I love the Apple wine and the Cider here. In fact always stop by when around the area to buy half a case to a case at a time. However the tastings leave much to be desired. Yes we are familiar with the wine, but not everyone is. The guy today was very nice but didn't really tell us anything at all about the wine. To be fair he was very busy juggling all these people at once. You should staff two people on Saturday because the experience is seriously lacking. read more

Holmberg Orchards - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Gales Ferry, Connecticut

Friendly staff, fresh picking, reasonable prices. They even have water at the picking areas for you. So thoughtful. Love it. I go every year. read more

I desperately want to support local but I also don't want to be taken advantage of. We've frequented Holmberg Orchards for over a decade now. I used to take the kids for some treats, a slushee, and to pick anything in season. It was affordable and fun. It's not as fun anymore. The family apple buckets were annoying in the fall and the pint per person requirement for raspberries this week was over the top. Who needs that many raspberries and if that's the "rule", it should be posted online. Let people buy want they want and they'll return. Greediness will just make you lose customers. read more

This place is great!! Has a nice little store at the end of it with fresh fruits and vegetables. The desserts are delicious! I tried their apple pie and it was VERY good. The apples tasted very fresh!! The biscotti in the photo was also very good. It wasn't too hard at all and had the perfect balance of flavors, not too sweet! Highly recommended. read more

Holmberg Orchards - Apple Caramel Nut Pie and Biscotti - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Gales Ferry, Connecticut

Highly recommend this place. Not over crowded, best apple cider donuts ever . Legit straight off the press warm and fluffy . Half.dozen for 5 buck . Apple cider slushy was amazing and so refreshing. But 6 bucks is a little high. Should be no more then 4. Free hay ride to pick apples. Was kinda shocked how many people were picking apples and eating them and throwing them on ground. No respect . Pay for your apples. Cute pumkpin patch. Loved the wine tasting. Pick 6 for only 10 dollars. And keep the glass. read more

See all

I've loved their apples since I was a kid. Absolutely fantastic and I haven't had better.

Came here to get pumpkins this year, what an adorable setup! While you don't exactly go out in the pumpkin patch to pick your pumpkins they do have pick your own apples in their orchard! Wagon rides from the pumpkins right to the apples! My youngest LOVED riding the wagon, she didn't even care about picking the apples lol! Went home with pumpkins, cider and cider donuts. The donuts are amazing and soft, the cider is some of the better cider I've had. If it's warmer definitely get a cider slush! So good! Everything at the orchard is outside, there's plenty of space and tables to enjoy apple goods or just being outside. When it's warmer there are a lot of yellow jackets however, so just be aware. I prefer to go when it's cooler and they aren't out as much. Love this orchard and will be coming back regularly!! read more

Went here as part of the Connecticut Wine trail, and sampled some of their outstanding hard ciders and fruit wines. They have a separate little tasting room up the long winding entrance road, in the orchard itself. We got a little confused because there is also a tiny little roadside store, which we at first thought was the place. Once up in the orchard we sampled an impressive array of wines, made from apples mostly, but also a very nice peach wine, which we ended up purchasing. They also have a line of hard ciders, in the 6% to 7% alcohol by volume range, which were extremely good, and very well priced at $8 for a 750ml bottle. I'm normally a red wine drinker, but this place changed my mind about fruit wines. They aren't too sweet, and some of them have been aged in French oak. Overall the experience was great, the woman doing the tasting for us was the wife of the winemaker, and was extremely knowledgeable. We most certainly will be back, as these ciders are a very good alternative for our non-beer/non-wine drinking friends. read more

I had an incredible time here. Brian in the tasting room was very friendly and knowledgable. When asked questions he had no problem answering questions about the history of the orchard and the family who owns it. I was very surprised he wasn't a member of the family! Being a cider fan, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of ciders available and bought a bottle of cortland cider to bring home. The wines and ciders are very affordable and the tasting was a great value. You even get a tasting glass to take home! It's not far from Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun so it's a perfect weekend outing. read more

Thanks to the CT wine passport we ran into this hidden gem that is sooo close to home. They had covered outdoor seating on the best kept lawn. Fruit on the tables for guests to enjoy and the most adorable taste room. My husband and I tried the flight and while we were deciding what to get my kiddo got restless. She fell out a few times and our tender without skipping a beat picked her up. He continued the taste and our delay pours all with her in his arms. That's the moment that took the cake for us. We can't wait to join them for some pumpkin patch activities and other holiday festivities here. Thank you so much! I guess I should mention the wine lol. We ordered a bottle of their house white and it didn't last an hour at home. Crisp and dry. We also had no idea they made their own ciders. The shandy is so refreshing and one of the least sweet of the bunch. If you are a rosé dude or dudette you have to try their house-made cider. read more

