Gordon Murchie and Dave Barber, both Virginians, won two of the top awards from the American Wine Society in their annual awards ceremony at their annual convention in Rochester.

Gordon Murchie, long of the Vinifera Winegrowers Association, head of the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association, and wine writer and lecturer, was given the annual Award of Merit, the society’s highest honor. Murchie was presented the award at the annual meeting of the AWS last November for his decades of work improving the regulatory environment for the wine industry and protecting public access to wine. He helped lay the groundwork for the bipartisan U.S. Congressional Wine Caucus, and was head of the Virginia Wineries Association and the National Wine Coalition.

“Being recognized for something I love doing, promoting the appreciation, history and culture of American wine, is truly an honor,” Murchie said.

At the National Conference, Dave Barber was named the AWS 2011 Outstanding Member. According to the AWS, Dave joined the AWS in 1979 and has served as Chapter Chair of the Philadelphia and Northern Virginia groups. He coordinated the 1989 Amateur Wine Competition and served as Virginia Regional Vice President for eight years. He graduated from the Wine Judge Certification Program (WJCP) in 1988 and has been an instructor in the program since 1990. He chaired the WJCP for 10 years, raising the program standards
and maintaining a rigorous curriculum. Because of his efforts, the AWS achieved a reputation for qualified wine judges and reputable wine competitions.

“One thing that I really admire in the American Wine Society is that we are a volunteer organization. In order for this type of organization to be successful in its operations, it is essential to use its core volunteers to their fullest. But then, the AWS doesn’t just work with a core of volunteers…. It requires all of its members to step up and help out where necessary. Think about this as you return to your home chapters, and even come back to future Conferences. Don’t just sit there and wait for someone else to do what needs to be done…stand up, pitch in and help the cause,” said Barber at his acceptance speech.

For more information on the American Wine Society, visit www.americanwinesociety.org

Amissville, VA: VWG-Online, the online wine magazine formerly affiliated with the Virginia Wine Gazette, becomes
independent as of March 1, 2012. With a new name, VIRGINIA WINE GUIDE Online, the e-zine will continue to cover a full
range of stories on Virginia wines and wineries. The website address remains www.VWG-Online.com.

Content strategist Mary Ann Dancisin says, “Weʼre planning an ambitious campaign to reach more Virginia wine fans in 2012. New social media strategy, more interactive romotions, a visible presence at key wine festivals and trade shows – these are some of the elements weʼll employ to become the go-to source for the latest news on wine and winery-related tourism in the Commonwealth.” VWG-Online is published by Effective Communication Solutions, LLC, Dancisinʼs wine marketing firm located in Rappahannock County.

The focus of the revamped online magazine will be “to match [the consumerʼs] own preferences with the group of wineries most likely to please,” as stated in the new entityʼs Facebook profile. VWG-Onlineʼs objective is to cover all segments of Virginiaʼs wine scene: the e-zine will provide readers a clear path to finding and enjoying the wines they will love most.

For more information, contact Mary Ann Dancisin at vwg@studioecs.com or 540.937.2804.

DYKE, VA – Chris Breiner, Winemaker and Managing Partner at Stone Mountain Vineyards, died on February 14th, 2012. In addition to his work at the winery, he also managed the family law practice in Alexandria. An innovative winemaker with a wry wit, his tireless promotion of quality Virginia Wine led his peers to elect him as Vice President of the Virginia Wineries Association and as past Chairman of the Jeffersonian Grape Growing Society/Monticello Wine Trail. Well respected throughout the wine community, in 2009 he was selected as a Knight in the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine.

Dennis Horton, founder of Horton Vineyards and a long time friend said, “Chris was one of the good guys in the Virginia Wine industry. You knew where you stood with Chris and he always, always, did exactly what he said he would do. I will miss him tremendously.”

In a statement the Breiner family said, “Stone Mountain Vineyards is truly a testament to the vision and hard work Chris, and our late father Al, put into their collective dream. Both men had an abundant love of agriculture and of the land. They saw the vineyards and winery as a perfect vehicle to keep the rural mountain land preserved in productive agricultural production. The family remains committed to this shared family vision. The tasting room will reopen, as scheduled, on March 2nd and regular winery operations will continue; Chris would have wanted it no other way”.

Services and interment will be private.

As evidenced in the reader comments below, Breiner made a lasting personal impact on those who remember him and his wines and the contribution he made to the Virginia wine industry.

