Manager, Assistant Winemaker

You may know what a Chardonnay or a Pinot Grigio is. But, when your bartender offers you a Vidal or a Seyval, we’ve seen that blank look on your face. We’re here to help take the mystery out of our East Coast grapes, starting with Vidal Blanc.

Vidal Blanc, simply known as Vidal, is the chameleon of white wine grapes. The flavor profile of Vidal changes depending on where it’s grown and the weather each year.

You could say its versatility makes Vidal like an actor for the winemaker who is directing the show. Vidal changes depending on the part the winemaker directs it to play each year. One year it will taste like a Sauvignon Blanc, another like Pinot Grigio, or it can taste like a Riesling. Vidal is most well known for its star role in creating ice wines with their complex sweet flavor.

“Every year is different for the Vidal because it all depends on the length of the growing season,” said Snow Farm Vineyard winemaker Patrick Barrelet. “What makes Vidal so unique is that every year we can make wines that resemble different types of vinifera varieties.”

For example, at Snow Farm Vineyard in 2020, we had a really hot summer, and that led to making a sweeter style wine. Because our Vidal Blanc is so versatile, we offer it as a white table wine and update the tasting notes each year.

“I made a wine with the 2020 Vidal grapes like they do in Burgundy, France. It’s more of a Chardonnay style,” Patrick said. “If I have a very short and cold season, I would choose to make a different style.”

Vidal is an East Coast favorite in the U.S. because it grows well in a shorter season. It’s not all that well known because it’s more of a fringe grape and not used in large-scale wine production. For example, Vidal is not typically grown in California.

Where Vidal Blanc Got it's Start

Vidal Blanc is a French hybrid grape that got it’s start in France. It was created in the 1930s by Frenchman Jean Louis Vidal in an attempt to make a Cognac style grape that could handle the cold winters of Western France. The parent grapes are the Vitis vinifera grape Ugni blanc (used to make Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cognac), and Rayon d’Or, a winter-hardy hybrid.

The experiment made Vidal a hero to many winemakers. The grape was unique because it had thick skin and could survive the winter in France. It was named after it’s creator and became popular in Canada and throughout the Northeast. The reason it isn’t well known around the world is because it’s like a custom grape made especially for places that have a shorter growing season than the typical wine-country regions.

But, it turns out that even the Vidal grape can be a victim to winter weather. The Vidal grapevines often need winter protection in areas of Northern Vermont and Canada. That’s why many vineyards in colder regions now turn to ever hardier hybrids developed in Minnesota, like the Frontenac and St. Croix grapes.

“Vidal grows really well at Snow Farm Vineyard, but it’s also a sensitive grape vine. When we chose the location for our vineyard on the shores of the Lake Champlain Islands, it was so we could grow grapes that wouldn’t need winter protection,” Patrick said. “Our climate is closer to the Finger Lakes of New York where it’s milder than most areas of Vermont.”

How to Enjoy Vidal Blanc

Vidal isn’t a wine that can be assigned to a list of tasting notes. The flavors change each year, and Vidal can be used to make both dry and sweet wines. You’re bound to find a Vidal you like since there is one out there for every taste.

Most Vidals contain bright fruit flavors with pear, pineapple, grapefruit, or apple. The sweetness will vary depending on how much residual sugar the winemaker decides to leave in the wine.

Vidal really shines when it’s made into ice wine. The grapes are left on the vines into the dead of winter so the juice can concentrate within the grape. The wines are often pricier because it takes more grapes to make the wine, and the process is more labor intensive. The fruits of the winemaker’s labor are well worth it, though. Snow Farm Vineyard’s ice wine is a sweet, delicious dessert wine full of honey, wildflower, and fruit flavors.

If you are pairing your Vidal with food, the fruitiness is a perfect match with seafood. Dryer Vidal Blanc wines work well with spicier dishes to cut the heat or with pork and roasted vegetables.

Pair your ice wine with creamy desserts like cheesecake, ice cream or soft cheeses like Brie.

And remember if you find a Vidal you love, you better stock up!

“If you enjoy that wine and you really like it, you better get some because the next batch won’t be exactly the same,” Patrick said.

A true taste of a moment in time.

