If you’re heading to the patio at Traynor this season, chances are you are going to be greeted by the smile of Traynor’s Retail Manager, Josh Weaver. He takes pride in creating memorable guest experiences and telling the stories behind each bottle of wine he serves. It has already been a busy season in Prince Edward County and we were lucky enough to catch Josh for a chat to ask him about his experiences so far and what his go-to bottle of wine at Traynor is this summer.
It’s hard to stay away from the wine industry when you live in the County — if it is calling to you, you have to listen. Josh has been working in wine for just over four years now and hasn’t looked back since. He has been with Traynor for a few seasons and loves serving guests throughout the summer in the beautiful County weather. When Mike approached him about taking on more responsibility as the winery’s Retail Manager, he was thrilled. The winery has grown so much in just the few years he has been there and he is excited to be part of that transformation alongside a passionate team.
As you can guess everyday is different working at a winery, but a typical day starts with mornings filled with preparing online orders for customers — prepping, packing and shipping. Josh also manages all of the restaurant orders, which has been an integral piece of Traynor’s business with the boom of bottle shops throughout the pandemic. A big focus for Josh is making sure the patio and staff are ready for the busy summer and he has been involved in a lot more behind-the-scenes work this year to make sure everyone feels at home as soon as they step onto the property. Josh loves to see the reaction from guests as they try the wine for the first time, so you will still find him out on the patio as much as possible.
Josh is humble when it comes to his own wine knowledge, but recognizes the County is definitely a special place to be within the industry, with some talented winemakers. This is his first summer being at the winery everyday and admits he had no idea how much care the vines received on a daily basis. He believes that is what makes the wines at Traynor and from many producers in the Country so tasty and enjoyable. You can just taste the tender love and care in each sip.
Since Josh has the opportunity to chat with guests on a regular basis he has a unique perspective on consumer trends and says that guests can’t get enough of skin-fermented wines — the people want orange wine! He also loves hearing that guests are coming to Traynor based on recommendations from friends and other wineries — especially for those wanting to try something a little more experimental and fun. His personal favourite Traynor wine at the moment is the White Pét-Nat. He loves the juicy grapefruit flavours from the Sauvignon Blanc, and this extra hot summer is the perfect excuse to open a bottle.
When it comes to offering advice for those looking to enter the wine industry Josh can not exaggerate enough how much you will learn from taking on jobs in the vineyard — it’s long days in the sun, but it’s worth it. His first job at a winery was actually leaf stripping and that’s how he learned about the impacts of weather and terroir on grape growing and ultimately the flavour of the wine.
Josh is excited for the season ahead and can’t wait to see you at Traynor! If he isn’t at Traynor you can probably find him on the BBQ with a steak and a big glass of Gamay — his ultimate food and wine pairing of choice.
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For real time updates, including best times to visit the winery and chat with Josh be sure to check the winery out on social media @traynorvineyard.
