LAKEPORT — County residents who attended several out-of-state wine industry trade shows earlier this year presented a report to the Lake County Board of Supervisors Tuesday.
Shows in St. Louis, Mo. and San Marcos, Texas happened in February and events in Lancaster, Pa. and Richmond, Va. occurred in March.
The Lake County Winegrape Commission (LCWC) received about $204,000 in funding through a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, which the group used to participate in the industry events.
County administrative analyst Alan Flora, who attended three of the out-of-state shows, led the presentation Tuesday morning at the Lake County Courthouse.
The LCWC approached the county about partnering in an effort to promote the Lake County wine industry, Flora said.
“We can go out there and tout our abilities to grow grapes and the quality of those grapes and the pricing of those grapes, but I wanted representation from the county to be there to say that government was also interested in that,” Bill Brunetti, of the LCWC, said.
“If you could have seen the expression of interest and the surprise, if you will, that government was actually involved in going out and recruiting and actively taking a part in trying to create economic development for our area, it was very impressive. As I think, it was just an absolute home run,” Brunetti added.
The Lake County wine advocates promoted their hometown industry from a booth, which was displayed in the back of the Board of Supervisors Chambers Tuesday morning.
“Our booth made an impact. Our wines are fabulous; they made an impact,” Flora said of the trade shows.
He added the county government”s involvement showed that “we”re proactive, we”re engaged and we want to grow both the wine industry and the marketplace and our local economy.”
District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington said, “Eye to eye and shaking the hands and building the relationships personally is so much different than staying in our bubble here in the county of Lake.”
Farrington attended the Virginia show. He said his participation was at no cost to the county. Flora said the county paid for his staff time while the LCWC covered all other expenses.
“We”re not just looking at selling the fruit and promoting tourism, but there”s the ability to draw those ancillary businesses that actually supply agricultural products,” Farrington said.
The Lake County booth will be set up at the Lakeport courthouse through the end of the week.
