Honoring Shafer Vineyards' 25th Anniversary

HONORING SHAFER VINEYARDS' 25TH ANNIVERSARY -- (Extensions of Remarks - July 22, 2004)

SPEECH OF
HON. MIKE THOMPSON
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2004

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Spea ker, I rise today to recognize and honor an extraordinary event in my district. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Shafer Vineyards, a family run winery that produces some of the world's highest rated wines from the heart of California's Napa Valley.

I have had the pleasure of knowing John and Barbara Shafer for a long time. Their history in the Napa Valley and the philanthropic contributions they have made in enhancing thousands of lives of those who are less fortunate have truly been an inspiration to all who have met this remarkable family.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, if you do not know the Shafers, you should. John left a successful career in publishing in 1972 to pursue his dream of a second career in producing premium wine. He and his family moved to the Napa Valley and purchased a 210-acre estate in the Stags Leap District. The family began planting 50 acres of vineyards on the rocky hillside property. In 1978 their painstaking work paid off when John crushed their first harvest of cabernet sauvignon grapes marking the beginning of their winery.

Mr. Speaker, the rise of Shafer Vineyards is truly an American success story. In the 25 years since the Shafer family produced their first vintage consisting 1,000 cases of cabernet sauvignon, the winery has grown to produce 32,000 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sangiovese and Syrah per year. Today Shafer wines can be found throughout the entire United States and in markets throughout Europe and Asia. The Shafer's have also set the bar for sustainable agriculture in the Napa Valley and throughout the world. By the end of 2004, their winery will convert to 100 percent solar power.

While the Shafer family's business has grown beyond their dreams, the values that they began with remain as strong and visible in our community as ever. Twenty-five years later John still serves as chairman of the board of the winery and his son Doug has taken over the day-to-day activities serving as president.

Not only do Shafer Vineyards and the Shafer family have an illustrious history of winemaking and responsible land stewardship, but they also have a long history of public service. For as many years as I can remember, the Shafer family has been a leader in ensuring the success of the annual Napa Valley Wine Auction, which has raised over $50 million for community non-profit organizations. John served as the chairman of the 1999 wine auction, that year the auction raised $5.5 million breaking all previous records. Recently John led the effort to build the Napa Valley Vintners Community Health Center which houses four healthcare organizations and will care for thousands of area residents for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I think it is appropriate that we honor and congratulate the Shafer family for their success in the wine business and their countless contributions to the betterment of the Napa Valley. I wish the Shafer family and Shafer Vineyards well as they enjoy and prosper during their next 25 years of success.