On the grapevine
Our man in Vancouver Skibbereen’s Owen Thornhill is enjoying flying the flag for West Cork and Ireland at one of America’s leading wineries, writes Brian Moore SOME might say that it’s a long way from a family business specialising in electrical goods in Skibbereen to sampling and selling some of the best wines in America, but Owen Thornhill is living the American dream in more ways than one, surrounded by the lush vineyards of Washington State, USA. Owen, who has become known as the ‘Irish Ambassador’ at Maryhill Winery tasting rooms in Vancouver, Washington State, moved to the Pacific Northwest with his wife Kaitlin and after a few jobs in the local area, took up a job at the vineyards belonging to Maryhill Winery. This multi-award winning establishment is one of Washington State’s largest and mostvisited wineries. It attracts more than 75,000 guests to the area annually, and was named the Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year in 2015. ‘I didn’t know much about wine when I started working in the production facility at Maryhill, so I set about getting to know the different wines and learning about them,’ Owen said. ‘After a while I grew in knowledge and confidence and became a server and tour guide, and in time the company made me head guide at the winery.’ Owen moved to the 4,890-squarefoot tasting room at the waterfront
in Vancouver when it opened to customers for the first time back in April of this year. ‘Here at the tasting rooms in Vancouver it’s more about those who want to stop in after work for a glass of wine, grab a plate of food and hear some live music,’ Owen says. ‘At Maryhill we have over 60 different wines available so I began by learning as much about these as I could,’ Owen explained. Washington State is the second largest wine producer in the USA, with over 50,000 acres producing varietals such as Merlot, the state’s most planted variety, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Syrah and Carménère to name a few others. While the vineyards of Washington State are known first and foremost for heavier reds, there are some whites available as well, with Semillon, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris the highlights. Back in the new tasting rooms in Vancouver, Owen oversees an impressive range of wines all produced at the Maryhill vineyards. ‘At the moment I have about 16 “favourites”. I’m learning something new everyday about the wines and at the moment topping my list is the
Carménère from the Rattlesnake Hills AVA, which is unique and fairly rare.’ Owen met his wife Kaitlin, who hails not far from Vancouver, at a soccer game in Cork City when she was studying there, and the couple have been married for six years. When Owen, who became an American citizen two years ago while working at Maryhill, moved from the vineyard to his new position at the waterfront tasting room, he and his wife also set about purchasing their first home together. ‘I am really enjoying the lifestyle and the work here in Vancouver. While the food isn’t as good as what’s available in
A view of Maryhill W
West Cork, the climate here is good, with warm summers and cold dry winters. I won’t be going home for a while, as we are just settling into our new house, but my brother Richard has been over and he really enjoyed the outdoor activities such as mountain biking. My parents (Michael and Kathleen) were over to visit last year. ‘For now we’re settling into to our new home and I’m continuing to gain as much knowledge as I can about wine,’ Owen said. All in a day’s work. There is one thing about home that he does miss however – ‘There are lots of good craft beers here in this region, but I do miss a good pint of Murphys!’
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