In my baby book my mother had written that I was a very social and chatty baby; that I smiled at everyone I met. I am still that person today; I want to meet everyone.

How lucky am I that I have a global community of people in the wine world!

Today is my 20th anniversary in the industry, so I thought it is a great time to formally launch my blog. I start it off with an outpouring of gratitude…

Looking Back
I could not know 20 years ago when I took a job as an intern with the British Columbia Wine Institute that it would fast-forward to me recognizing an anniversary like today. What a golden opportunity I was given to learn from the best: Christine Coletta, who was the executive director at that time. I’m so thankful that she saw something in me and invited me along on her amazing journey, which has become my own.

This would be to waaaaay too long a post if I got biographical and reflected on all the people I have worked with and met, and all the experiences I’ve had in wine. But I am extremely proud to share that I have worked to talk about and with people, wines, and wineries or wine regions from not only British Columbia, but also Ontario and Nova Scotia, as well as California, Washington, Oregon, New Zealand, Australia, France, Italy, and Portugal. All this, and I remain acutely aware that there is still this vast world to discover. What a gift it is to have this unending opportunity to discover what lies behind every label.

Connecting
Every wine label has a story; whether it’s that of a several-generation family who has been on the farming and wine scene forever, with a storied history in every bottle, a newer producer just getting started, or even a concept brand that’s put together in a board room.

I could not have predicted how social media would bust everything wide open, shrinking the distances between us all. It has made our large world of wine feel like a community. I am so grateful the shared love of wine now connects me daily to people all over the world.

Endless thanks – naming only a few of the hundreds
There’s people I want to thank who have made my career into what it is so far: my husband and business partner Andrew von Rosen, who cheers on my every move. He’s been doing what he does (great graphic design) even longer than me. He is a great partner in crime for all parts of my life.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Christine Coletta, of course. She is smart as hell, quick on her feet, and funny. As someone with great instinct, insights and guts, she’s my mentor, friend, and is like family. I worked alongside her from 1997 – 2013. In 2007 we became business partners, and then in 2013 we closed the agency so she could concentrate on Okanagan Crush Pad; and I opened Town Hall Brands. Today we are proud that Christine is our client.

In addition to Christine I am lucky to have been inspired by many strong women. A special shout out goes to Sandra Oldfield, winemaker at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, who in 1998 sat next to me at a dinner and gave me, a nobody with wide eyes and no knowledge, the time of day. I also appreciate Dana Lee Harris, a much-loved wine marketer who has been in this industry for about a decade more than me. She is also one of my precious inspirations, and the person who got me into Les Dames d’Escoffier.

And there’s people in the media in Canada who have been super kind to me and supported my efforts in my early days when I did not know what I was doing at all (unlike now, where I only kind of know what I’m doing). Thanks for holding my hand and teaching me how PR works, Renee Blackstone, Anthony Gismondi, Terry MacIsaac, and Tim Pawsey. The list of people I have gratitude toward in the industry and media goes on and on and on… please know that even if you are not mentioned, I appreciate you.

As I celebrate 20 years of experience, growth, connections and beauty, I’m blessed to be surrounded by a huge community of people who love wine, and who love to talk about it, so together we share. It’s what happens outside the bottle, the shared experience, that keeps me excited, and keeps me smiling at all the other wine lovers in the world.

This blog will be the place for my content of more of a personal and experiential nature. Vineyard Birder has its own social channels too: follow along @vineyardbirder on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

I still want to be social and meet everyone, and I’m looking forward to what the next 20 years brings.