for future growth and provide space for customcrushing of grapes from other growers in the area. The new winery building takes the
committed investment into Fort Berens to $7.5million. “We think there is a bright future
for growing grapes andmaking quality wines in the Fraser Canyon,” said Hugh Agro, who has amining and exploration background and became a co-owner with de Bruin and Pannekoek in 2010. Agro subsequently persuaded three
mining colleagues Sean Harvey, John McConnell and Jason Neal, to join the ownership team. “It’s been a long time since we have
Christ'l Roshard, pictured here at the groundbreaking ceremony of Fort Berens' new building, is the former mayor of Lillooet and a long-time advocate of the wine industry in the area.
which was also the tasting room. The new building will feature a gravity-fed fermentation room, barrel chambers, crush pad, wine bar and bistro. “Each year, we have seen increased
demand for our wine,” Pannekoek said at the groundbreaking ceremony.
In 2012, Fort Berens produced
4,000 cases and 6,000 are planned for this year. The new building gives Fort Berens
the capacity to process up to 12,000 cases per year onsite. This additional capacity will allow
had this kind of capital investment in Lillooet. It will help provide sustainable employment in our region and provide a big boost to Lillooet’s growing wine and agri-tourism industry,” formermayor Christ’l Roshard said at the ground-breaking ceremony. Roshard’s father, Robert, planted a
trial vineyard during the 1970s that he later abandoned. Today, Roshard and her husband, Doug Robson, continue to produce
8
British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Spring 2011
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