The Power of Drinking Together

Wine is sacred.

According to the French in the early 20th century, wine was viewed as not only the ‘blood of the nation’s soil’, but a product that holds the key to elevating spirits and promoting good health. It was actually seen as a treatment for alcoholism when distilled drinks took over in the late 1800s and became rampant in working class communities.

Whether in the bloody trenches of World War I, the packed bars of the Lower East Side, or a quiet home in the outskirts of Cincinnati, wine has been essential to unlocking our purest philosophies and bringing moral communities together in whatever circumstances. Forget the flavors, the texture, the aromas, we talk about that enough already. But when we sit down together as friends, family, and business partners to uncork a bottle, it is a metaphor for both parties opening the dams to two different lakes and allowing those waters to mix in one place. 

Wine has been around for thousands of years. And it will still be here long after we’re gone and AI robots cook our eggs and drive us to the airport. Why? Because in a world that’s too fast already, it is an emblem of slowness. A haven from the rush that’s more valuable than gold. 

This week, our founder Shawn Zylberberg tasted wines all over Miami and Boca Raton with new and old friends. “One instance in particular stuck with me: seeing someone smile for the first time",” he says. This person is always serious and professional regardless of the situation, he recalls. “As I was walking out of the group tasting, I could see the corner of his lips tilt up to unveil a true smile. It was like seeing a new face!”

Could it be the wine or friends all around? It’s both. Friends are the ingredients, the pot is the setting…and wine is the fire.