WHEREAS, Virginia citizens have cultivated their grape vines and produced first-class wines, from the founding fathers to the innovators of today; and

WHEREAS, the grace, grit, and experimental spirit embodied by our wine is also reflected in our people and sense of place; and

WHEREAS, a small, energetic group of pioneering Virginia winemakers chose to pursue and expand viticulture in the Commonwealth in the 1970s, despite the skepticism of the global wine community; and

WHEREAS, six decades later, the Virginia wine industry has grown from six wineries in 1979 to more than 350 wineries, cideries, and meaderies today and is consistently ranked in the top ten among wine grape-producing states in the country; and

WHEREAS, Virginia harvests over 4,200 acres with over 9,000 tons of wine grapes equating to a total crop value of $22.2 million; and

WHEREAS, Virginia wine is bigger than a drink, contributing more than 10,652 full-time equivalent jobs to the Commonwealth and over $200 million in tax revenue; and

WHEREAS, more than 2.6 million people visit Virginia wineries annually, and during the 37^th annual celebration of Virginia Wine Month, guests can gather to toast the local bounty of our region, support Virginia agriculture, and discover the magic of October in Virginia Wine Country;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize October 2025, as VIRGINIA WINE MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.