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

Vermont's 11th Winery Opens to Public

Wines & Vine Magazine, Jane Firstenfeld

07-14-08

Lincoln Peak proprietor Chris Granstrom (left) and Lincoln Peak's new tasting room (right

New Haven, Vt. -- Lincoln Peak Vineyard added "Winery" to its name and held a grand opening celebration Saturday at its new tasting room. Owners Chris and Michaela Granstrom farmed strawberries in Vermont's Champlain Valley for 23 years. Six years ago, they began planting vineyards specializing in cold-hardy winegrapes, including varieties developed by the University of Minnesota and the late Elmer Swenson, a breeder from Wisconsin. The crops sold out every year to other winemakers. Now, Lincoln Peak is a bonded winery with an annual production of 2,000 cases, according to Wines & Vines' 2008 Annual Directory.

According to the winery's recently revamped website, all of Lincoln Peak's wines are estate-grown. Offerings, which are available for purchase online, all are proprietary blends, including Starlight Dry Rosé ($14/750ml bottle) and Nightfire ice wine ($35/375ml bottle).

Among the red varieties grown at Lincoln Peak are Marquette, Frontenac, St. Croix and its sister, Sabrevois; most of these are cold-hardy to between -25° and -30°F. White varieties include LaCrescent, a University of Minnesota release; Louise Swenson and Swenson White, Prairie Star, LaCross, St. Pepin, ES8-2-43 and Frontenac Gris, a natural variant of Frontenac with light red/gray fruit, ideal for rosé wines.

According to the website, Chris Granstrom and his crew built the farm structures themselves. Most of the wood in the tasting room came from butternut trees on the property, and the tasting room bar-top was crafted of planks from a single hickory tree in the woods. The winery takes its name from one of Vermont's Green Mountains, visible to the east from the vineyard. The winery is 32 miles south of Burlington.

The Lincoln Peak line-up Granstrom hopes to forge relationships with nearby cheese producers, bakers and restaurateurs to capitalize on the recent "locavore" trend. There is, he notes, great interest in local foods, production, and the "flavor" of a place.

Lincoln Peak will be a host during the Tour de Farm in Addison County Bicycle Tour on Sept. 21. On Oct. 10, Granstrom will speak about "The Vermont Grape" at Mary's Inn at Baldwin Creek. For details, check Winery Events at lincolnpeakvineyard.com.

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