On January 18th, Virginia Senate Joint Resolution #114  was passed, commending the Virginia Wine Industry on the occasion of its 250th anniversary. The resolution text follows:

“WHEREAS, in 2012, the Virginia Wine Industry celebrates 250 years of producing internationally recognized fine wines; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth has a long and proud tradition of winemaking that traces its roots back to Colonial times, when settlers planted grape vines and made their own wines from the harvest; and

WHEREAS, several of the nation’s founding fathers, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, had an interest in viticulture and enology and contributed to the development of the wine industry in Virginia; and

WHEREAS, by the 1760s, Charles Carter, son of famed Virginia landowner and former speaker of the House of Burgesses, Robert “King” Carter, had planted 1,800 vines at his estate and was producing wines from both native and European grapes; and

WHEREAS, at the time, the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (Society) in London, England, offered awards for desirable enterprises in the colonies, including vine growing and winemaking; and

WHEREAS, in 1762, Charles Carter sent the Society a dozen bottles of his wine, made from the American winter grape and white Portugal summer grapes; and

WHEREAS, the Society awarded Charles Carter a gold medal as the first person to make a “spirited attempt towards the accomplishment of their views respecting wine in America,” making his wines the first internationally recognized wines of America; and

WHEREAS, the following year, Royal Governor Francis Fauquier, the governor of the Colony of Virginia, certified that the Carter family was successfully growing European vines, the first recorded history of successful grape production with European vines in Virginia; and

WHEREAS, in 2012, the Virginia Wine Industry will mark the 250th anniversary of the first internationally recognized fine wines produced in the Commonwealth as a result of Charles Carter’s award from the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Virginia Wine Industry on the occasion of its 250th anniversary of producing internationally recognized fine wines in the Commonwealth; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Virginia Wine Council and Philip Carter Strother, owner of Philip Carter Winery, as an expression of the General Assembly’s congratulations and appreciation of the Virginia Wine Industry’s historic contributions to the Commonwealth’s economy and viticultural heritage.”

May 24-26, 2012 will see a series of events commemorating the 250th anniversary of Charles Carter’s recognition by the Royal Society of Fine Arts, at Philip Carter Winery near Hume,  including a cultural evening, “Of Wine & Words…the Carter Wine Legacy” at the Historic Christ Church, Lancaster County, VA (founded by the Carters) on Thursday the 24^th of May 2012.  Following on Friday the 25^th a colonial dinner paired with Philip Carter Wines will be held in Cleve Hall at the winery in Hume.  On Saturday the 26^th of May, a festive celebration will conclude the Anniversary events. http://www.pcwinery.com/calendar.html.

Virginia Secretary of Agriculture Todd Haymore presented Jeanette Smith with the 2011 Grower of the Year award today at the Virginia Vineyards Association’s Annual Technical Meeting and Trade Show at the Omni in Charlottesville.

“This year’s nominee exceeds the Grower of the Year requirements, and then some. She is an invaluable resource to growers throughout Virginia and up and down the East Coast, and I am honored to present her with this award,” said Sec. Haymore. 

 Smith began working in Virginia vineyards in 1981, while studying horticulture at Virginia Tech. She received her bachelor’s degree in 1983. She since has been involved in planting, management and maintenance of vineyards in New York, North Carolina but primarily in Virginia. Her viticulture experience has run the gamut from vineyard laborer, manager, agricultural extension agent, consultant and sales agent for a major east coast agricultural chemical company. She has been education and research committee chair for the Virginia Vineyards Association as well as a member of the Virginia Wine Advisory Board.

“Jeanette is to be commended for the way she reaches out to our membership and shares her wealth of knowledge. She has been a tremendous supporter of the Virginia Viticulture Association members, and I, for one, would be at a loss without her Herbicide, Fungicide and Insecticide guide. Jeanette is an absolutely super person and I am sure that everyone will agree that this award is well deserved,” said Bill Tonkins, president, Virginia Vineyards Association.

Many growers in Virginia and throughout the East Coast and beyond may know her best as the brains behind VineSmith Vineyard Services.  Each year she publishes and sells her Vineyard Pest Management Tool Kit which gives growers updated, at your finger tips, information regarding the latest in fungicide, insecticide and herbicide chemical information. There are probably very few vineyards in Virginia, and the East Coast, where you can’t find this invaluable management tool tacked to the wall of the vineyard manager’s office.

