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Charles Dodge, founder of Putney Mountain Winery in Vermont, explains Vermont's rich heritage of making wines.
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I -- -- that we gotta talk line and I love talking about wine that is different in coming out of the crazies places like ahead of me composer.
Charles died is Dodds is with a straight now founder of Putney -- and winery in Vermont which.
In and of itself is a conversation but first let's talk about you.
You -- a composer your professor and -- music that's right I was we have learned pop music asking.
Yeah does that tradition that -- the first third composes and that tradition to get into do they recognize the use of computers in.
Enhancing the composers.
Talent -- who owns.
So -- as early as the 1960s I was programming computers to make sounds that it was it -- -- used in my compositions.
Still added that.
-- -- -- -- Will it took awhile but I always enjoyed line that after we had moved to Vermont to when I started teaching at Dartmouth.
A realize that we -- united.
First rate agricultural territory I had grown up and one in the midwest and and this was another one of a very different sort critical.
-- it's cold and the proliferation of fruits and non.
Sort of non field crops.
Corn and soybeans don't that I would get much.
-- there.
Was really quite exciting -- apple orchards need the very fields.
The cranberry this is you know.
They cut them up when you think -- -- you know I think that I think enables here.
That's -- I think microbreweries.
And cheese and cheese and -- Had noticed that you just named three agricultural product -- act and has been line is another one sooner you start getting into line up and decide that you're going you basically.
-- east -- and live off the land and me in line with what you have.
Frankly I didn't quit my day job for -- -- -- but.
Paths.
If you turned out it was a hobby at first and -- -- -- -- Erica was the first -- as sparkling apple line really yeah I have read about using cold apple varieties -- apple varieties to make line.
And I tried it myself and was it's very -- gratified isn't.
This the same that you have to fermenting that you put an end vanished alcohol without bond Apple's O Weldon once they have their sugar in apples and -- they -- That it -- -- converted to alcohol -- that being said you could you take her.
That's pretty much right.
In fact you can use certain things are even -- we make an area.
Rhubarb wine which is really quite striking -- -- -- northern European tradition.
That.
Has been well it's just been commonly and then use for wind making for.
Generation you make a hot line to that's right there's -- -- honey wine made from honey that's called need.
There's wine made from maple syrup there's wine made from.
I'm grateful you know and why we need to get tropical -- -- well sure and it's politics is.
It takes is a sugar contents and -- and you can make an alcohol products.
-- OK -- what you have you had no luck with old tractor tires.
-- -- that doesn't have a lot -- did you chocolate after a while now.
I didn't I would think chocolate if properly -- would make an interesting talisman has brought us -- these bottles -- -- I think I think something that should be said is that people think of the northern climates as.
Not being wine country and I think that's that's an idea that should be.
That has to be -- thought -- there's been experiment.
In agricultural experiments especially in the state of Minnesota which is -- able.
Researchers to develop wine varieties that are hardy and cold -- OK so that's actually it was something we should talk about because apparently you have a great developed by Cornell as well you -- he's -- right now so.
I did I understand the notion that all these fruits grow up there.
But how then do you grow grapes in a cold climate.
Exactly -- the problem with throwing good Grayson called planet is always meant that they get killed off in the winter -- of the cold temperatures.
The the researchers at the university of Minnesota has been developed varieties that are that will remain.
Hardy little whose roots won't be affected down to forty degrees below zero now there's one thing for -- first -- to survive.
But it's another thing for great to survives to make good -- and that's what they've done now made it possible to make good red lines and good white wines from winter hardy very.
You talking about a -- into my -- great you're not talking about like the delicate group local Luciano from Italy grapes that's we're talking about like what.
German great.
So now these are very these are American grapes that are hybrids developed in American agriculture research facilities both at Cornell university in New York State.
And the university of Minnesota.
Excuse my ignorance but you know they develop these grapes and then what do you plant this heat in the soil in Vermont where you just get the -- -- you do you plan to leave behind well actually it's -- very much and it's it's a young field.
And one of the exciting things about being -- winemaker in Vermont at this time.
Is that field is so young it's a little like computer music in the sixties we could do we could and every time we went out and did something no.
It was it was exciting and that's what we're finding with.
With the wine industry and for -- people are you making lions.
That we're never thought to be is never thought possible and that never were never were made.
In in.
Other circumstances for example there's one of the lines that I brought this from the from the grand -- -- and that's called a raspberry confusion none has very infusion is a red -- which has been infused with red raspberry.
What's your favorite.
Oh boy I would have another they're taking your favorite that's -- that -- hard.
At.
I think the Vermont -- -- quite wonderful.
The Marquette red -- is one of my favorite sector right great that's right it's a Redgrave ruined her mind.
A 100%.
And it makes system delicious.
Hey and a maple and -- that's right that's a maple wine made from.
For -- maple syrup.
There is a there's another.
Another kind of -- that's that's becoming common in.
Vermont and that is called an -- want.
And Priceline is the wind where -- grapes are grew.
And then.
Left on the line until after they've begun to freeze -- the effect of that is to freeze the water.
But not the sugar content so that they know higher sugar content results.
And the in -- excuse sir -- -- we get your line.
You go to build the best way yes is to visit the Vermont wineries there's again a hard -- that's right but I can't and I started fifteen years ago there were six Vermont wineries today -- over thirty.
-- -- -- -- Most of this nice tourism yeah exactly yeah I hear that but if I can't -- -- contract can I ordered them yes.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- And yeah we ship our -- and and then you can and you know there's certain.
The law is very complicated I announced that they -- eight state to state its publicly that's changing -- -- I would hope so.
I would tier I think you're -- amazing that you're doing this and I do think that there's and we said about the fact that these are made in the continental US people are very -- -- products like that he's he's.
Not to mention.
Why -- are getting experimental.
Well exactly and I think in the future of the winemaking and making industry is.
There's one in which participant lines and small small production will play a greater and greater role maybe -- CD echoes of it.
Who I I really look forward to that at.
Child -- your -- founder of -- nine winery in Vermont check out the website.
I think they -- -- the bottles are beautiful and I love the new little combatants one little person like me can drink a bottle by her little loans and the Dow is down 78 points --
