their friends . The Sloats pick their own fruit , and crush it using a manual fruit crusher . Jean said they often have “ parties ” where family and friends gather to help them peel and crush the fruit .
In addition to the wonderful experience of sampling Hidden Spring wines , one must visit the winery to appreciate its origins . From the outside you would never know the winery is more than a beautiful house on a hill with an expansive view of the surrounding fields . When you step inside , there is no question that you have walked into paradise . The entire place , from the tasting room to the outside deck , was manufactured by the Sloats with some help from friends and family . The bar in the tasting room is constructed of a thick pine board from an area sawmill and stones from the Sloats ’ farm . Richard , with a bit of help from his son-in-law , built the bar as well as the wine racks in the tasting room .
In addition to the tasting room and the brew room ( where the magic happens ), the winery also has an event room and an outside deck with expansive views of the countryside . The event room boasts a fireplace and antiques from the Sloats ’ personal collection and from items gifted by family and friends .
Why Hidden Springs ? The winery is located on a farm owned by the Sloat family for almost 100 years . In the early days of farm hands and horse drawn equipment , the spring was a spot for resting and enjoying the cool water . As the farm evolved from potatoes to dairy cows to a winery , the spring was eventually forgotten and overgrown with trees . Although Richard knew it was there , Jean did not . One day while walking the farm Jean discovered the spring , thus the name , Hidden Spring .
The names for the wines , like the wines themselves are unique and refreshing . Once a new wine is ready for bottling , the Sloats gather family and friends for a tasting and naming party . A chokecherry wine was dubbed Summer Sunset when one of the tasters held her glass up and beheld the setting sun through the clear pale red color of the wine . Other wines bear names like Rockin ’ Ruby , a rhubarb wine and Sweet Rockin ’ Ruby , a strawberry rhubarb wine . I was lucky enough to sample these wines and they are excellent .
Okay , what about the wine itself ? First of all , it takes a long time for good wine to process . Most of the Sloats ’ wines age for at least a year before they are ready for the public . This is one of the reasons Hidden Spring wines cannot be purchased in stores – they simply don ’ t have enough to meet the demand of retail sales – yet .
Besides , why would you want to buy the wine at a store when you can experience an adventure at the winery ? In addition to wine tastings , Hidden Spring offers events such as Sip and Paint Parties , Food and Wine Tasting Events , and private events such as retirement parties , family gatherings and birthday parties . Just ask and the Sloats will do their best to accommodate you . They love sharing their story and their wines . In fact , they told me one of the most rewarding parts of this venture is watching people enjoy their wine .
Hidden Spring Winery is unquestionably one of the County ’ s hidden gems , a gem you should experience for yourself and share with family and friends . A work in progress , the Sloats continue experimenting with new wine recipes and putting the finishing touches on the event room and the outside areas .
You can find more information about the winery on their Facebook page or by contacting the Sloats at 207-532-0753 . The winery is open Thursday , Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 5:00 or by appointment .
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