We always stop in to the Orchard We bought a turkey cranberry pie recently and it was really good, no directions for heating but we asked. They macaroons were always the bomb! They don't have them anymore sighhh I say stop in!!! Always something good to get! read more

this is one of the best places in all of the norwich area. the quiche and pie are among the best ive ever had so its my go to when i want to bring someone something delicious. soups and cider are also extremely tasty. as far as the taste and quality goes, it far exceeds that other orchard. there is a good selection of muffins and cookies, produce, tea, and even soap. the staff is friendly and helpful. holmberg is a gem. read more

This stop is a little different than other wineries on the CT trail as they mostly make fruit wines and ciders using the fruit grown on site. There were two regular white wines made with NY grapes, but I wasn't a fan of either. The fruit wines (peach, apple, cranberry, pear) were all very nice but I didn't love anything enough to want to buy a bottle. I thought the 3 hard ciders were the real stars of the show, and had a hard time deciding which one I wanted to buy. Typically, I'm not a huge fan of hard ciders but these are fantastic. This was a quick stop for us, as we just did a quick tasting and went along our way. I didn't see anywhere to sit outside, and my boyfriend said he saw a sign that said the wines had to be drunk inside the tasting room. And speaking of "drunk", they don't want you to be, as I saw a sign that said you can drink a limit of 2 glasses. If you're vineyard hopping in the area, it's definitely worth a visit. read more

Really like the hard cider, pies, breads, apple cider and the fresh apple cider donuts when they have them.

This is a charming little orchard to spend an afternoon apple picking at. There are many apple varieties and they are easy to get to and to navigate. There is a big tractor pulling a hayride that you can ride around to get a good look at the property. There are also pumpkin, squash, and more for sale, and in the summer they do various fruits. They make wine here as well (mostly fruit wines), and a wine tasting room sits on property and is open certain times throughout the year. There is a little shack that sells cider donuts in the fall, and a little store down the road that sells many of the products produced by this orchard. read more

We are from Texas, and come in October for the the changing of the trees. We decided to do a number of the wine tastings. By far this was the best tasting wines. We liked the Apple Cranberry Wine and the Vidal Blanc was very good. The only problem we had was they do not ship to Texas. :( Very big place and is good for the family, fun things to do with the kids. Apple, Pears, and Pumkins all to pick. Love it they just need to ship...... read more

Rushed wine tasting without any crackers/cheese between sips, which were thrown at you in a rushed and disinterested fashion. "Great with Thanksgiving" was used as a descriptor for three wines. True, it's not a vineyard, but a little effort goes a long way. Nasty port-a-potties. Customer service was average in general. On the plus side, the kids loved picking apples and berries and the view was great. The little shop at the bottom of the hill (separate parking) was full of delicious things. read more

Had a great time here!! Specs- Big facility with MANY different types of apples to pick. There were also pears to pick. There's a pumpkin patch, decorative gourds and indian corn, apple cider, and a tasting room for their wine (apple, pear, and berry wines) and hard cider. During other months they have other fruits to pick like raspberries and such. I have only been this year for the fall fruits though. All the apples we have had and the pears are beautiful and tasty. We loved the wine and cider at the tasting, so we bought some of each. Every staff member we met was friendly and knowledgeable. They provide bags for the picking and wagons to help with all the heavy produce. There's also tractors that provide rides, but we didn't do that. The only negative things I think I could say about this place are that the tasting felt a little rushed (but it was also a busy day), the pumpkins in the patch were all the same (they were all very pretty but I like to get "frankinpumpkin" style that are green/bumpy/etc), and the trees were a bit picked over (but I know many of the orchards in the area had problems this year because of the COLD spring we had this year that killed much of the trees). Oh, and they don't allow dogs, but this is a common policy and very understandable. Overall, very positive experience and I will be back next year! read more

At the orchard entry found out anyone entering has to now purchase a prepaid bag/bucket. I went with friends who were there to pick apples-I, however, was there to tag along. I declined and waited until my friends returned. I had been to the orchard before and did not pick apples and not had to purchase a bag to enter. However, I did purchase items at the orchard store. I did not do so this year and will not return read more

Beautiful farm, delicious apples. We have been coming here for many years. However, price for apple picking is outrageous. $35 for a family bag and it fits maybe 15 apples. Really too bad as the kids have so much fun. Will try somewhere else next year. read more

$35 for a 5 lb bag to pick your own...absolutely ridiculous, and the staff is kinda rude. Save your money and find a smaller operation, these guys have turned totally commercial under the guise of "covid safety" smh. read more

