South Hero’s Snow Farm Vineyard Adds a Distillery

Snow Farm Winery was the primary industrial vineyard in Vermont when it was established within the mid-Nineteen Nineties. Many years later, the South Hero vineyard is barreling into the spirits enterprise with Snow Farm Distillery.

Whereas persevering with to make wine, the Snow Farm staff will use among the 12-acre winery’s grape harvest to supply brandies and different spirits, stated Patrick Barrelet, the vineyard’s co-owner, head winemaker and head distiller. As a substitute of composting waste from the winemaking course of, “we’ll get the whole lot out of our grapes,” he stated. “We’re closing the wheel.”

In late fall, Snow Farm launched its first Port-style wine fortified with house-distilled brandy, Fortress Purple. Grappa will most likely be the following product, Barrelet stated; it is a brandy created from grape pomace, or the skins, seeds and stems left over after grapes are pressed for wine. He plans to supply elements from neighboring farms for gin and apple brandy; finally, he’d like to supply whiskeys.

“We’re not right here to invade the market and make rather a lot,” Barrelet stated. “It’ll be small batches.”

Offered completely on the vineyard at first, the brand new merchandise will likely be accessible for sampling within the tasting room. Snow Farm’s fashionable occasions, comparable to its summer time live performance sequence and winter Friday Evening Wine Downs, will serve cocktails made with the distillery’s spirits.

Barrelet discovered about distilling at a younger age from his Swiss and French household, who typically made eau-de-vie. “My grandfather confirmed me learn how to do it. Whenever you’re youthful, it is robust stuff,” he stated with fun. “However it was pure for me to go in and do the distilling.”