Today, and every day, we look forward and we take a stand
ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD
We started writing this newsletter last week to you, our wonderful customers, supporting family members and dear friends, with a combination and anxiety and hope, as we as a winery (along with our siblings the SE Wine Collective and Oui! Wine Bar + Restaurant,) are beginning the long and extremely difficult process of pivoting to reopen, and as a society are now starting to be able come together and try to heal after this extended time apart during this health crisis.
The main focus of this note was to be about a recent day spent in one of our vineyards – checking in on the growth of the season and looking with eagerness towards the 2020 vintage and beyond, you can still read more about that below.
However, as the deeper and historical crisis of inequity and injustice has rightly risen to the forefront of our society’s conversations this past week, we found that we simply couldn’t be quiet or stand idly by.
We really don’t even know where to start, we are in deep pain for our fellow humans and at a loss for words. The ongoing prejudices and inequalities faced by our communities of color and minorities nationwide has always weighed very heavily on us, and in this pivotal moment in our nation’s history we, like all of you, are outraged, ashamed, and heartbroken by the past and present injustices. There are too many names, there are too many incidents, arrests and incarcerations, there are too many dead. We stand with those whose voices need to be heard and the change that has been needed for centuries. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
We must all demonstrate that racism of any kind is not acceptable, and a small way we can help is to put our money where our mouth is in hope to help foster the seeds of inclusiveness and love to grow and heal our society as one.
We believe in looking to the past, and applying what we have learned, experienced and witnessed to looking forward and to doing and being better. Please continue reading below for ways to join us in our efforts.
Much love, Kate, Tom and Team Division Wine Co.
“So the bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.” – Barack Obama
While it is hard to choose, or ask you to choose one project over another, we know that if you are giving, there is no wrong choice. We’ve included details below on what we are doing, as well several other organizations fighting for racial justice.
We will be personally donating $500 this week to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund (LDF,) and additionally, for every bottle sold directly to you, our wine family, between now and June 7th, we’ll also be donating 20% of each sale to the LDF. We realize it’s a small act when our country, neighbors and businesses are mired by so many different and deep crises in addition to ongoing fiscal instability and uncertainty, but it is what we can do right now, and we hope you can help us contribute.
We have come together with other Oregon wineries, including Statera, Day Wines, Ricochet, RR and many more that have chosen the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund as the organization we want to support at – this is because they are America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Their mission statement is “Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans.” Outside the legal system, the LDF also does advocacy work and policy research, puts on educational programs, and provides scholarships for outstanding African-American students.
Please consider helping us come together as a nation and join the fight against injustice. We chose wine as our passion and career due to its ability to unite and bring joy and love. Now let’s use that connection for good. Let’s uphold and spirit of our nation that allows us all a Democracy and environment to thrive in and LIVE in. Let’s work together to uphold our Constitution and remember the meaning and importance of these words.
WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION ESTABLISH JUSTICE, INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE, PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE, AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY TO OURSELVES AND POSTERITY DO ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
You can also join us in signing the petition to hold the police officers responsible for the death of Gorge Floyd accountable: https://www.justiceforbigfloyd.com
Mother nature is a force to be reckoned with, and continues to show us so much about life, growth, relationships and love and the multitudes we still have to learn during our tenancy on this earth. This past week, we were able to get out and spend some time in nature – working and planning in one of our most important vineyards for the future. The Cassin Vineyard, in the coastal foothills of the western Yamhill-Carlton AVA, has become an anchor of our Willamette Valley farmed Pinot noir and Chardonnay wines and will be our greatest investment into the years to come for our wines and brand – we have much to be excited for.
This Fall, we’ve made the preparations to plant three acres of Gamay from newer clonal material sourced from the Crus of Beaujolais, plants that have just begun to be propagated in the U.S. With the help and support of the Cassin family, we are also making preparations to plant our first Aligoté and Trousseau Noir vines on this site, as well as some heritage and mixed clonal field plantings of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
There lots more to come from our work here and at our other amazing partner vineyards, but for now, check out some of the scenes from our visit this week, and join us in a big shot out to our longest time champion, Cass the magical Labrador, who is cruising the vines into his 13th vintage.
Top Left: Cassidy inspecting his vines, Tom pulling some suckers and Kate making sure the early shoots are in the catch wire. Top Right: The new Gamay block to be planted this November. Bottom Left: Wadensvil Pinot Noir block right after mowing and in row weeding. Bottom Right: Obligatory posed shot of the team in the vines.
Wishing you good health and vitality as spring reminds us of the changing nature of our lives…please BE WELL! Kate, Tom and Team Division
