Vermont’s snowy mountain peaks and Lake Champlain shores can inspire dreams of outdoor adventure. But anyone who drives through the Green Mountain State during summer may feel an equally strong pull toward the lush fields of fruits and vegetables that grow across Vermont. This agricultural abundance has led to an increasingly artisanal and locally focused dining scene in cities like Burlington, as demonstrated at Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner Dedalus Wine Bar.
Located in a revitalized industrial section of downtown Burlington, Dedalus is a combination wine bar, wine shop and boutique food market. Chef Brian Popov's seasonally rotating menu consists of casual yet refined fare like fresh oysters, cheese boards and leeks vinaigrette, with much of the produce supplied by local farms and purveyors during spring and summer. More substantial options include the newly added pissaladière (a pizza-like flatbread from southern France), as well as mushroom risotto and handmade pappardelle with ragù Bolognese. Wine director Liza Morgioni recommends pairing the pappardelle with Dedalus’ own Chianti Classico label made by Tuscany’s Corsini family.
Wine Bar Meets Wine Shop
Morgioni’s wine list focuses on wineries practicing sustainable production methods, and there are about 440 selections on offer, representing a diverse range of styles. Alongside well-known names like the Rhône Valley’s Vieux Télégraphe, Burgundy’s Marquis d’Angerville or Piedmont’s Aldo Conterno, you’ll find low-intervention producers from the United States and beyond, such as Broc Cellars, Martha Stoumen and Vermont’s own Ellison Estate. Dedalus’ wine shop offers many of the same wines as the restaurant, so if you enjoy the wine you have with your meal, you can easily buy a bottle to take home.
The dining room—separated from the wine shop by clear glass windows—features brick walls, wood tabletops and shelves of wine bottles, all of which create a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. In summer months, diners can soak up the sun on the restaurant’s patio and at night they can enjoy themed pairings like burgers with Beaujolais or lobster rolls with canned wines. Dedalus also hosts weekly blind tastings and regular “industry takeovers” during which a winemaker, sommelier or other wine professional hosts an educational tasting event.
Not in Burlington? Check out Dedalus’ two other Vermont locations in Stowe and Middlebury, as well a sibling spot in Boulder, Colo.
