In this bubbly episode of the Weinnotes Podcast, we’re popping the cork with Kenny and Allison, the spirited visionaries behind Arabilis, as they share their sparkling adventure into the world of traditional method sparkling wines. With laughter as effervescent as their creations, this duo takes us behind the scenes of their winery, where dreams are bottled and every sip tells a story of passion, science, and a little bit of magic.
Let’s dive a little deeper into Arabilis’s stories
Stories such as hand-bottling with a small team and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to keep the energy up, to the evolution of their business plan from grand dreams in New Jersey to the reality of running a bustling winery, Kenny and Allison’s journey is as inspiring as it is delightful. They reveal the challenges and triumphs of transitioning to predominantly sparkling wine production, their commitment to community and collaboration within the Oregon wine scene, and the excitement of bringing new sparkling expressions to life for Arabilis.
But it’s not all wine talk; this episode is sprinkled with personal stories that add depth to their winemaking narrative. From Kenny’s repeat jacket appearance, the anticipation of a new family member, their personal tales weave seamlessly into the fabric of their winery’s story, embodying the joy and complexity of Arabilis.
As we swirl through the conversation, we’re invited to dream along with them about the future of sparkling wine in Oregon, the importance of legacy, and the simple pleasures that come from pursuing one’s passions. Join us for a toast to Kenny and Allison’s journey with Arabilis – a testament to the beauty of bubbles, the strength of community, and the endless possibilities that come from following your heart. Cheers to the stories that sparkle, one bottle at a time with Arabilis.
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Transcription of interview with Kenny and Allison of Arabilis in Oregon’s Wine Country
[00:00:00] A.J. Weinzettel: Cheers to another episode of the Wine Notes podcast. I’m your guide, AJ Winesuttle, on this journey of stories showcasing the people behind the wonderful world of wine, where we dive into conversations ranging from terroir, viticulture, to favorite music, superpowers and more. Please enjoy this episode of the Wine Notes podcast.Kenny, Allison, thank you so much for being on the podcast today. I really appreciate you taking the time.
[00:00:29] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: And AJ, thank you for the time. This is going to be fun. Yeah, no, [00:00:32] A.J. Weinzettel: this is going to be fun. Uh, I know Kenny, I had you on last year. We weren’t in person and Allison, you weren’t here. So there’s been so much going on and I like, Oh, I’m just excited about everything that’s going on.I just wanted to let everybody else
[00:00:47] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: know. I just realized I’m wearing the same jacket, I think, from the original video. Which, not planned. Creatures of habit. [00:00:56] A.J. Weinzettel: We all do that, we all do that. Uh, before we get started, can I pour us a little bit of a blind wine? Let’s do it. Sure. One of us can’t have a blind wine so I brought you a blind water.Thank you. You’re welcome. So if you can guess what it is kudos, you know, but if you just want to say ooh, yummy water, you know, feel free. Thank you.
[00:01:17] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: You’re welcome. Elevated in the stem wire. [00:01:23] A.J. Weinzettel: Um, alright, and Kenny, you know, as you know, whatever you want to say, it’s completely up to you. Okay. If you just want to say it’s yummy, or yucky, or it’s gorgeous, or whatever. [00:01:34] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Color’s gorgeous. Yeah, already. [00:01:37] A.J. Weinzettel: Um, you know, normally I try to find a connection with the wine. There is no real connection. Uh, the only real connection, and I’ll just say it out loud, it’s, uh, sparkling.I mean, hello, I had to bring some sparkling. Uh, and it probably lost some of its fizz coming in
[00:01:59] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: traveling. No, that’s fine. Like, people decant their sparkling wine or champagne sometimes, so. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. But [00:02:07] A.J. Weinzettel: it’s also Super Bowl Sunday, so I mean, it seemed appropriate also to have [00:02:11] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: sparkling. Yeah. Very pretty nose, uh, floral, got this minerality to it for sure.Um, very clean as well, brilliant color, brilliant clarity. Um, yeah I didn’t even taste, I just went for the nose.
Very good, little lost stone fruit pear. Um, definitely feels old world to me, got some age to it. But, uh. Yeah, this one’s going to be a stumper for me, I think, so. That’s fair. Yeah. Well. It’s very good. Thank you for sharing. I’m going to keep thinking on this one.
[00:02:57] A.J. Weinzettel: Well, at the end, I will reveal what it is. [00:02:59] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Okay. But can I guess before? It’s, yeah, yeah. [00:03:02] A.J. Weinzettel: Whatever, yeah. I mean, you can guess now, you can guess in between, or you can, whatever, whatever you want to do. It’s, it’s, it’s your call. Alright. Yeah. Uh, so trying to catch up a little bit from last year. Uh, holy cow. S the summer of 21. You reached out to me via DM on Instagram and let let me know that you were, you know, having some sparklings come out and they’re coming out this spring. [00:03:31] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: They are. [00:03:32] A.J. Weinzettel: Holy Toledo. [00:03:34] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Yeah. Quite the ride. [00:03:35] Allison from Arabalis Wines: We’ve been [00:03:35] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: waiting a long time. Yeah. and planning for this moment is just like one step at a time. Right. And, um, I think the two wines that we’re gonna release are gonna be. Fun ones. Really limited, so we don’t have too much of it, but it’s only the start. Of our, kind of like, sparkling vision. [00:03:56] Allison from Arabalis Wines: So these are grapes from 2020, picked well before any fires. Right. And, um, we’ve been just steadily building our wines that are on the lees, just more and more sparkling. And so it’s finally, we’re kind of hitting that tipping point where we’ve finally, we’re ready to release. And eventually it’ll be more and more sparkling and fewer and fewer stills, but we’ll always still have a couple of Chardonnays for sure. [00:04:20] A.J. Weinzettel: Yeah. No, it’s, it’s, it’s amazing. And that was for your [00:04:24] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: sparkling bright up. Yeah.Yeah.
