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2012 SESSION

12105650D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 469
Offered February 29, 2012
Celebrating the life of Chris Breiner.
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Patrons-- Bell, Robert B. and Garrett
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WHEREAS, Chris Breiner, who combined his training in forestry and economics with his commitment to preserving rural lands to create a flourishing family-owned vineyard, and who was an ardent supporter of Virginia’s wine industry, died on February 14, 2012; and

WHEREAS, Chris Breiner attended George Mason University, studying forestry and economics; throughout his life, he had a great love for the land, and during summers and school vacations, he looked forward to working on the family farm near Dyke; and

WHEREAS, in 1996 Chris Breiner and his father, Al, planted their first test vineyards on the family farm; the experiment was a success and the Breiner family began to build a vineyard on mountainside land in Greene County that was at an elevation of 1,700 feet; and

WHEREAS, the family enterprise became known as Stone Mountain Vineyards; its tasting room opened in 2000, and the company’s continuing success over the years is the result of the hands-on work and tireless commitment that Chris Breiner and his family put into the vineyard; and

WHEREAS, Chris Breiner, who was the managing partner of Stone Mountain Vineyards, was a passionate promoter of the Commonwealth’s wine industry; he was vice president of the Virginia Wineries Association and was past chairman of the Jeffersonian Grape Growing Society/Monticello Wine Trail; and

WHEREAS, in addition to his work as a vintner, Chris Breiner managed the family law practice in Alexandria; he was known for his wry wit, his willingness to share his knowledge and experience, and his work to educate the public about Virginia’s burgeoning wine industry; and

WHEREAS, in 2009 Chris Breiner, an innovative and accomplished winemaker, was selected to be a Knight in the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine; his many friends in viticulture considered him to be the “go to” person in the state’s wine industry; and

WHEREAS, Chris Breiner’s family and his many friends will fondly remember and greatly miss him and his many contributions to the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of an esteemed Virginian, Chris Breiner; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Chris Breiner as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory and appreciation for his work on behalf of the Commonwealth’s wine industry.