I first tried Big Barn Red back in the fall of 2009 on a trip up to Vermont to see my brother-in-law Robin Hoover in Stowe. Recently, (ah hmmm) I tried their wines at the Taste Camp Vermont. So this post is a tad late.....apologies.
The winery is owned by David and Linda Boyden. "Located in a restored 1875 carriage barn on our family farm, the Boyden Valley Winery is steeped in the culture and agricultural heritage of Vermont’s Green Mountains. From 8000 grapevines and 100 acres of maple trees, lovingly tended by our family for four generations, we craft wines that feature only the finest locally grown fruit from the loamy soils of the Lamoille River Valley. The care with which we’ve nurtured the Boyden Farm for 100 years lends itself to traditional winemaking techniques, producing wines clean to the palate and balanced."
Boyden Family Farm is also known for it's pure bred, and all natural, non-GMO fed beef, as well as their 100% natural maple syrup production. And their winery production now also offers cider and spirits. In the past, I have reviewed the Big Barn Red, Gold Leaf dessert wine, and Vermont Ice Maple Cream. (I am dying to try their Pomme spirits next...LOL)
Since my first encounter with them, Boyden Valley Winery has grown.They now have two locations! Their original location, and their new Tasting Annex in Waterbury situated at the famous Cold Hollow Cider Mill on Route 100. The original and charming tasting room in Cambridge at the winery of course remains open.David and Linda remain fixtures of course, but the staff has grown. Bridget Jones in the General Manager, Nick Roy is the winemaker, JT Bachman is the assistant manager, and Tom Lyga runs the new annex for the winery.
The first wine I tried was the Boyden Valley Winery Cowtipper White Wine. The wine is made from the grape LaCrescent. It was a lovely wine, bright and fruity, like a semi-sweet Riesling, with lots of green apple and hints of grapefruit, apricot and even hints of pear and honeysuckle. Delicious!
Let me say again, 8 years later, Big Barn Red is as impressive a wine now as it was then. And that's saying something, because the industry in Vermont has grown up around them significantly, and this wine has kept pace.
Boyden Family Big Barn Red is made using estate grown Frontenac blended with and regional Cabernet Savignon. This is meant to be a big, Bordeaux styled red, and it delivers. Gargantuan notes of dark back cassis and black raspberries converge with dark cherry, smoke, and cocoa. A lovely, love;y big red. Calls for something grilled, charred, or roasted! Or something big like a Penne Arrabiata. Wonderful!
Boyden Valley Vineyards is an amazing place that is certainly more than just keeping up with the burgeoning Vermont craft beverage scene - it's helping to lead it! Go and check it out!
http://eastcoastwineries.blogspot.com/2017/01/vermont-ice-maple-creme-vt.html
http://eastcoastwineries.blogspot.com/2009/11/boyden-valley-big-red-barn.html