The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” -Arthur C. Clarke

Of the many interns to have passed through our program this year, none has launched into professional orbit as quickly as Christine Nichols, who worked at the La Couronne Wine Estate in Franschoek, South Africa from September to December 2007. Christine returns to Oregon, U.S.A. in January to start a wine-importing company called Cape to States. And the story gets better. La Couronne is giving her exclusive North American rights to sell La Couronne wines and L’Aubade mineral water (also owned by the Estate). La Couronne is a boutique label, which means its wines are crafted with a four-star quality in mind. Should you have had the luxury of flying first-class on Swiss Air or Virgin Atlantic, you would have been served wine from the La Couronne range. I’ve sampled the complete range and there isn’t a single wine I dislike. Whenever I’m out at La Couronne for a meeting I inevitably drive back to Cape Town having purchased several bottles of wine (absolutely love the 2003 Shiraz and the 2006 Chardonnay Reserve). The wines are splendid.

Christine will begin selling La Couronne wines in Oregon, a state with a healthy wine culture and a reputation for producing outstanding pinot noir. I expect her to have few problems selling her wine to the sophisticated audience of wine drinkers living in Portland and Eugene. But Christine’s vision extends far beyond the boundaries of Oregon. When I last spoke to her, she mentioned that she already has plans to sell La Couronne wines to restaurants and wine shops on the east coast.

Christine is creating her own destiny by building a career around her passion for wine. Future interns will be inspired by her example and her story will be cited often during future VACorps arrival orientations. Cheers to you, Christine, for acting upon your dreams. You are an inspiration to all of us at the Volunteer Adventure Corps.