A5
THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, FEbRuARy 17, 2022
Oregon wine sales boom but
depend on aging consumers
OBITUARIES
Bonnie Jean Dotson Hunt
Woodburn
March 4, 1929 — Oct. 12, 2021
but that’s what we’re doing and that’s a mis-
take,” McMillan said. “We’ve got to market
to people younger than 65.”
Oregon wine producers are outpac-
On the positive side, the wine indus-
ing other wine regions in sales but face the try has found ways to capitalize on chang-
same industrywide problem of aging core ing consumer behaviors during the coro-
navirus pandemic, said Lesley Berglund, a
consumers, experts say.
“It’s pretty stunning how far ahead of coach with the Wine Industry Sales Educa-
the pack Oregon was in 2021,” said Tom tion company.
“For most wineries, our direct-to-con-
Danowski, president and CEO of the Ore-
gon Wine Board.
sumer business is better than ever,” she said.
Corporate sales boomed during the pan-
With 24% sales growth last year, the state
is “the best performing region out of all the demic as companies sought to provide cli-
majors” and continues to be the best posi- ents with virtual experiences, she said.
tioned for more growth, said Rob McMil-
Those purchases often had a “surpris-
lan, executive vice president
ing ripple impact” later on,
and founder of Silicon Val-
in the form of holiday gift
‘WE CAN’T
ley Bank.
buying and in-person tast-
ing, she said.
“Oregon is rocking it.
dEPENd
“We couldn’t have imag-
Oregon is the best thing
ined it two years ago,” Ber-
going on in the wine indus-
ON 65-PLuS
try, as far as I’m concerned,”
glund said. “If we did it cor-
CONSuMERS rectly, 80% of those drove
McMillan said on Tuesday
more business.”
during the virtual Oregon
buT THAT’S
Wine club members have
Wine Symposium.
The industry’s strong
WHAT WE’RE become more active during
the pandemic, participating
financial results don’t mean
dOING ANd
in more activities than just
it can afford to rest on its
accepting auto-shipments,
laurels, especially with wor-
THAT’S A
rying trends developing, he
she said.
MISTAKE.
“They’re more engaged
said.
across different channels,”
Wine consumption has
WE’VE GOT
which has boosted sales,
flattened after a long period
Berglund said.
of growth while consump-
TO MARKET
tion of spirits has been grow-
Consumers
generally
TO PEOPLE
ing and taking market share,
have been buying more
McMillan said.
items online, which has
yOuNGER
The wine industry overall
helped direct sales, she said.
is too reliant on older con-
Wineries should seize on
THAN 65.’
sumers and Oregon shares
that technological change.
Rob McMillan |
“This is the time to invest
the same problem, he said.
executive vice president
and make sure we leave
For example, when asked
and founder of Silicon
no stone unturned to ride
what they’d bring to a party,
Valley Bank
the wave, to mix our meta-
roughly half of consumer
phors,” Berglund said.
older than 65 said wine in a
Due to concerns about
survey, he said.
For other age groups, the percentage who disease transmission, wineries have offered
answered wine was 30% or less, McMillan more private seated experiences in tasting
said. “If we’re not collecting mindshare for rooms, rather than having people belly-up
people under 65, that’s a serious threat we to the bar, she said.
Done properly, such seated experiences
need to address.”
Higher wine prices at restaurants and translate to a higher conversion to wine
reduced sales of economically priced wines sales and larger orders, she said.
Of course, the downside is that such a
at grocery stores don’t bode well, as they
often serve as on-ramps for new consum- strategy can require more room capacity,
ers, he said.
staff and training, Berglund said. “We actu-
The wine industry is an “incredibly good ally need more labor, not less.”
steward of the land” but that environmen-
The robust sales seen by Oregon win-
tal consciousness often “doesn’t end up on eries led to a stellar year in mergers and
the label,” which is a missed opportunity, acquisitions in 2021, with more on the way,
experts said.
McMillan said.
“Oregon has incredible value to price,”
One potential to create new on-ramps is
the rising popularity of smaller wine con- both in terms of wine quality and real estate,
tainers with a lower price point, he said.
said Erik McLaughlin, CEO of METIS, a
“We can’t depend on 65-plus consumers merger consulting firm.
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Press
Bonnie Jean Dotson Hunt, born March
Bonnie kept very busy raising her children,
4, 1929, passed away on Oct. 12, 2021, in taking care of grandchildren, and volunteer-
ing at the Columbia River Maritime Museum.
