By Gerd Hirschmann
updated
Wed, Feb 29, 2012 10:43 AM
Rural land seems under threat from residential and commercial
development all over the state and developing wineries and
vineyards could be a good agricultural alternative to big box
retail and self-storage buildings creeping up along country
highways.
Quite a few new wineries have opened in recent years, bringing the
number to over a dozen. It is a young industry with even younger
vines, but excitement seems to be growing over the success and
quality of wines produced in Vermont. Despite famously harsh
climate.
While it still is a challenge, a few pioneers of wine growing have
developed new varieties which make it possible for vines to age
long enough to produce grapes for wine.
Some of the varietals successful in Vermont are French hybrids such
as Leon Millot, Baco Noir, Seyval Blanc, Vidal and Cayuga. Other
vines in the ground include cold-hardy clones of central European
varieties like German Riesling or Austrian Zweigelt, or such newly
developed varieties as Vignoles, Traminette, Lacrescent, St. Croix,
Louise Swenson, Frontenac, or Marquette.
Many are already successfully grown in Vermont and if you find a
bottle of wine made in Vermont, you probably find one or a few of
these listed on the label of some surprisingly delicious
wines.
A distinction, however, needs to be made between wine 'made in
Vermont' and made in Vermont 'from Vermont grown grapes,' as many
Vermont wineries use purchased fruit from other regions to make
their wines.
There does not seem to be enough grapes grown in the state to fill
the demand, so it almost seems a necessity to come up with
additional juice to stay commercially viable. Many also blend
imported grapes with Vermont-grown grapes to stretch the yield for
a particular winery.
So far there is no real regulation for what can be called "Vermont
wine," so the use of blends with local grapes still is most often
called a Vermont product. The destinction becomes even more
complicated when considering the origin of other ingredients, such
as yeast.
The verdict is still out, but it is worth giving wines from Vermont
wines a try; blended or not.
Tagged:
Wine, Wine Experiments
