The Tavern No. 5 Story​

To be a dreamer you have to believe in yourself and be willing to take risks.

The Tavern No. 5 story starts around the dinner table in a small house back in the mid-1990s. Owner Kris Lantz says he grew up with no clue as to what risks he would someday take or even what wine was. “My aunt would fly in from Virginia to visit. She loved wine but I could never bring myself to understand what she tasted in it. My parents were fine with White Zinfandel.” 

Walking among his vineyard in Berkshire, Kris quickly turns his head and rolls his eyes. “Yuck. Tavern No. 5 intends to give you a glass of wine that’s more than that stripped down liquid.”

Owner and head winemaker since 2018, Kris says that his real inspiration though comes from more 150 years of stories passed down through the generations. 

“The road we planted our vines on used to be a part of a network of Taverns on the way to Boston.”

In fact the original house that occupies the grounds was one of five taverns in Berkshire.

“Sometimes I sit and wonder who occupied these rooms. I imagine the dalliances that went on in the back there.” 

In this vain, he says the winery is all part of giving back to the past. 

“Mr. Hull in the back room with the butchers wife. That happened. I think I’ll put that on my next label.” 

Inspiration comes in many forms and he hopes you’ll be the next tenant. 

“I just want people to stop, look around and wonder what’s in the glass and who came before us. That’s why I took the risk.

Doesn’t seem like a leap of faith to me. ”