Woodburn.
She was born in Portland and
She loved going to the movies and
attended Roosevelt High School.
the opera, spending time at the
As a teenager during World War II,
beach, traveling, entertaining in her
she worked in a nearby shipbuild-
home and singing. She loved being
ing plant and, after graduating from
in style, and was a real fashionista
high school, she was a sales clerk
before there was a word for it.
at Meier & Frank in downtown
She is preceded in death by her
Portland.
parents, Lowell and Lora Dotson;
Bonnie met her future husband,
her sister, Jacqueline Dotson Dun-
William Hunt Jr., while he was
smoor; and her son, Randy Hunt.
attending the University of Port-
She is survived by her other
land. Bill was walking by her house
Bonnie Hunt
four children, Linda (Paul) Shones,
one morning and saw her washing
Teresa Boelens (Roy), Debbie Hunt
her hair in the kitchen window.
and Jon Hunt, and by Caroline Tay-
He wanted to meet her, so a short
lor, her daughter-in-law.
time later he and a friend posed as
Bonnie is also survived by her
magazine salesmen, knocked on
grandchildren, Gabriel (Jenny)
the door, and invited her to a dance
Shones, Aleta (Aaron) Haugh,
at the university. Bonnie and Bill
Carri (Jason) Harvey, Jenny (fiancé
were married in Astoria on Dec. 27,
Todd) Wolfe, Jared Wolfe, Joshua
1948.
(Nirvana) Schuyler, Casey (Molly)
The couple lived on a house-
Bushnell, Jacob (Jessica) Bushnell,
boat just below the university on
Heather Hunt and Keith (Alexa)
the Willamette River while Bill completed his Hunt; and 14 great-grandchildren.
last year of schooling. Their daughter, Linda,
Bonnie had a wry sense of humor and
arrived in 1949, and they relocated the house- was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sis-
boat to Svensen, just east of Astoria on the ter, daughter and friend. She will be greatly
Columbia River.
missed.
Two years later, their son, Randy, was
A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on
born, and they all moved into a small house in March 5 at St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic
Svensen. Three more children — Teresa, Deb- Church in Astoria. Internment will follow at
bie and Jon — came along in the following Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton.
years, and the family settled into a brand new
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be
home on Svensen Market Road. The couple made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to
divorced in 1974.
Willamette Valley Hospice in Salem.
Samuel ‘Sam’ E. Kent
Astoria
1933 — 2022
Samuel “Sam” E. Kent passed away Feb. business and moved to Lake Oswego, where
3, 2022, at the age of 88, in Astoria.
they owned and operated a second A&W.
Sam was born in 1933 in Duluth, Minne-
Their two daughters were born in Oregon:
sota, to James and Lillian Tuomisto.
Cynthia in 1964 and Janice in 1965.
The family name was naturalized in
Then, in 1966, they moved to Asto-
ria, where they bought their third
1945 to Kent.
The family moved to Astoria in
restaurant, the Halfway House,
1943, where Sam spent his child-
which they owned and operated for
hood, and then went to college in
the next seven years.
Eugene at the University of Oregon,
During this time, Sam had also
where he graduated in 1955 with a
been working part time as a long-
shoreman, and in 1971, they sold
bachelor’s degree in business.
He met his wife, Marcella, while
the restaurant and Sam went to
in college, and they married in 1954.
work full time. Sam worked at the
Samuel and
Because Sam was in college during
Port of Astoria until retirement,
Marcella Kent
the Korean War, he was required to
when he then turned his focus to
join the Reserve Officers’ Training
the things he enjoyed, like golfing,
Corps. So, upon graduation, Sam joined the working in the yard and fixing up houses.
U.S. Air Force.
Sam’s heart was always in Astoria, where
The couple were stationed in various U.S. he felt at home in the local Finnish culture and
cities, but first moved to Texas, where Sam being a part of the community.
went through flight school. They then moved
Sam is survived by two sons and a daugh-
to the air base in Lincoln, Nebraska, where ter-in-law, Bryan Kent, of Astoria, and Bruce
their two oldest sons were born: Bryan in and Kimberly Kent, of Portland; and two
daughters and sons-in-law, Cynthia and David
1958 and Bruce in 1960.
