What Wine Means to Us

Tara's version:

I think what draws me the most to wine is that it tells an amazing story. Wine gathers people together, which essentially is where stories begin. Not just friends over happy hour, or families over dinners, but it also gathers people in the trade together, too – winemakers talk about how they blended certain grapes together to make a unique red, growers experiment with different grapes and how to grow them in certain conditions to produce new flavors, and sommeliers share the experience of tasting with one another and an audience.

Wine is, to me, one of the most complex beverages that you can experience, and the fact that wine is present in different situations throughout life conveys a certain specialness to it that I admire. There are so many stories shared over wine that I like to think every empty bottle is a

story well told, a signal that something special was shared. Even if you drink wine alone – no judgement! – it’s still special. Maybe it’s a glass of wine that winds down your day, a special signal of comfort. Maybe it a celebratory glass of wine after you’ve made a big achievement. Maybe it’s just a random Wednesday and it calls for wine! The complexity and process that goes into creating a wine that is to be enjoyed by a wide variety of people is so inspiring to me, and I love learning about the insight that goes into the winemaking process. It’s not an afterthought (although many happy accidents happen in winemaking) and I think it can really show when a winery puts so much effort into a bottle of wine. It’s all part of the story – the grapes have a part of it, the people, the winery, and the consumers. It’s all one big story, and it’s beautiful. I’m going to continue my pursuit of both contributing, listening, sharing…and most importantly of all, tasting the story of wine!

Shannon's version:

Wine is something that brings people together. My husband and I have been to many wine tastings and the amount of times people have stopped us to have a conversation is endless. Total strangers having long conversations about life and the world all because of a glass of wine.

Wine to me brings serenity and peace. I love to unwind with a glass of wine while talking to my husband about our days. Being in a vineyard just enhances the relaxation level. I remember when I was on a 4th of July trip with family and friends and we ended up staying at this winery where our table was literally in the vineyard. They had great wines but they weren't our favorite that day. We were all just so immersed in our conversations and the scenery, we ended up staying the majority of the time that day there. On that same trip, we went to King's Family winery where we heard story after story of how their wine was made and about the family who made it. It helped us understand their thinking and logic on wine making. I loved the amazing stories they had regarding the wine making process, such as how they used helicopters to keep fires away or how they put certain ingredients such as bark to make the grapes and wine have a different taste. Wine is such an eye opening culture in itself.  One of my favorite activities using wine is hosting small wine tastings with friends and family as a way to do something fun and get together. I love putting on my Martha Stewart hat and being extra creative with the snacks and the flavors the food brings out in the wine.  During the pandemic, wine has been a focal point. No, I don't mean I have a drinking problem. Rather, Tara and I decided to make wine more than a passion, but a business focused on bringing more people together...and to enjoy wine of course. We strive to create a fun community of winos who share the same passion and love for wine. Tell us what wine means to you! Cheers! Shannon & Tara