Wine Tasting at Home: Holiday Happy Hour

My first memories are all on farms & gardens. Picking fruit from the orchards where my father worked as a farm hand, being lifted in the air to pick higher fruit from the vines. Running barefoot in our organic gardens and eating fruit & veggies fresh off the plant. Connected to nature. Later, it came as a shock to eat supermarket fruit & veggies, devoid of flavor. I realized how disconnected most of us are from our roots, from the real power and magic of nature, not to mention the simple joys of flavor. So I set out to re-connect. I studied woodworking at my uncle’s shop to learn craftsmanship and the act of creation from the raw materials of nature, but carpentry was not for me. I studied environmental science at UC Davis and dreamed of changing the world, but grew frustrated with the slow pace; I wanted to do something more direct and tangible. Still searching,I worked my way through school with jobs at bars & restaurants, and my interest in wine grew; I was intrigued by wine’s fusion of agriculture and craftsmanship. I traveled to Australia and ended up being hired to join a crew of illegal laborers pruning grapevines. Something clicked, a circle completed, back in the fields connecting with the earth through tending the vines. So I switched majors and studied Viticulture & Enology at UC Davis. After graduating I spent 5 years traveling the world mastering the craft, then came back to Sacramento and helped launch and run several wineries and vineyards in the region, refining my style and perfecting my skills. After saving for years, in 2017 I was able to put enough money aside to make a dozen barrels of wine, my first vintage of Voluptuary, which I released in 2019. In Voluptuary, I am bringing together my influences and passions: a connection to nature & organic agriculture, a focus on craftsmanship, a sense of adventure and action. Thank you for supporting my cause and enjoying my creations