 Smith, who lives in Shenandoah County, operates her own vineyard; runs VineSmith incorporated, and still finds time to consult for a number of vineyards throughout the state. She can often be found out in the vines with her trusty companion and completely spoiled beagle, Libby.

  Since 2005 The Virginia Vineyards Association has been pleased to honor one of its peers with The Grower of The Year Award. The criteria are: the nominee must be an active member of the Virginia Vineyards Association with at least seven years experience managing or operating a commercial vineyard of at least 5 acres. The nominee must be an active participant in the Virginia viticulture community with a track record of service to our industry. And last but not least, the nominee must have the respect of his or her peers.

  The Virginia Vineyards Association, incorporated in March 1983, originated in 1979/80 as a joint effort for information exchange and cooperation among viticulturists, wineries, and VPI & SU. Our goal to increase awareness and recognition of the quality and diversity of Virginia’s grapes and wines.  For more information, visit  http://www.virginiavineyardsassociation.com/

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that a newly released economic impact study shows that Virginia’s burgeoning wine industry contributes almost three-quarters of a billion dollars – or $747 million – annually to Virginia’s economy, an increase of 106 percent over the figures from the last economic impact study conducted in 2005. All major economic drivers examined in the comprehensive study showed significant double-digit percentage growth.

“The Virginia wine industry has seen tremendous growth over the last few years,” said Governor McDonnell. The 2010 Economic Impact Study of Wine and Wine Grapes on the Commonwealth of Virginia, which was completed by Frank, Rimerman + Co., was commissioned by the Virginia Wine Board (VWB) and completed in January 2011. It is the first economic impact study of the Virginia wine industry since 2005. That report showed that the Virginia wine industry employed just over 3,100 people and contributed more than $360 million to the Virginia economy on an annual basis. The study reflected the impact of approximately 130 wineries in 2005.

In comparing the figures from 2005 and 2010, the full economic impact of wine and wine grapes on the Virginia economy has more than doubled, from $362 million to $747 million, a 106 percent increase. The number of wineries increased from 129 in 2005 to 193 in 2010, a 49 percent increase. The number of full-time equivalent jobs at wineries and vineyards rose from 3,162 to 4,753, a 50 percent increase, and wages from jobs at wineries and vineyards increased from $84 million to $156 million, an 86 percent increase, during the same time period.

The report showed significant growth during the five-year period examined in the number of grape growers and grape bearing acreage as well as taxes generated for state and local governments. For example, the number of grape growers climbed from 262 to 386, a 47 percent rise over the same period. The number of grape bearing acres increased from 2000 in 2005 to 2,700 in 2010, a 35 percent climb. The amount of taxes paid to the state and to local governments grew from $21 million to $43 million, a 105 percent increase.

The study also highlights the significant impact that tourism is having on the Virginia wine industry, with the number of wine-related tourists visiting Virginia increasing from 1 million in 2005 to 1.62 million in 2010, a 62 percent increase. Expenditures related to winery tourism are up dramatically as well, with $57 million in 2005 versus $131 million in 2010, a 130 percent increase.

“The Virginia wine industry is one of the fastest-growing segments of Virginia’s diverse agricultural industry,” said Todd P. Haymore, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. “Most of the investments made, jobs created, taxes generated, and tourism driven expenditures around the wine industry are in rural areas, where they are making a big impact on local economies. This is especially good news for those regions, and the study shows what powerful economic drivers agriculture and tourism, two of Virginia’s largest industries, can be for the overall economy.”

Raising the profile of Virginia wines and wine tourism are key components of the governor’s economic development and jobs creation initiatives. The governor has promoted Virginia wines at the Virginia Executive Mansion and throughout Virginia, on domestic business recruitment visits, and on international trade and marketing missions to India, Israel, and countries in Europe and Asia. First Lady Maureen McDonnell has also incorporated wine and wine tourism promotions into her First Lady Initiative Team Effort or FLITE.

Sales of Virginia wine reached a record high in fiscal year 2011 with more than 462,000 cases, or more than 5.5 million bottles, sold. This volume marks a sales increase of more than 11 percent over the previous fiscal year. Virginia currently ranks fifth in the number of wineries in the nation with 210. Virginia is also the nation’s fifth-largest wine grape producer.

For the full 2010 Economic Impact Study of Wine and Wine Grapes on the Commonwealth of Virginia, please visit the Virginia Wine Marketing Office’s website at www.virginiawine.org/ or call 804-344-8200.