In one such fantastical dream, we’d have a winery where people would be drawn in by the amazing views from the hillside next to our modern tasting room made out of an old shipping container with walls of corrugated metal. Outside there would be a sleek deck made of ipe and comfortable outdoor furniture and cozy nooks for romantic dates. We’d pour glass after mediocre glass at elevated prices. People would love it because of the view and the welcoming vibe. It all felt possible, even though we knew nothing about making wine. After accidentally trespassing while exploring a few acres of land for sale near Calistoga for our fantastical dream, we did some back-of-the-napkin calculations. The cost of the road alone was more than we had, could stomach, borrow, or imagine recouping selling glasses of wine. Still, three twigs – a sauvignon blanc, a pinot noir, and a chardonnay – appeared in the mail and Adam planted them in the backyard as our entry into wine-making. Our calculations, though, were our kill-the-dream exercise. It was meant to steer us towards more attainable dreams. Still, for months we looked at wineries for sale online and dreamt.
Adventures in awesomnacity