2023 is shaping up to be a great year for us. 2022 was a busy year for us. Lisa, the kids and I uprooted our life and moved from Austin to Boulder, which I have said a few times unashamedly, I completely underestimated the size and scope of the project! Happy to report that we are fully settled into our new life and things are taking shape in exactly the way we had hoped for. Now in the midst of our first Colorado winter, I am expert at snow blowing and shoveling, and our dogs all have their own cold weather jackets.

After a couple of Covid/post-Covid years, and now that the “beast” of a move is in the rear view mirror, we are now gearing up in two ways. The first is we have some new additions to our team. Our Austin team welcomes back Lori Bost Wise, who is our Portfolio Manager and helping me in all sorts of ways on the sales side to make sure we are taking great care of you. In Boulder we have just added Helena Coleman Engles as our new Field Sales Manager. Helena will be shadowing me for the first six months as she learns our trade – she is a former restaurateur in the Boulder area and a wonderful human being who you will enjoy meeting very much. So our sales team is growing again in different ways than before, and I am enjoying some much needed help.

In 2023 we are going to ‘”Bring the Fun Back”! What exactly do I mean? Well, we have always done these amazing trips called “The Mark Wine Camp”. Camping – really? No just figuratively. The “Camp” portion is all about the education you learn on these trips, and don’t worry there are no tents or yurts involved. Fun, absolutely. We are always taken care of with red carpet treatment on our trips.

So we are still working on the calendar and filling it out, but we have one trip that is already loaded “on deck”, and it’s one my favorites, The Mark Wine Camp – South America. We are headed down to Uruguay and then heading through Buenos Aires on the way Mendoza in Argentina in mid-May with our partners Bodega Garzón, Bodega Argento and Bodega Luigi Bosca. How about a summer getaway in beautiful Oregon staying on the 1000-acre Biodynamic Vineyard at King Estate, or join our Cline Harvest & Culinary Camp? Get ready for some fun!

In addition to all of this, I am just tantalizing about the prospect of introducing “The Thirsty Roamer”. Its our energy-independent Expedition Vehicle that covers 1000 miles on a single tank of gas, equipped with military grade tires, and has 1300kw of solar power and Starlink Internet, and can basically go anywhere on Earth. Do not be surprised if the Roamer pulls up in your parking lot and I ask you come outside and enjoy a little something cooked fresh off our Traeger Grill paired with a delicious glass of our “Great Wine”. Doesn’t that sound like fun?!

Looking forward to a great year. Thanks for your partnership and support.