Insider acknowledges Horton’s contributions

To the editor,
Phil Audibert’s excellent and insightful Insider article on Dennis Horton clearly spells out the immeasurable contribution this complex and fascinating man has made to the Virginia wine industry.  Dennis is the first to acknowledge that the success of the winery is due as much to the support he receives from Sharon, his wife, who is responsible for their meticulously maintained vineyards, his partner Joan Bieda, who shared his vision and had the patience and confidence to wait years before turning a profit, and to Mike Haney, the winemaker who cheerfully bears up under the demands of making 40 different wines.
I would only add that, while I worked in the tasting room at Horton Cellars, we served thousands of visitors, many of whom did not realize they were in Orange County. That experience served to remind me of the need to constantly promote the tourist attractions of Orange County so that the word spreads that there is no better place to taste the best of Virginia wines than in Orange County. 
Warren Dunn