ABOUT US
Why we Swallow and not Spit our wine.
We don’t want to be grandiose, but this is a re-democratisation of wine
Wine has always been for the people. Not that long ago wine was a safer substitute for water – a wine skin filled with purple menace for the peasantry after a hard day’s toil; a soldier’s breakfast. Wine was ubiquitous, without pretention, adored by all. Somewhere along the way, that changed. We’re here to change it back.
Where wine got too complicated is difficult to say². But some time between antiquity and today marketers and critics have turned it for an essential into a luxury. They’ve primped and preened our humble grapes squeezing exclusivity out of them and making too many of us feel unwelcome at the table ³. We reject that.
We won’t tell you what to smell or taste in your glass. Instead, we’ll ask you what you experience. We’ll never tell you what you should or shouldn’t like, but we’ll help you understand why you like what you do. Our goal is to make wine simple, joyful, and something you feel confident exploring on your own terms. Good wine is owed to you by the universe, but first we need to unlock in you the keys to find it. Thankfully, they’re all located right there in that gorgeous face of yours.
Wine is more than a drink; it’s a moment. It’s a shared escape from the worries of the future, an invitation to be present and to find joy in the now ⁴. The universe’s guilty gift for making us self aware. That is why, what may seem like a frivolous venture in losing control is actually a noble quest. We need wine, so why not make it good.
We take inspiration from Spain, where wine is woven into the fabric of life. It’s the bottle on every family table, the drink workers have with lunch, and the homemade concoction every uncle proudly pours (even if it’s barely drinkable – I’m looking at you Tio Jose, what was that!?). In Spain, wine is more than a beverage – it’s a human right just as it should be⁵. So let’s start this project here and see where it takes us.
Wine should be easy, fun, and for everyone. We want to strip away the pretence, open the gates, and help people rediscover the simple wonders of drinking wine.
And yes, we swallow. No grapes crushed in vain, no pretentious spitting into buckets. Just as there’s a wine for every occasion, there’s an occasion for every wine—and we’re here to drink every last drop.
Footnotes:
1. The Origins of Wine: Wine’s roots trace back to Mesopotamia, where it was central to daily life, rituals, and celebrations. The Greeks embraced it as a communal drink, offering wine to all as a companion to conversation and debate. The Romans spread wine across the Mediterranean, making it a daily staple for all classes.
2. The Beginnings of Exclusivity: During the Middle Ages, winemaking shifted to Christian monasteries, where monks produced wine for rituals. As feudalism took hold, vineyards became the property of lords who kept the best for themselves, leaving the scraps for common people.
3. Modern Elitism: Starting with Napoleon III’s 1855 Bordeaux Classification and reinforced by modern critics like Robert Parker, the wine industry began defining “good wine” on its own terms, alienating casual drinkers and pushing exclusivity.
4. Wine as an Escape: From the Dionysian rituals of the Greeks to the Bacchanal feasts of the Romans, wine has always been a way to escape life’s burdens and indulge in the present moment.
5. Wine in Spain: Introduced by the Phoenicians around 1000 BCE and expanded by the Romans, wine in Spain has always been for the people. Farmers drink from wineskins, families share wine at every meal, and it’s still included in daily menus across Spain, enjoyed by presidents, police officers, and workers alike.
