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Members who attended the Okanagan BCFWA summer gathering held in West Kelowna on July 15th got a deep dive into the multi-million dollar winery opened six years ago by Marcus Frind, whose belief in data/research is reshaping the industry.
The tour included a visit to the vineyards and a discussion about this year’s varied crop with the vineyard manager, Lucas Johnson. Lab Manager Tara Holitzki shared how she transitioned from a career in environmental sustainability in Hawaii to designing Frind Estate Winery’s state-of-the-art lab and Chief Winemaker Corrie Krehbiel shared her insights into production. The tour was followed by some top-notch wine tasting and a casual dinner on the deck. Five BCFWA members enjoyed the day.
What our members said:
"I learned a lot and found the conversations refreshing and interesting. It's cool talking with people who are aware and informed on events in the agriculture/viticulture sector,” said new BCFWA member, Megan Cary, Communications and Member Services Manager at BC Fruit Growers’ Association. “I find most of my conversations on agriculture are usually with friends (who have limited experience with agriculture) or growers, who tend to focus on specific situations or commodities, rather than the broader industry.”
“You always learn something new. Although I follow viticulture in the Okanagan and Similkameen quite closely, each time I speak with viticulturists, I learn more,” said newly returned member and freelancer Tom Walker. “It is highly unlikely that one person or one publication would ever get such an in-depth look at an operation and the staff who led us were obviously selected. I was particularly impressed with how candid they were with their answers.”
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