Our Inception Story

It started with “what the f***?”

There are 1,400+ grape varietals on planet earth, and we only drink ~20 of them here in the U.S.

“What the f***?”

For anyone with an affinity for wine and/or flavor, it’s painful to live in a reality where our worldview of wine captures so little of what actually exists. Since becoming a sommelier and founding Personal Sommelier DC some years ago, answering that rhetorical question has been proven to be my calling. I’ve poured myself into the under-represented regions and grape varietals that our wonderfully diverse planet has to offer. And for years, I solely taught about wine and used as our shared medium hidden gems like Xinomavro, Sylvaner, Alfrochiero, and on.

With the onset of the pandemic, I stumbled into a professional relationship with George from Dionysos, an importer of wines vinified from indigenous grapes, and Jared from Hop, Cask & Barrel, a retailer willing to stock and ship the same. With these newfound partners, I continued my teaching and tastings virtually, unperturbed, without any sight of the larger, more ambitious venture to come.

Nearly a year later, two gracious souls, Shannon and Mehmet, suggested launching a wine club to make it easier for anyone and everyone to drink wines from under-represented regions and varietals. What would have been impossible in years past suddenly became possible with George and Jared as partners in sourcing and fulfilling.

Imbued in every shipment of wine you receive from Save the Grape: Wine Club is thoughtful care and careful selection. It’s a risky business — hanging our hats on wines that people have never heard of.

But, I couldn’t imagine it any other way.