By Kathleen Willcox
Everyone responds differently to a crisis at work.
Tanya Martin has, on repeated occasions, proven that she not only can perform well under pressure, but that she can come up with creative solutions that end up serving and inspiring large swaths of the wine industry.
Her role as director of operations at British Columbia’s Blasted Church — nevermind as linchpin for the wine industry in the Pacific Northwest — couldn’t have been more unlikely.
“It was completely accidental,” Martin confesses. “I managed a law office and did research for a communications firm, and then I got married and started a family. We moved to Oliver [in British Columbia] for my husband’s work, and I was getting bored at home.”
A woman Martin had gotten to know offered her a part-time job working at a winery (that has since changed hands several times). That initial taste of the wine world transformed her life.
Rookie to Driving Force
“I was a complete rookie,” Martin laughs. “I knew Chardonnay was white and Merlot was red, but that was about it. I got completely swept up. My first year working in wine was 1994, which was a great vintage.”
Martin’s part-time role became full-time and, eventually, she took on ever-more essential administrative roles at prominent British Columbia wineries including Hillside Estate Winery, See Ya Later Ranch and Hester Creek Estate Winery before joining Blasted Church in 2007. Along the way, Martin made an impression amid an era of unprecedented challenge in the wine industry.
“Tanya Martin has quietly made significant contributions to the British Columbia wine industry,” says Leeann Froese, co-owner of Town Hall Brands. “She has been pivotal in guiding Blasted Church’s growth and success, helping it thrive in an increasingly competitive market.”
In recent years, Martin has been forced to navigate not just the declining sales that much of the industry is contending with, but also an intense fire season and a devastating frost.
“The last four years have been super challenging with fires and weather, and it could have killed us, but we persevered,” Martin says. “In 2021, which was a terrible fire year for us, we very transparently decided to release our vintage, and told our customers that it wasn’t for cellaring, but it should be consumed immediately.”
Martin explains that they tested the wine extensively and couldn’t detect any smoke taint, but still wanted to be cautious.
“We definitely didn’t want to lose our customers,” she says. “But at the same time, we couldn’t afford to lose the entire vintage. Thankfully, our 2021s are still tasting well, but I’ve had others from the province where smoke can be detected.”
From fire to freeze
In 2024, another crisis loomed. In 2023, wine production across British Columbia fell by 54% after a severe freeze. Early this year, temperatures of -30°C decimated the vintage. At Blasted Church, they were able to harvest 1 ton from 40 acres.
Martin was determined to keep the staff employed — and release a vintage. The only way?
“Our winemaker Evan [Saunders] and I discussed it extensively,” Martin recalls. “We did not want to lay anyone off. We couldn’t source from growers in the area because they were all going through the same issues we were, but then we found that there were high-quality grapes in Washington State that we could use.”
That need for Washington fruit was a boon to growers still reeling from Ste. Michelle Wine’s drastic announced 40% pullback on grape purchases.
The out-of-state release will be a little smaller this year. This year, instead of producing 22,000 cases, Blasted Church will have 15,000. But Martin is as proud of the coming release as she would be if they were estate-grown.
“We were able to work with wonderful growers who needed to sell their fruit,” she says. “They’re close by and quality is top-notch. We are working with our graphic designer who will clearly explain on the label that the grapes were grown in Washington State.”
A new inspiration
The experience has been so positive, Martin and Saunders are contemplating continuing the relationship with the Washington growers in a scaled-down capacity.
“Obviously we love working with our estate fruit and the growers in our region, but we are also learning that the new normal is that there is no normal,” Martin explains. “You really have to be prepared. It has been a tough few years, but I’m proud of how we’ve handled it.”
Martin’s contributions were recognized this year by her employer, when she was promoted from general manager to director of operations at Blasted Church.
And, as Froese points out, while Martin would rather “fly under the radar, her work behind the scenes has made a profound impact.”
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Kathleen Willcox
Kathleen Willcox writes about wine, food and culture from her home in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. She is keenly interested in sustainability issues, and the business of making ethical drinks and food. Her work appears regularly in Wine Searcher, Wine Enthusiast, Liquor.com and many other publications. Kathleen also co-authored a book called Hudson Valley Wine: A History of Taste & Terroir, which was published in 2017. Follow her wine explorations on Instagram at @kathleenwillcox
