The Chittenden County Historical Society has announced the 2010 winners of its Historic Preservation Awards. Awards are given for outstanding efforts to preserve public space; education projects to preserve local history; residential, commercial, and public buildings; and community commitment to maintenance and creative use of historic buildings and structures. A list of nominees is developed from a call for nominations put out to members and the public through their website; then, nominees are visited by committee members including architects, educators, developers and preservationists and the winners are chosen from among the sites visited. This year Shelburne Vineyard was singled out to receive the Commercial Category award “for their thoughtful and resourceful preservation of farmland, forests, and our environment through sustainable production and facilities.”
Shelburne Vineyard, which was founded in 1998, opened its current facility on Shelburne Road in 2008 on a 14 acre partially wooded site that had traditionally been used for agriculture. Upon choosing the site, the Ken Albert appealed to the local Planning Commission to have the land re-zoned to accommodate “value-added agriculture,” thereby allowing its agricultural heritage to continue with their Vineyard and to include their Winery and Tasting Room as well. Working with Architects, Selin and Selin of Shelburne, they crafted a state-of-the-art wine processing facility and retail space in a traditionally designed shingle-style building, reminiscent of the historic structures at Shelburne Farms.
The building and surrounding infrastructure were built to meet the strictest environmental and energy efficiency standards. Locally produced materials were used wherever possible. The walls, crafted in Hinesburg by Foam Laminates, consist of 8′ thick prefabricated insulated panels. Lighting in the processing area is motion-sensitive to prevent waste of electricity, while lighting fixtures in the Tasting Room was crafted locally by Charlotte-based Verdigris Copper. Hot water is on-demand and a portion of the Vineyard’s electrical power is purchased through GMP’s renewable energy sources. The colorful terrazzo floors, created by Frost Building Services of Charlotte, were composed by broadcasting an aggregate of colorful local stones onto the still-wet cement slab and then polishing it, to offer a warm, natural feel. The Tasting Bar was crafted by Shelburne Fine Wood Working from cherry wood harvested from near-by Shelburne Farms.
Shelburne Vineyard has a commitment to being responsible stewards of the land. The majority of its vineyard locations are located on lands designated to remain in agriculture in perpetuity through deed or conservation agreement. Some of the vineyard plantings retain organic certification from NOFA-VT, while the remainder is managed using sustainable practices and integrated Pest Management strategies coupled with intensive hand and mechanical weeding and leaf pruning to achieve the highest quality crops.
“We’re so proud to have been acknowledged by the CC Historical Society for doing our share to preserve the agricultural landscape and economy of Vermont,” said Ken Albert, Shelburne Vineyard’s founder, “we’re hoping our work here will not only preserve the historical heritage here, but will begin to write a new viticultural chapter in the agricultural history of Vermont.”
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