Vermont
Shelburne Vineyard
Cayuga White, 2005
$11.99
There are well-crafted wines being produced in both Vermont and New Hampshire, and because of a line of recently developed cold-tolerant grapes, the future looks bright for the states’ fledgling wine industry. In New Hampshire, Flagg Hill has been making wine from grapes for a while, and does a very good job; and there are some other bright spots in both states. Keep an eye out for wines produced by Chris Granstrom at Lincoln Peak Vineyards in New Haven, Vt.
One of the best producers in Vermont is Shelburne Vineyard. Owners Ken Albert and Scott Prom have been growing grapes organically in Shelburne overlooking Lake Champlain since 1998. They released their first wine in 2001, but until recently, there have been ups and downs as they tried to find the right grapes for the growing conditions, Albert said. But now, things seem to be going right. They’ve expanded, have new equipment, a distributor, and they’re winning international gold medals. They opened a new tasting room and a “state-of-the-art” winery in the fall, 2007.
I discovered a bottle of Shelburne Vineyard’s 2005 Cayuga White at the South Royalton Market. I had tried some of the fruit wines produced in both states and wasn’t expecting much. I was really surprised. The wine is delightful, and although it violates the tenets of this column about wine under $10, it’s worth the price. And when you consider the savings in gasoline and the environmental benefit, it’s even a bigger bargain.