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‘IT’S A GREAT ESCAPE’ A STATE DELEGATE’S SIDE GIG AS A WINERY OWNER By Mike Platania Depending on the season, Chris Peace ’94 spends most of his days writing legislation or planning estates. Peace is an attorney and state delegate for Virginia’s 97th District, representing parts of Hanover, King William and New Kent. He’s been serving in the House of Delegates since 2006. Now, the lawman is taking on a third profession: vintner. He and his wife Ashley are preparing to open White Plains Farm & Winery, a farm winery located off Old Church Road in Hanover County. The road toward opening a winery began in 2011 when the Peaces purchased and renovated a 200-year-old home on 50 acres. Ashley had taken a winemaking class at Piedmont Virginia Community College that planted the seed for their interest. In 2014, they planted literal seeds. “We now have fruit for the first time – it takes a while for that to happen,” Chris Peace said. On two acres, the couple planted 26 rows of grapes, which have harvested 1,400 plants of Voignier and Tannat grapes. Peace said they’ve got a Voignier and Cabernet Sauvignon already barreled. They’re applying for a farm winery license from Virginia ABC, and in the meantime building a 1,000-square-foot
tasting room on the property. Peace said he plans to model tastings after the type they experienced on a trip to the Tuscan region of Italy. “We’ll be doing it by appointment at the garden house. We wanted to do it as a hands-on experience,” he said. “(Italy’s) tastings are small and family-led, where you get to really compare two types of wine.” They hope to have the farm winery license this fall and begin tastings shortly after, but Peace said if that doesn’t work out they’d look for an early spring opening. He said they don’t have plans to distribute right away, but are not ruling anything out. With most of his days spent in a suit and tie – he has his own estate-planning and family law practice, in addition to his time each year in the General Assembly – Peace said he relishes the chance to work with his hands. “No pun intended, it’s like detox,” he joked. “You go from pushing paper and talking for a living, to rolling your sleeves up and getting dirty. It’s a great escape. We’re looking forward to sharing it with others.” White Plains will be one of the few wineries in a market flush with breweries, and won’t be far from some of its competitors. It’s about 10 minutes away from New Kent Winery and 15 miles from James River Cellars off Route 1. From Richmond BizSense, Sept. 6, 2017
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You might think that in his line of work — the mysterious world of “business intelligence” — G Rainey ’94 would continue to use the single initial, like James Bond’s Q. However, he is known as Gordon in professional circles across the pond, where he lives in London with his wife, Alice, and their almost-2-year-old daughter, Sibyl. “Becoming a father has been the best experience of my life,” G says. “Coming to it a bit late, but loving every minute of it.” Professionally, G advises “companies, investors and the legal community through the collection and assessment of intelligence on a variety of matters … Most of my work,” he says, “is in the emerging markets, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Asia.” G’s advice for us in our 40s: “Exercise. Cherish the small pleasures in life. Don’t fret about your hair turning gray or falling out. Stretch.” My advice for you ‘94 classmates: Send me your news and photos so that I don’t have to make up something about you after one too many spicy margaritas. Marine Corps veteran Whitney Campbell, who was part of the Class of ‘94 in Lower School, is an EMT who worked with rescue efforts in Miami during the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. Will Massey ‘94 joined Davis Cheon, founder of Northeast Construction Inc., to become co-owner of Chesterfield-based NCI, Inc., a general contracting firm that specializes in commerical, institutional and government building renovation, roofing and siding services and renewable energy solutions. NCI completed building its first solar farm on a landfill at Fort Campbell, Kentucky last spring and is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to upgrade military solar systems all over the country.
1996 Chris Holliman ’96 was pictured in Henrico Today’s summer 2017 issue arranging books in the Libbie Mill Library. The Henrico County Public Library has found that neighborhood collections organized by theme instead of the author’s last name attract more young readers.