I’m kind of an oak geek. I came to it the long way: through vineyards, wineries, wine sales and eventually wine barrels. What started as hands-on work became a fascination with the whys and hows behind the complex relationship between barrels and wine.
That curiosity led me to start BarrelBlog.com, the first independent blog dedicated solely to wine barrels. Since founding VinEthos, my research and writing have expanded into grapevine clones, vineyard materials, climate-adaptation tools, amphoras and the technical choices that shape wine quality.
At the heart of it, I’m interested in anything that helps winemakers and winery owners make better decisions, solve practical problems and keep improving the wines they set out to make.
How I Got Hooked
In March 2003, I took one of the biggest risks of my life. I left my corporate marketing job, put my belongings in storage and bought a one-way ticket to New Zealand. I landed without knowing a single person, drove straight to the Marlborough wine region and started looking for a job.
It is magical how one decision — one right turn instead of a left — can change the course of your future. I wanted to live in New Zealand, and by chance, I arrived at the beginning of harvest. I found work picking grapes, and from then on, I knew what I wanted to do with my life.
New Zealand didn’t work out permanently, although I returned the following year to work another harvest in the winery. Today, I live in Marin County, California, and travel often to Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast. I have my dream job.
My Approach
I work with people who care deeply about wine quality and want to make thoughtful, well-informed decisions. I draw on my experience and network of manufacturers, artisans, growers, winemakers and researchers to help clients evaluate options clearly and choose what best supports the quality, character and direction of their wines.
Whether the question involves barrels, grapevine clones, vineyard materials or future-smart winery practices, I’m interested in the practical details that shape results. Winemaking is never static. There is always more to learn, another variable to understand and another way to refine the work. That is what keeps me curious — and what makes it a privilege to help others along the way.