•• Vermont Grapes, Vermont Wine: Blossom to Bottle ••

A Growing Vineyard

Jack Thurston- WCAX News

10-26-07

Lincoln Peak Vineyard in October

Addison County may be called the land of milk and honey, but Chris Granstrom is working to add "wine" to that reputation. The owner of Lincoln Peak Vineyard says, "All the wine we sell is going to be produced here, so we will have a truly local product." He raised strawberries and apples here for more than two decades, before planting grapes a few years back. Granstrom says, "There's plenty of room for growth."

Granstrom sold grapes in bulk. Other people turned them into wine for their own labels. But now Lincoln Peak is using hardy winter-resistant grapes to make several varieties of its own white and red wines. The grower beams, "We're looking forward to offering the first batch of this to people in Vermont." This new line backs up what agriculture officials have been saying for years: that Vermont's estimated million-dollar grape industry can only expand.

Lincoln Peak is one of fourteen vineyards in Vermont. And just this past legislative session, lawmakers asked the state agriculture agency to create a "Grape and Wine Council." The goal is to encourage the growth of this emerging industry. Steve Justis of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture explains, "We need to get people to start talking to each other and working together. Right now, most of them have good quality wines, the people that are in production, but they certainly need help with their marketing."

The wine council will also work on education, bringing in outside experts to help Vermont growers. They will also pursue legal initiatives, like easing restrictions on interstate wine shipments. But the biggest boost could come with developing maps to connect visitors and vineyards. Back at Lincoln Peak Vineyard, Chris Granstrom says, "It's a big tourist draw. We're hoping to have a place that's appealing to tourists so they'll try some wine and bring it home."

The new grape and wine council has only had a handful of meetings and is still in the development phase. As it evolves, it will bring together farmers, wine producers, UVM extension representatives, and experts in economic development and tourism. Agriculture officials say wine is another example of how Vermont farmers can diversify to find new markets. Honey, pears, blueberries, and maple are increasingly being used in wine.

Chris Granstrom will bottle his wine this spring, and hopes to open his new winery to the public Memorial Day. He's looking forward to working with the wine council to help grow the state's reputation as a Napa Valley of the Northeast. He says, "It's great. It is very exciting." The reputation, like the "Made in Vermont" product he'll sell, should only get better with age.

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