My Origin Story: How I Became a Winemaker
My journey into wine wasn't planned.
There was no family winery, no childhood dream of becoming a winemaker, and certainly no carefully mapped-out career path. I was a lost teenager who graduated high school at 16 and went on to study business without really knowing where I was headed.
Thankfully, my parents never pressured me into following a predetermined career. They gave me something far more valuable: the freedom to figure things out for myself.
While studying, I funded my lifestyle through part-time hospitality jobs. I tried pretty much everything — housekeeping, bartending, waiting tables, making coffee. You name it, I've probably done it.
Then came that night.
The Worst Restaurant Shift Ever
About three weeks before graduation, I was working at a well-regarded restaurant when everything that could go wrong seemed to go wrong.
Customers were unhappy with the food. The chef was barking orders. Bills were going out with mistakes. And my tips? Let's just say they weren't exactly worth framing.
That night confirmed something I'd already suspected: the restaurant business wasn't for me.
I decided it would be my last shift.
While waiting for my manager to close everything out, I sat at the bar with a colleague, replaying the disaster we'd just survived. Normally, this would have called for a stiff drink.
Instead, our manager produced a bottle of white wine that a disgruntled customer had left behind.
I knew absolutely nothing about it.
I didn't know the producer, the grape variety, where it came from, and honestly, at that point, I didn't particularly care.
I simply accepted the glass.
One Sip Changed Everything
I didn't swirl it.
I didn't smell it.
I certainly didn't contemplate its origins or vintage.
I just lifted the glass and took a sip, expecting nothing more than something to wash away the evening.
And then something happened.
The wine hit my lips, coated my tongue, and rolled down my throat.
My expression changed from exhaustion to complete disbelief.
I turned to my colleague and said:
“Holy sh$t, I need to learn how to make this.”
That was the moment.
Not a grand plan. Not a family legacy. Not some carefully calculated career decision.
One bottle of wine changed the direction of my life.
Suddenly, everything became clear. I didn't just want to drink wine. I wanted to understand it. I wanted to learn how it was made, why it tasted the way it did, and ultimately, how I could make something that created that same sense of discovery in someone else.
That accidental encounter became the beginning of my journey as a winemaker — and eventually, The Flying Winemaker.
The Bottle That Started It All
Sometimes, the most important moments in life arrive when you're least prepared for them.
For me, it came at the end of a terrible restaurant shift, in a glass of white wine I knew nothing about.
I walked into that evening thinking I was finished with hospitality.
I walked out knowing I'd found my calling.
And that is how my winemaking story began.
FAQs
Who is The Flying Winemaker?
The Flying Winemaker is a modern wine brand founded on a passion for making wine approachable, innovative, and relevant to today's drinkers.
How did the winemaker get into wine?
His journey began unexpectedly while working in hospitality, when a glass of white wine sparked an immediate desire to learn how wine was made.
Was winemaking a family tradition?
No. The journey into winemaking was not inherited through a family wine business but discovered through an unexpected hospitality experience.
What inspired The Flying Winemaker?
A belief that wine can create moments of discovery, inspiration, and connection, an idea that began with one unforgettable glass of wine.
How did I become a winemaker?
I became a winemaker almost by accident. After working part-time in hospitality while studying business, one disastrous restaurant shift ended with a glass of white wine that completely changed my perspective. That unexpected first taste sparked a simple thought: I need to learn how to make this.