WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Turning a weed into wine

East Calais, Vermont - May 27, 2011

Some people look at a field of dandelions and see weeds, but Phil Tonks sees opportunity.

"If you can't beat 'em-- eat 'em!" he said.

Reporter Gina Bullard: Traditionally people try to get rid of dandelions.

Phil Tonks: Well around here that's pretty hard to do. The hay fields are filled with them, so there's no point in fighting them. Do something with them.

He takes advantage of the fast-growing yellow flowers by making an age old product, dandelion wine.

"It's kind of flowery," Tonks said. "You get a little grassy coming through it and a citrus undertone to it."

And it's not easy to get there. Buckets of petals have to be handpicked, a very labor-intensive process that I got a try at.

"There's a natural break point behind the petals and if you get your thumb nail in there it pulls right apart," Tonks advised.

To make one gallon of wine it takes almost a full bucket of petals.

"Just looking for a good group of yellow," Tonks said.

He makes a tea from the petals and adds yeast, water and citrus, which ferments for a year to make the flowery refreshment.

Bullard: Is it worth all the work to pick these and go through this for you?

Tonks: Yeah, it is it kind of fun to do and a lot of people can remember tasting dandelion wine that their grandfather made or something like that.

Tonks doesn't just stop with dandelions at his Grand View Winery; he buys fruit from local farmers to make many different kinds of fruit wines, like strawberry rhubarb and this black courant cassis wine. And this small winery is producing big results-- selling thousands of bottles of award-winning wine every year.

"We have a capacity here of 8,000 gallons we do somewhere in the range of 25,000 to 30,000 a year," Tonks said.

Their dandelion wine costs $14.50 for a half-size bottle and one season's stock normally sells out in one week.

Tonks: Every summer I get someone who will say to me, do you plant these to make wine?

Bullard: And do you?

Tonks: Nooo!

Bullard: Not bad right? (Pointing in the bucket of flower petals I picked)

Tonks: Yeah, you could stay a little longer and get a few more done.

Bullard: My knees hurt too much! (laughing)

A natural Vermont resource that's grown into a blooming business.

Grand View's dandelion and other fruit wines are sold around the Montpelier area and at their winery in East Calais. Click here for more information.

Gina Bullard – WCAX News