Vt. vineyards applaud possible federal recognition to boost wine industry

SHELBURNE, Vt. (WCAX) – A petition to make the Champlain Valley a federally recognized wine region could finally come to fruition.

Tyler MacKelvey has been working on Vermont vineyards for 11 years. He is on the board of the Vermont Grape & Wine Council, whose petition has been years in the making.

“It’ll be great to get some recognition for all of the great growers in the Champlain Valley,” MacKelvey said.

Shelburne Vineyard co-founder Kenneth Albert originally sent the petition in 2022, hoping to show off Vermont’s wines to a wider audience.

“First of all, I’m gratified, and somewhat amazed that this is finally happening,” Albert said.

The federal proposal from the Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau would make the Champlain Valley an American Viticultural Area, or an AVA. Albert said that would make the Champlain Valley a household name to wine enthusiasts.

“When you pick up a bottle of American wine, it doesn’t say California on it, it says Napa Valley or Sonoma Valley, and so people are used to seeing an area delineated. So, when you pick up a bottle of Vermont wine right now, it says Vermont, that’s all. If it says Champlain Valley of Vermont, we think that will add to the interest, and will also draw more tourists here,” Albert said.

Wine regions are known for their different climates. The Champlain Valley is no different.

“Basically, Lake Champlain is the banana belt of Vermont,” Albert said.

The lake creates a more temperate climate, but many Vermont wines are made of cold-hardy grapes specifically bred to survive the cold.

“There’s a lot of great producers that are making really great wine, and the more people that get shown that you can make good wine in Vermont, the better,” MacKelvey said.

Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts said in a statement, “This milestone strengthens Vermont’s growing agri-tourism economy and showcases the passion and craftsmanship of our wine producers.”