JOY ANYWAY

Ripple effect, babe: good news anti-venom to boost your immunity.

Very few musings today other than:

What do you think would happen if every single person for just one tiny day dropped their resentment and fear and alternatively operated with a baseline of joy and grace?

There’s enough BS out there, and I’m over it. I want to spread ripples of joy instead. If you’re tired of reading depressing trash about AI, exploitation and power/money-hungry bullies literally everywhere, here’s some good wine news anti-venom to boost your immunity. Pass it on!

1. I have wine in my refrigerator, and I am going to drink it tonight. It makes me happy.

2. Gallo bought Whiny Baby! I am stoked. The founder, Jess, has lots of exciting insights to shake up the outdated wine scene, and I can’t wait to see where this could take our industry.

3. Chef Preeti Mistry is the new Executive Chef at Silver Oak Cellars! HELL yes. Preeti is a dream, incredibly forward-thinking, thoughtful and intentional, and for Silver Oak to be employing a non-binary person of color whose flavor inspirations are wildly globally innovative as their EC is progressive and dope; I ardently hope it helps Silver Oak attract a new segment of buyer and makes other wineries pay attention.

4. California Legislature passed AB 720 to create an Estate Tasting Event Permit, which would allow winemakers to apply to host tasting events on winery property or at non-adjacent vineyards under their control. This would be a huge boon especially to small makers who’ve not been able to legally host tastings. As the Wine Institute explains, “In short, this new permit enables wineries to create “pop-up” tasting experiences at estate vineyard sites, bringing visitors closer to the vines, the soil and the story of California wine.”

5. Get it, girrrlll: Zillennial Katharina Marrapode has taken over as Wine Director for Napa’s Auberge du Soleil. She’s being especially thoughtful of engaging new and younger audiences, AMEN SIS.

6. Get it, girrrlll plus one: Wu Xiuyong is named Decanter’s Rising Star 2025. Not only is she an extraordinarily talented winemaker in Hongsipu, Ningxia, she’s also fiercely dedicated to rural education and to teaching and mentoring young women toward careers in wine. Next stop: Bâtonnage China, okay?

7. I just learned that colleges can sell the wine their students make, and then they reinvest the profits into the programs. I am floored by this and can’t wait to find and support some of these wines.

8. This isn’t new news, but I’m still stuck on it: Everything about the new collaboration Overshine Collective gives me warm fuzzies and resonates SO HARD. (Can someone ask David Drummond if I can please buy him coffee?)

9. The month’s nearly over but I found out about Sit at the Bar September and I’m HERE FOR IT. God bless this fabulous bee, Laurie Cooper, whose energy I want to absorb forever.

10. You. You reading this brings me joy. One tiny little sliver at a time, let’s go change the world, hey?

That is all. Just out here sowing seeds of resiliency.

Please comment with anything/everything wonderful, exciting, inspiring and amazing that’s bringing you joy.

xo