About Us

Our wine journey began years ago in Madison, Wisconsin.  As recent college graduates, we shopped at the only wine store in town.  Wines available consisted of French, Italian, and Spanish.  French wine was our first choice.  A good bottle of wine was our choice for special celebrations.

Living overseas for years in Guatemala and Honduras, we invested time in special foods accompanied by wine.  Again the wines available were French, Spanish, some Italian and some Chilean.  While living overseas we developed a love of creating specialty meals.  Cooking was our mutual activity to relax after hectic days.  Of course, chef husband needed his glass of wine to begin his creativity. For me cooking also relieved the boredom of unavailable food choices.  I learned how to cook green beans twenty different ways.  The ubiquitous green bean produced the desire for creative cooking. I learned to cook local traditional foods from my mother-in-law.  I learned to recreate childhood favorites without the same foods.  My new love for cookbooks helped me develop alternative ways to reproduce meals with substitute ingredients. Wine again marked special celebrations-anniversaries, birthdays, holidays.

Moving to Italy in the mid-eighties opened a new world in our wine and food experiences.  Our past experiences with food and wine were going to expand in Italy.  We searched for small restaurants in Rome and other small towns throughout the country.  We trailed after the Italians when looking where to eat.  One requirement was a large antipasto table.  We met the owners, who talked with us sharing their history and love for Italian wines.  It was in Italy we learned about the Brunello and Barolo wines, which became our staple with every meal. Every town and every event offered locally produced wines.  We had a smorgasbord of tastes that year. We learned how others used wine for celebrations.  It was this spirit of wine enjoyment we captured.

Moving to Northern California in 2000 changed our wine experiences even more. We visited every wine region in California, Washington, Oregon, and even Texas! as well as British Columbia, Canada).  We tried multiple wineries.  We were exposed to the wine industry.  Every tasting room had descriptions for each wine, the tasting wheel terms, and wine making techniques.  Wine tasting was an industry in California unlike anything we had experienced.  Meeting a young couple, out tasting for the first time, showed me how intimidating this experience can be to the uninitiated.  I learned wine is like art. Our own palates determine our wine choices, not the wine industry choices.

Our palates say our French wine (Latéralité Droit and Latéralité Gauche) will be exceptionally great (we expect to get 98 to 100 points!).  Even the growing season for 2010 in France is one of the best for the decade.  Join us as we search for exceptional French wines and eventually great Napa wines produced in small lots.  Remember the spirit of wine enjoyment. Use this spirit to help celebrate what is good in your own life.