TNs from Boyden Valley Winery, Vermont

Back in Oct., Teri and I went back East to enjoy the fall colors. While we were motoring around the back roads of Vermont we stumbled on this winery. Being one never to miss an opportunity to try something new, we had to stop. Sadly, if this is representative of Vermont wineries they should really stick (pun intended) to maple syrup….

Seyval Blanc This was actually the best of the lineup. Very dry, steely, and a bit harsh, but palatable. 75 points

Cayuga (white) Has an odd medicinal nose, all very dry but quite strange. Seek dump bucket. 65 points

Millot Very light, dirty, dusty, no fruit, yuck. 60 points

Riverbend Red from Baco-Noir and Chambourcin, winery claims this is similar to a Burgundy (?). Better than the Millot, but still yuck with a medicinal note and lacking any sort of decent fruit.

Glogg (red) Ah hah! So this is what they do to their wines to make them palatable, add mulled spices! Bleech, mulled spiced belong with apple cider.

Gold Leaf Vermont Maple Reserve This was their specialty, so I had to try it. It’s a dessert wine, with the base wine made from Northern Spy apples and mixed with maple syrup and barrel aged for five years. What a wasted five years. Yes, it was sweet, yes it tasted like maple (sort of watered down maple though), quite plain and dull.

All the rest were fruit wines such as Rhubarb, apple raspberry, Blueberry. I couldn’t bring myself to go there, after the preceding wines I could face no more.

Still, it was an interesting visit