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

Side Dishes: “Nightfires,” “Nipples” and Others

Seven Days-Booze News by Suzanne Podhaizer

07-09-08

If you haven’t sampled much Vermont vino, this weekend might be a good time to start. The Lincoln Peak Vineyard in New Haven is celebrating the grand opening of its new tasting room with a Cajun band, wagon rides among the grapevines, artisan cheeses and, best of all, free tastings.

According to co-owner and Middlebury grad Chris Granstrom, the LPV put its first grapes in the ground seven years ago and finished filling out the 12-acre vineyard in 2005. “This is the first year the vineyard will be in full production,” he explains. “We made our first wine in 2003 on a very small scale. My daughters stomped the grapes with their bare feet. Oddly, it was one of the nicest wines we ever made.” Each year since has seen a rise in production.

“What sets us apart mostly is that we’re using only grapes we grew here at our vineyard. That’s our number-one claim to fame,” Granstrom boasts. Right now, those homegrown fruits are featured in four wines with dreamy names: the white “Black Sparrow” and “Cloud Mountain,” red “Cove Road,” and a ros called “Starlight.” The vintners are also working on an ice wine called “Nightfires.”

Imbibers who rely on familiar varietals such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir will have to think outside the crate when sampling LPV’s offerings. Their fruit comes from “a new collection of grape varieties that have mostly been developed at the University of Minnesota,” Granstrom says. “They have good wine qualities and the ability to withstand northern winters. We got in early with these, and got our hands on cuttings of some of the best varieties.”

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