Aronia berries are new-ish to the superfood scene and have been gaining popularity over the past couple of decades. You can’t find them in your local grocery store yet, but you’ve probably seen them used more often as an ingredient, health supplement, or syrup.

Aronia berries are getting attention because they have more antioxidants in them than blueberries, elderberries, cranberries, acai berries, and most fruit according to Iowa State University Extension.

They’re rich in a type of antioxidant called polyphenols. Researchers say these compounds may help protect against diseases like metabolic disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. That’s because they have a positive effect on blood pressure, glucose levels, and lipid profiles.

Also, clinical studies have demonstrated beneficial anti-inflammatory effects following six weeks of daily Aronia-berry juice consumption, according to the Food Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin.

There needs to be more research done to understand how the fruit could be best absorbed for maximum benefits, but overall the research shows there is a wide range of potential medicinal and therapeutic uses for Sronia berries.

What Do Aronia Berries Taste Like and Where Do They Grow?

Aronia berries are also known as black chokeberries because they have a tart, dry taste much like a wine grape. They can be eaten straight off the bush, but they might be too mouth-puckering for some people.

The berries are dark purple-black in color and grow on a deciduous shrub. You can find them here in the Northeast and across the U.S. in zones 3-8. European countries have been growing Aronia berries commercially for decades because they have been popular there longer than in the U.S.

The Aronia bush can get up to 6 feet tall, and the berries stay edible on the plant for up to 6 weeks during the mid to late-summer harvest time.

Even though many people find aronia berries to be too sour or bitter, their taste pleasantly transforms to become fruity when mixed with other foods or beverages. They’re also often used for the deep natural coloring they add.

How to Enjoy Aronia Berries

If you want to taste a fresh Aronia berry, you’ll most likely have to grow your own unless you can find a local farm or grower in your area that has them.

Aronia berry products are usually found in health food stores and online in the form of syrups, juice, tea, spreads, jellies, chews, powders, supplements, and dried or dehydrated berries. The berries are also added to ice cream, yogurt, and…wine!

At Snow Farm Vineyard, we source our Aronia berries from a grower in Franklin, Vermont, to use in our Rosé.

Two years ago, we experimented with letting the Aronia berries soak into the wine for a few weeks. We first noticed the color was beautiful and long-lasting, plus it added some complex flavors.

The result? The Aronia berry has made our Rosé one of our best-sellers since we introduced it! The Aronia berries were a perfect match with the Frontenac Gris and Baco Noir grapes we use in our Rosé.

“We like the color the Aronia berries give our wine and it also brought in some unique flavors,” said head winemaker Patrick Barrelet. “Usually our Rosé is very strawberry forward, but the Aronia gives it flavors of raspberry and blueberry…plus the strawberry makes it a richer type of Rosé.”

You might wonder if we put strawberries or other berries in our wine, but we don’t – the flavors all come from mixing the grapes with the Aronia berries in the fermentation process.

“Grapes ferment and you get a lot of aromas and flavors without actually adding anything other than grapes,” Patrick said.

Last year, we introduced our Rosé in May, and it sold out in September. Never fear; each year, our Rosé is available again in May!

“The Aronia brings in another dimension to our wine. It’s a really powerful berry both in its potential health benefits and its ability to make our Rosé unlike anything else you’ve tried,” Patrick said.

So, grab a bottle of Rosé and raise your glass to nature’s most powerful fruit!

A Rosé Cocktail Recipe

The Snow Farm Vineyard Rosé is on the dry side and has a lovely tart strawberry note. A great way to use the Rosé in a cocktail is with a Rosé Refresher.

Rosé Refresher Cocktail

Ingredients:

1 oz. vodka
1/4 oz. simple syrup
3 fresh basil leaves
2 or 3 fresh sliced strawberries
2 oz. chilled Rosé from Snow Farm Vineyard

Instructions:

Add vodka, simple syrup, and basil leaves to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously then pour this mixture into a glass with sliced strawberries and ice cubes. Pour the Rosé over the top and stir gently. Add an additional basil leaf on top of the drink as a garnish.

Author: Cassandra Martin

What Kind of Wine is Vidal Blanc? It Changes Every Year