Sam left the military in 1960, and he and Machata, of Westport, Connecticut, and Janice
his wife went into the restaurant business, first and Peter Sargent, of Auckland, New Zealand.
in Duluth, where they owned and operated an
A small family memorial will be planned
A&W drive-in. Then, in 1964, they sold the in the future.
2021
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SEVENDAY FORECAST FOR ASTORIA
TODAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
REGIONAL FORECAST
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
Seattle
50 41
Low clouds
49 41
49 40
48 36
48 33
Showers
A thick cloud
Rain and drizzle
around; breezy
cover
48 33
49 37
Rain
Showers
possible
A shower
possible
Aberdeen
Olympia
49/43
48/42
Wenatchee
Tacoma
Moses
Lake
48/38
ALMANAC
UNDER THE SKY
TODAY'S TIDES
Astoria through Tuesday
Tonight’s Sky: Full “Worm” Moon
(8:56 a.m.)
Astoria / Port Docks
Temperatures
High/low ................................ 51/41
Normal high/low .................. 51/37
Record high .................. 72 in 1996
Record low .................... 21 in 1956
Precipitation
Tuesday ................................... 0.01”
Month to date ........................ 0.70”
Normal month to date ......... 3.99”
Year to date .......................... 14.18”
Normal year to date ........... 14.58”
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022
Time
High (ft.) Time Low (ft.)
2:03 a.m.
1:26 p.m.
7.7 7:48 a.m. 2.4
8.4 8:16 p.m. -0.3
Cape Disappointment
1:39 a.m.
1:02 p.m.
Source: Jim Todd, OMSI
Hammond
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today .................. 7:16 a.m.
Sunset tonight ............... 5:44 p.m.
Moonrise today ............. 7:01 p.m.
Moonset today ............... 8:12 a.m.
Full
Last
New
First
1:51 a.m.
1:14 p.m.
Warrenton
1:58 a.m.
1:21 p.m.
Knappa
2:40 a.m.
2:03 p.m.
Depoe Bay
Feb 16 Feb 23 Mar 2 Mar 10
7.5 6:55 a.m. 2.7
8.6 7:26 p.m. -0.3
7.8 7:16 a.m. 2.5
8.8 7:44 p.m. -0.4
8.1 7:32 a.m. 2.5
8.9 8:00 p.m. -0.2
7.9 8:49 a.m. 2.1
8.7 9:17 p.m. -0.3
12:55 a.m. 7.7 6:22 a.m. 2.8
12:14 p.m. 8.8 6:55 p.m. -0.4
City
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Dallas
Denver
Honolulu
Houston
Los Angeles
Miami
New York City
Phoenix
San Francisco
Wash., DC
Fri.
Hi/Lo/W
72/50/t
60/51/c
30/7/sn
57/28/pc
37/23/s
82/68/pc
76/35/r
73/48/s
82/72/pc
62/54/c
67/46/s
65/46/s
70/56/pc
54/34/pc
53/23/r
26/17/s
57/32/s
48/26/s
80/68/pc
59/38/pc
75/50/s
83/70/pc
56/29/c
73/47/s
64/47/s
56/31/c
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy,
c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms,
r-rain, sf-snow fl urries, sn-snow, i-ice.
52/35
Hermiston
The Dalles 62/34
Enterprise
Pendleton 43/23
58/33
57/40
La Grande
48/27
53/39
NATIONAL CITIES
Today
Hi/Lo/W
46/33
Kennewick Walla Walla
53/37 Lewiston
62/35
49/43
Salem
Pullman
53/29
Longview
50/41 Portland
51/42
44/30
Yakima 45/27
51/39
Astoria
Spokane
46/31
Corvallis
52/36
Albany
51/34
John Day
Eugene
Bend
52/37
60/28
51/29
Ontario
47/25
Caldwell
Burns
49/24
51/25
Medford
59/30
Klamath Falls
56/23
City
Baker City
Brookings
Ilwaco
Newberg
Newport
Today
Hi/Lo/W
37/17/pc
60/45/pc
49/44/c
51/39/c
49/40/c
Fri.
Hi/Lo/W
41/19/pc
60/42/pc
48/44/c
53/34/c
51/40/c
City
North Bend
Roseburg
Seaside
Springfi eld
Vancouver
Today
Hi/Lo/W
53/39/pc
52/37/c
49/42/c
51/35/c
49/41/c
Fri.
Hi/Lo/W
52/37/pc
54/38/c
48/40/c
54/32/c
53/36/c