Nice variety of wines/ciders....worth a visit.... We are not kidding oursleves....there are six of us who drink....hard to please...My husband is the designated driver....Still....this place is nice...we shared some cheese and bread with another couple...nice and friendly....It is NOT NAPA....who cares??? Fun times wth family....the service was really GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Boy, did Holmberg Orchards & Winery go down hill!! I literally never thought that I of all people would ever say this! I'm obsessed with Fall and would've given at least 4 stars in the past. This has been a family tradition for a couple decades and was my favorite Orchard! Absolutely horrid behavior by an older employee with terrible customer service. We have been going to this Orchard for many YEARS. They have changed their checkout system this year, unbeknownst to us and other frequent/return customers. They now make it mandatory to buy a bag in order to pick anything. This is NOT stated or written anywhere that it is mandatory to purchase Apples, Pears etc. We spoke to 3 employees (one being the tractor driver) throughout our picking and NONE of them, not one, told us that we need to pay $8 or $25 for a bag! They used to be free and charged by weight. However, the woman at the shed had a nasty attitude and was very rude in telling us that we MUST buy a bag and we MUST pay for every single thing picked. (Which would mean if it didn't all fit in the tiny bag they call a "small bag" you would need to purchase 2 for $8 each ($16) whether the second bag was full or not. Or a "family size" bag for $25! (Which is equivalent to any grocery store Farm picked Apples size bag, which sell for about the same price as their tiny $8 bag or cheaper at stores) She caught an attitude with the wrong ones though because me and my mom gave it back to her and then my mom told her, "Well in that case we'll get nothing. Byyyeee." She changed her attitude real quick after that. Even though she continued to argue with us telling us she wasn't trying to have an attitude, which she clearly was. By blatantly arguing with us and attempting to insult our intelligence by telling us there are signs about the bags around the shed (which only state the price, not that they are mandatory in order to pick anything and can't be seen by those who have trouble reading, like us, especially while preoccupied by my Autistic son) She then sold us the tiny bag for $8 and rang out our Pumpkins and the few tiny extra Pears were free. Which she let us know by rudely saying, "I guess you can just have those then. I didn't ring them up. Just take them." Because we threatened to make them take everything back. Which we shouldn't have had to do and you should never argue with and belittle customers. Especially annual return customers. The store is MUCH better. Much nicer employees there. We ended up not getting our usual order of 1-2 dozen donuts and Apple Cider! They missed out on sales because of that woman's arrogance. read more

Although I have been coming to Holmberg's every year for years, after this last visit, I won't be returning. First, the prices have been increasing and are now exorbitant, in my opinion. If you are picking with a family or friends, get ready to pay a small fortune. Second, new rules, which have been tightening for years, state that every person admitted to the orchard must purchase a small bag, or be forced to purchase a large, "family" bag. They have long done away with permitting customers to bring their own containers, which for me ensured unbruised fruit, another inconvenience that I have just been dealing with. Lastly, and most importantly, the trip is no longer fun. Increased policing of the orchard is out of control, and honestly just embarrassing. At this visit, after wandering into an unauthorized area, I was detained by a patrolling employee on a tractor who escorted me away like a prisoner. I'm sorry, but that's the last straw. I suppose that Holmberg's is focused on improving efficiency and their bottom line, but they're turning off customers in the process. What used to be a nice family outing has turned into a money grab; they're insensitive to the customer and to their own product. For these reasons, I no longer recommend them to anyone. read more

One of our family's favorite pastimes is picking apples. It's always a bit more expensive than the store but is a great family outing. Holmberg orchards has always been our go to. I can honestly say I have gone for the last time. They have a new pricing format. You have to buy a bag.. and all persons must have a bag. They are $10.00 which supposedly holds 3 lbs per person or you can buy the family bag for $35.00 which supposedly holds 13lbs. Not even close. I packed my family bag to the point of barely being able to hold handles close. Came home and weighed it.. On 2 different scales.. Only 10 .2 lbs. There is no way I could have gotten another apple in let alone another 3 lbs in this bag. A friend got a single bag and had less than 2lbs. How sad that a great outdoor family activity has become overpriced and is ripping off customers. I won't be going back and will be sure to warn others. read more

Holmberg Orchards - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Gales Ferry, Connecticut

See all

You must come here for the freshest apples in the world!!!! In the fall, they serve warm apple cider that's also DELISH! Growing up, my mom always used to buy cold, freshly made apple cider from Holmberg.....which we would drink cold or heat up. You can also find other sorts of fresh produce here, and reasonably priced. One of the other highlights of Holmberg: amazing turnovers!! Definitely be sure to nab one if you're stopping in...you won't regret it! read more

Apples, pears, peaches for the picking!! We really had a bunch of fun at Holmberg Orchards! The kids loved being able to pick their own apples, even if most of them were from the ground haha. The kids also loved the little tractor ride up the hill, it's much better than walking up that hill. The only real con to this place is that the orchard is situated on a hill, so walking is kind of awkward and after a little while kind of becomes uncomfortable. The incline also makes it somewhat difficult to push a stroller of any type, I had my little one in a stroller with larger jogging wheels and it was still hard to push it around on the incline. If you are planning to bring a stroller a jogging one is a good idea, a baby carrier is probably a better idea. Overall a really great place to go apple picking. read more

