Gord Mitchell was a winegrower and owner of Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery. Gord Mitchell, 66, died suddenly this past weekend stunning family, friends and the wine industry in western Ontario.

Kathy and I met Gord in August 2008. Gord filled some wine glasses with Pinot Grigio and then sat down with us to talk about wine and the industry. We recall that Gord started as a winegrower. He sold his grapes to other wineries and noticed these other wineries were winning gold medals with his grapes. Then in 2006, he opened the Sprucewood Shores tasting room, a beautiful wine facility in Harro, Ontario. Gord took us on a tour of his state of the art winery. We remember how much his family meant to him. His wife, Hanna, and children became an important part of the winery.

Now the family is dealing with the death of Gord, right in the middle of the winemaking season. Winemakers and industry employees have stepped in to help. Several winemakers are filling in for Gord’s daughter, Tanya, Sprucewood Shores winemaker. Many of the wineries in the Lake Erie North Shore area are sending tasting room staff to Sprucewood Shores to help in their tasting room. Although there is a degree of competition in the wine industry, there is a camaraderie not seen in other industries.

Our hearts go out to Gord’s family in this time of sorrow.

Terry