Almost one year ago, on June 30th, 2021, the beautiful Village of Lytton, BC was destroyed by a wildfire that swept through the town with such speed and fury, most residents didn’t have time to grab much, if anything. Only a few things in Lytton were unscathed by the devastating fire. One of those things, was a small vineyard on the opposite side of the Fraser River called Winch Spur Vineyard. Owners Chuck and Nonie McCann farm this small vineyard planted in Pinot Gris grapes.
Rolf de Bruin, co-founder and co-owner of Fort Berens explained, “As our winery is based in Lillooet, Fort Berens Estate Winery has a deep connection to the people and community of Lytton. Since the fire, our team had been looking for ways to be a part of the community rebuilding efforts. On harvest day, just a few months after the fire, while driving from Lillooet to Lytton, the Fort Berens team, deeply moved by the devastating loss in Lytton, crafted a plan to launch a fundraising campaign. These Pinot Gris grapes from Lytton escaped the fire, and became grapes with a special purpose.”
The grapes that were about to be picked, would be used to craft a Special Edition wine, from which 100% of the proceeds would be donated to the recovery and rebuilding of Lytton.
Rolf continued, “As a result, we produced a Special Edition Lytton Strong Pinot Gris made exclusively with grapes from Lytton’s Winch Spur Vineyard. Along with our vineyard partner, Winch Spur Vineyard, and with support from industry partners including TricorBraun, Elite Print Services, and Artus Bottling, we are thrilled to announce that 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this special edition wine will be donated to help with the recovery efforts in Lytton.”
120 cases (1,440 bottles) of the Special Edition Lytton Strong Pinot Gris will be sold during the fundraising campaign period of June 3-12, 2022. In addition to wine sales, there will be a silent auction with unique and experiential items, a 50/50 raffle, and the opportunity to donate directly to the campaign.
Rolf explained, “Our goal is to raise $125,000 during this fundraising campaign. Our desire is to have these funds go towards a dedicated legacy building project for the community of Lytton. We are currently working with Mayor, Council and Staff at the Village of Lytton on this. Our desire is to help build a legacy community project that would be a central gathering place for the community.”
Fort Berens is currently seeking corporate sponsorships, donations for the silent auction, and volunteers to help with the fundraising campaign. To get involved, email LyttonStrong@fortberens.ca
Jackie Tegart, MLA for Fraser-Nicola, recently presented the fundraising campaign in the Legislature. To view the presentation, click here: https://fb.watch/cNbW6_xSIX/
Full press release here.