swore one day he would try his hand at making wine at home, as he knew from his childhood that it was possible.
So the hobby began. In the early 2000’s Mark bought a winemaking kit online and gave it a go. Much to his surprise and to those whom he offered his homemade brew, the wine was actually “not bad”, words he heard from almost everyone he tried to poison. He called his homemade wine “Not Bad Wine” with a picture of an orangutan on the label holding a glass of red wine.
In 2010, Mark founded Seven Birches Winery as the original winemaker (salesman, marketer, bottle washer) which has evolved now to become a leader in the New England wine industry. Now leading a full production and sales team in a brand new purpose-built winery, tasting room and event spaces, Mark has fulfilled a dream career.
**Please check the Seven Birches Event Schedule Regularly for Updates**
