Vermont is a relative newcomer to the world of wine, with Fresh Tracks Farm opening in 2003, but since then followed by many others, largely in response to the availability of cold-hardy “Minnesota” varieties like Frontenac, LaCrescent, and Marquette. The Green Mountain State also has an abundance of other fruit and beekeepers, so non-grape fruit wines and meads are common and popular. Ice wines, made from grapes frozen on the vine, are also a luscious specialty when the weather cooperates.
The Vermont Grape and Wine Council is dedicated to promotion, education, quality enhancement, and regulatory change. A couple years ago, Burlington was the site of VitiNord, a major International Cold Climate Wine Conference, highlighting Vermont’s status as a serious producer. This year’s event is in Lithuania.
Great Grapes: LaCrescent
LaCrescent is one of the most popular white wine grapes among the extreme cold-hardy “Minnesota” varieties. It typically produces wines of a germanic character, reminiscent of Vignoles or Riesling, that can please at several levels on the dry-to-sweet continuum, and may also be used for blending.