My Story…
Update: November 2025
It’s been over two years since I last updated this page, so I’m thrilled to share some exciting news. My dream of planting vines and making wine is finally beginning to take shape in Puglia, Italy. Preparations are underway to transform a parcel of land outside San Vito dei Normanni into a vineyard. I’m taking things step by step to see how everything develops. One section—about 1,000 square meters (0.1 hectare, or roughly 0.247 acres)—has already undergone the initial work needed for grape cultivation.
The soil—red clay rich in iron—has been evaluated as excellent for growing grapes. The plan is to plant a lesser-known Puglian varietal: Susumaniello. After decades in the shadow of Primitivo and Negroamaro, this ancient grape is experiencing a well-deserved resurgence. Choosing Susumaniello felt especially meaningful, as its “rebirth” mirrors the birth of my own vineyard.
Please visit my The Vineyard Project section for regular updates on this project.
August 2023
My passion for wine—beyond the occasional glass—began 27 years ago when I met my wife. Until then, I was strictly a beer drinker. She introduced the ritual of pairing wine with the meals we cooked or ordered, elevating a simple “red” or “white” into deliberate choices matched to the dish. From there, we ventured beyond Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, exploring new varietals, then wines from regions outside California, Oregon, and Washington. The journey has unfolded gradually over two decades, and with wine, the learning, discovering, and appreciating never stop. At this stage, I’m eager to dive even deeper.
When COVID-19 locked us indoors in 2020, the disruption became my catalyst. I started making wine at home—not from vineyard grapes, but from high-quality juice sold to amateur winemakers. The results were surprisingly good. Over several batches, I produced six wines from two countries: Vermentino and Valpolicella (Italy), plus Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc (Chile). Each vintage taught me something; the wines improved with every tweak.
Now, an extraordinary opportunity has come my way: three months this fall working alongside a winemaker in Italy, starting with harvest and following the process through to bottling. What began as a half-joking remark during a winery visit last year is now real. I’ll be in Puglia—home to Primitivo, Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Nero di Troia, Fiano, Verdeca, and more—absorbing every detail. I feel incredibly fortunate.
Countless blogs and websites already cover wine in depth; a quick search reveals almost anything. So why create this space? Mainly to document my own journey with photos, videos, and reflections—for my future self. If others find it engaging along the way, that’s a bonus.
Thanks for stopping by. Cheers! Salute! Santé!
My son Jay drew these for me when he was, I’m guessing, seven to nine years old.