Very poor service by young kids with no social skills. The owner supported this behavior without even knowing or caring about what happen. I will never return, there are plenty of better places to go with better product and service. read more

The kids (we went with another family with 2 other kiddos) loved picking the apples. They also loved riding in the little wagons. I was surprised at how big the orchard was, since you cant really see it from the road. It was pretty beautiful! I never knew we could spend so much on apples haha. And it wasnt really because of the price... we just picked about 30lbs! Time to make cobbler and pie! My husband and I loved their little store. We picked up some cider, hard cider, preserves for ourselves, and honey sticks for our daughter. And 2 potted mums. Oh, and some cider doughnuts. My husband told me when we got home that cider flavored things, to him, are like pumpkin spice flavored things to a 'basic white girl' haha. He is a clown. We will definitely be going back, but preferably on a cooler day! read more

I called Holmberg to confirm their dog policy as listed explicitly on the official Connecticut Wine Trails website (see phrasing below). Their winery is listed as being "pet-friendly" but the woman I spoke with said their policy is for service animals only. I let her know their winery is listed on the Connecticut Wine Trails website as being pet-friendly (exact phrasing below) and she said unfortunately it's service dogs only. I understand this policy, but there is no need to be rude and give me attitude. Good thing I called in advance. "Traveling and experiencing new places is always fun and exciting, but there is a big downside when you are a pet owner. Leaving a four-legged friend who is part of the family behind can be heart-breaking, knowing you are bound to have a great time. Sometimes you don't get to spend as long as you would like to somewhere because you must hurry home to care for your pet. Luckily, many of the locations on the Connecticut Wine Trail are pet-friendly!" read more

We stopped in for a wine tasting late in the day in early summer and were pleasantly surprised by the prices, variety, and quality of the wines and ciders. Since the "pick your own" hadn't open yet, it was very quiet and pretty up on the hill. The tasting bar is small, but the server was very friendly. For $7, we tasted 5 wines and 3 hard ciders and got to keep the glass, a good deal compared to some of the other stops on the trail. Favorites were the Bartlett pear wine and the McIntosh hard cider...we each took a bottle of the cider home. The apple wines were good too. Afterward, we stopped at the small farm market down the hill and bought some yummy peanut butter cookies and some fresh local produce to bring home. Overall, a very nice experience. read more

I stop here at least once a week for in season fruits and vegetables but also for their incredible quiche. I particularly like the crab quiche. Their pies are outstanding and the apple crisp is as good as it gets. Being able to buy just one or two of their cookies keeps me honest. Nice staff! read more

Holmberg Orchards - Holmberg Orchards in Fall - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Gales Ferry, Connecticut

The store is very very small but wouldn't be a problem normally but it was way to crowded and to many people in there at one time. It was impossible to social distance. They didn't monitor the number of people. We decided to leave after a couple minutes. read more

best thing I can say is they have hard cider beyond that get ready to pay an arm and a leg for apples. they require every person going into the orchard to purchase a bag. ok I can deal with that but 2 sizes. single is $8 and probably fits 6 apples at the most or family is $25 for 4 people. $25 for a bag of apples the size of a normal apple tote. read more

We went for the find the wine corn maze- so fun! Can't wait to go back. I would suggest adding more dates for later into the fall season. Thanks again! read more

Great place to stop for some fresh fruit and vegetables! They also sell their own hard cider and fresh baked goods (cookies, muffins, etc.).

Went for wine tasting, they only give you one ounce pours, and not the usual three -four ounce that I am used too, but the cost for the wine tastings make up for the little serving.. We were in and out in 20- 30 mins, so really didn't feel like we got the full wine tasting experience as you would get if you go to the vineyards in North Fork. read more

pop-up farmers market today. thought i would do a tasting of their wines and ciders but it was too packed to enjoy, but the farmers market was nice - lots of great local produce and products. will definitely be back to holmberg to do a proper tasting though .. they have a vineyard/tasting room up the hill and down on the road there is a nice farm store that sells the wines and ciders (and vegetables and plants and baked goods etc as well) .. cool to see the orchard just blooming and the pear brandy bottles on the trees .. read more

Holmberg Orchards - nice day at Holmberg Orchards - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Gales Ferry, Connecticut

Packed for cider and donuts! Kids and adults enjoying both on the porch or tables outside. Lots of unique items to buy inside and outside. Bought some hot sauce and curry sauce. Popcorn too! Good for a stop in, check out the cider press, buy stuff, and go.... not too much else to do, but a perfect fall stop with family or date. read more

used to go here a lot on my way to Mohegan Sun. very nice store, good pies and other stuff