The dawn of a new year is a good time to pause and look back at the year that was. I think that, like Thanksgiving, it is a good time to express some gratitude for our burgeoning BC wine industry. So, with this in mind, I raise a glass and say, “Cheers!” to the following:
- The winery owners and investors who have the courage to follow their dream.
- The farmers, the vineyard workers and the pickers. Where would we be without them?
- Those who supply our wineries with equipment – tanks, hoses, valves, barrels, bottles, corks . . . . . . .
- Those who supply them with services such as mobile bottling, branding and promoting.
- The delivery companies who ship their wines to eager customers.
- Tasting room staff, the front-line people who are the ‘face’ of the company and sign up fans for their wine clubs.
- The accountants and office staff who keep the business ticking.
- The winemakers, assistants and ‘cellar rats’ who do all the grunt work (and there is a lot of it, believe me).
- The agents and shop keepers who make the wine available to us.
- The tour companies who ensure safe delivery of wine country tourists.
- To any others, I have inadvertently omitted.
Like the idea that, “It takes a village to raise a child,” it takes a lot of people, who are seldom recognized, to sustain a viable industry and bring us those wonderful wines we enjoy so much.
I thank you all.
As a proud component of #4, with branding & promoting wineries, I say thanks for the recognition of our work. We are very proud of what we do.