Beyond the tasting room

Get an insider's look at the people, places, and stories behind the wine industry

In a world where wine shelves are often stacked with predictable labels, a quiet consumer revolution has been brewing: one that prioritizes premium quality, authentic storytelling, and meaningful connections over mass-market monotony. Since the beginning, our objective has been to transform how wine lovers discover and experience wine — by bringing artisanal, family-owned wineries into the spotlight and into your glass.

My journey with Melier began with a simple frustration: I’d frequently discover extraordinary wines that were recommended by friends, only to find them absent from Google searches, store shelves, and restaurant wine lists. I knew if I could get these wines into people’s hands, without necessarily requiring a long (and increasingly expensive) trip to wine country, they’d develop the same appreciation that I did.

This idea began rattling around in my head in 2019, and by 2020 it had reached a fever pitch that I could no longer ignore. Timing, they say, is everything, and mine was impeccable: launching an experiential wine business during a global pandemic. But serendipity apparently counts too, and I got some through a chance encounter with longtime vintner Dan Zepponi. Dan is the CEO of Two Estates (parent of Cuvaison Winery and Brandlin Estate) with more than 40 years of wine industry experience, and was the industry yin to my consumer-focused yang. Together, we saw an opportunity not just to sell wine, but to share the stories, passion, and craftsmanship behind each bottle—a mission that increasingly resonates with today’s wine consumers who crave authenticity over assembly-line vintages.

Dan’s first priority after taking the CEO job at Cuvaison was to refocus the winery around premium: products, people, experience. He saw, correctly, that the increasing focus (and spend) on premium wines reflects a broader and enduring shift in consumer tastes. Wine drinkers are no longer content with simply picking the generic bottles from the shelf; and if given that choice at a restaurant, they often opt for no wine at all. And the traditional tasting room, while charming, isn’t always accessible. Dan realized, even before COVID, that a winery’s over-reliance on it would be a death knell in a world with more options and higher expectations than ever.

We set out to bridge that gap by bringing the tasting room experience to you through virtual or in-person private tastings, restaurant and business collaborations, personal connections and wine communities in your city, and winery perks when you do have the opportunity to make the trek to wine country. Our extended team of ambassadors, private partners, and industry pros are all working behind the scenes — all geared towards helping you capture the magic of the perfect bottle.

As a subscriber to this publication, you’ll get a brutally honest look into a hidden world of wine, peeling back the curtain to reveal the people, stories, and truths behind the industry. Expect an insider’s look at what makes wine tick—from no-nonsense takes on useful wine knowledge and industry trends, to candid conversations with vintners and experts who live and breathe this craft. Plus, we’ll be rolling out a suite of benefits to community members: think first dibs on rare bottles, invites to private tastings, and insider perks that make you feel like part of the winery family.

Cheers to drinking well.