Fort Berens LyttonStrong
In my old life as a CBC reporter, I spent weeks in and around Lytton covering forest fires, and other stories.
The beautiful village still occupies a place in my heart, so I was horrified to see Lytton destroyed by a wildfire during the heat dome on June 30, 2021. Almost the entire village was destroyed, and residents were forced to flee without even time to grab their possessions and sometimes their pets or livestock.
Nearly a year later, and many still are unable to return to their homes.
However, we do hear some news about the rebuilding in Lytton and some of the people whose homes and farms survived, like the Winch Spur Vineyard, located on the traditional territory of the N laka’pamux People on the far side of the Fraser River from Lytton.
Owners Chuck and Nonie McCann farm this small vineyard planted in Pinot Gris, and typically these grapes are purchased by the nearby Fort Berens winery.
We’ve just heard Fort Berens again purchased the 2021 crop, but this time all of these grapes were made into a wine that has been bottled as a Special Edition wine to sell this spring as a means to raise money for the Lytton Rebuild Fund.
“As our winery is based in Lillooet, Fort Berens Estate Winery has a deep connection to the people and community of Lytton,” explained Fort Berens owner Rolf de Bruin. “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.”
Fort Berens is donating 100 per cent of the proceeds to the rebuilding efforts. With approximately 120 cases (1,440 bottles) available, Fort Berens hopes to raise close to $50,000.
They are also looking for help to continue raising funds for the rebuilding of Lytton. The overall campaign goal is to raise $125,000, and you can get involved by emailing LyttonStrong@fortberens.ca, or call 1.877.956.7768