The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership founded the first U.S. International Wine Trail in the Fall of 2012 as part of the Heritage Area’s commitment to connect communities and conservation. The trail promotes sustainable economic development by showcasing the working landscape on all sides of Lake Champlain. The trail encompasses nearly 40 vineyards and cideries in Vermont, New York and Québec. Though agriculture has long been a way of life in the Champlain Valley, commercial winemaking only began here during the 1980s. With advancements in cold climate viticulture, winemakers now grow more grape varieties that can withstand our chilly winters, producing high quality wines that rival those from major grape growing regions.
The Champlain Valley International Wine Trail was established to highlight the winemakers cultivating hearty northern grapes in the basin.
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