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2012 SPECIAL SESSION I

12200057D
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 538
Offered March 28, 2012
Commending the Mermaid Winery.
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Patrons-- Yancey, James, Albo, Alexander, BaCote, Bell, Richard P., Bell, Robert B., Brink, Byron, Carr, Cline, Comstock, Cosgrove, Cox, M.K., Crockett-Stark, Dance, Dudenhefer, Fariss, Farrell, Filler-Corn, Garrett, Gilbert, Head, Herring, Hodges, Hope, Howell, A.T., Howell, W.J., Hugo, Iaquinto, Ingram, Joannou, Jones, Keam, Kilgore, Knight, Landes, Lingamfelter, Lopez, Marshall, D.W., Massie, May, McClellan, McQuinn, Miller, Morris, Morrissey, O'Bannon, O'Quinn, Orrock, Peace, Pogge, Purkey, Putney, Ramadan, Ransone, Robinson, Rush, Rust, Scott, E.T., Sherwood, Stolle, Toscano, Tyler, Villanueva, Ward, Ware, R.L., Watson, Watts, Webert, Wilt and Yost
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WHEREAS, the Mermaid Winery, the Commonwealth’s first urban winery, will welcome customers to its Norfolk location with a grand opening on May 1, 2012; and

WHEREAS, urban wineries, such as those found in Hong Kong, San Francisco, and London, allow customers the opportunity to have a winery experience without having to travel into the countryside; and

WHEREAS, at an early age, Jennifer Doumar, the owner of Mermaid Winery, developed an interest in winemaking after visiting California with her parents; she graduated from Auburn University and spent most of her career in advertising before deciding to pursue her dream; and

WHEREAS, Jennifer Doumar spent a year and a half in sales at Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery to study the industry before embarking on the business endeavor with her father, George Eichert, as her silent partner; and

WHEREAS, the Mermaid Winery will feature a tasting bar and restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating and offer a Chardonnay, a Cabernet Franc, a red blend, a semi-dry white blend, and peach and raspberry wines; and

WHEREAS, the Mermaid Winery, which draws its name from the mythical source of beauty, represents the winery’s vision of producing visually stunning wines; and

WHEREAS, Jennifer Doumar will plant grapevines at the location in Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood for onsite winemaking as well as buy grapes to help make the wine; and

WHEREAS, the Mermaid Winery will join the Commonwealth’s growing wine industry, which had record sales in fiscal year 2011 of 5.5 million bottles, up 11 percent from 2010; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Mermaid Winery hereby be commended on the occasion of its grand opening; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Jennifer Doumar and George Eichert as an expression of the House of Delegates’ congratulations on the Mermaid Winery’s opening.