At family gatherings long ago I remain with fond memories of joining my grandfather Dominic to his basement wine room.  I recall the cool musty experience, the old dark wine-stained barrels and the interesting and consistent smell of his wine room.

In preparation for a family dinner he would carefully pour his ruby-red homemade wine from one of his barrels into a large ceramic pitcher. Inevitably he would then put a finger over his lips suggesting we share a secret. “Frankie, do you want a taste of grandpa’s wine?”  And with a predictable nod of approval he reached for a small glass, carefully opened the tap on a barrel and poured us a small sample.  We shared a sip and always exchanged mutual smiles of approval. I can now reflect that those memorable and endearing times with my grandfather and my observation of the joy he experienced sharing his very own homemade wine with his family.

It pleases me that I am now the one making memories for my family, my friends, and that may now include you. Over the last 30+ years, I have refined my wine making skills through the study of advanced enology literature, attending educational opportunities at national symposiums and from valuable hands-on lessons learned from yearly wine making.

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