[00:04:27] A.J. Weinzettel: Yeah. Yep. That was, and I wanted to continue to do it. If there’s so many things I want to do, there’s just sometimes I got to let, let things go. Cause there’s just too many things I want to [00:04:38] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: accomplish. Yep. Yeah. No, it’s, uh, Something, back then in 21, we were sort of like growing our portfolio and then 22 even more and 23 definitely even more.So, yeah, what Allison was just mentioning, like we’re on this inflection of this year we’ll probably do 199 percent sparkling and just a little bit of still Chardonnay. So, that’s been our vision from the get go is to be. Traditional method, sparkling wine forward.
[00:05:12] Allison from Arabalis Wines: Yeah, we’ve kind of reached a point where we couldn’t really do it all by hand anymore.So like, this last tirage, last summer we did 500, 600 bottles in one day. I’m sorry. Cases. Yeah. Um, in one day with just like two six out fillers and a good team of friends. Well,
[00:05:31] A.J. Weinzettel: yeah. And you were passing out like peanut butter jelly sandwiches, [00:05:33] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: right? Yes. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Because we weren’t eating. Like that was the thing.I’m the, my buddies and I, and when I’m working, it’s just like, I’m not taking care of myself. You’d make sure that I do that. So especially during harvest, it’s like dope food delivery on, on hand. But during triage, you’re just like, Handing handfuls of peanut M& M’s and peanut butter and jello. I don’t think we had more peanut butter in that day.
Just to like, sustain us through. Yeah.
[00:06:01] A.J. Weinzettel: That is amazing. But I’m curious. Y’all did up like a huge business plan. Like when you were up in like, Jersey? Yeah. Are you staying true to that business [00:06:13] Allison from Arabalis Wines: plan? It has evolved quite a bit. So, when we first wrote that, I mean, we were looking at a lot of resources from different extensions, you know, like, from different universities and all the things, and it was like, the gold standard business plan.Like, if we had unlimited money, this is how we would run our business. And that wasn’t reality. So It’s changed quite a bit, but we recently, you know, refreshed it actually, in terms of being able to secure financing for some of this equipment. And so it’s, I mean, it is what it is. I feel like we’re really optimistic and excited about the future.
But it looks very different than when we, um, When we started and it was 2017 when we like wrote that business plan. Right, right. But I mean, each step kind of builds on itself. And so if we hadn’t done that, we wouldn’t have gotten to the next step and the next step and Right. We’ve had a lot of help along the way.
Definitely. Like, um, we have a small business association mentor and people in the industry and so a lot of different Yeah. People who have helped us get to where we are. That’s,
[00:07:15] A.J. Weinzettel: that is, it is exciting. You know, when I walked in the door here, you know, the facility scene, all the bottling equipment, I was just, my jaw just went to the ground.Yeah. It’s,
[00:07:28] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: it is amazing to see. No, that’s great. I mean, this is our little Kaveri. I’ve been kind of dubbing it and if it wasn’t for friends and people in the industry, we, like we wouldn’t be here. Cause even Friday. Andrew Davis was like, giving kind of free rein to Lee Beck to come and help on Friday.And Ari, who used to be at Groschall, um, he worked with Andrew over Harvest last year, and has been doing work with Isabel. So like, everybody’s been super generous with their time and capacity to help us. Um, because it looked very different a week ago, it was a little bit Chaotic, cardboard boxes were everywhere, bubble wrap everywhere, and so it looks, it’s uh, it looks pretty dope.
Yeah,
[00:08:18] Allison from Arabalis Wines: it’s changing a lot, and a few weeks before that there were barrels in here and tanks, and so it’s evolved quite a bit. And in the next few days it’ll continue. Yep. Um, we’re, yeah, we’re just so excited. [00:08:32] A.J. Weinzettel: I would be excited too. I mean, it’s, it’s been a very long journey. I mean, you still have a lot of, uh, runway ahead of you, but holy cow, you’re still doing [00:08:42] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: amazing.Yeah. Dreaming crazy and more exciting things and I hope on the horizon for sure. Right, right.
[00:08:53] A.J. Weinzettel: And I’m just trying to recall from a, uh, a chat you and I had. Did you mention that you’re gonna, that you’re like, you know, having that you’re gonna have like some clients here as well to do. So can I, you know, know who it’s coming so I can like write them down and be like, get all excited [00:09:11] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: for them?Yeah, totally. Um, Jessica Cortell, we’re making wine for, so we have her base wine and I’ve been doing some work with her on that. And Violet Vines has been another big client. So Brian Zawada and April Zawada. So, they’ve been sort of great to bottle, um, then we have another number of others, so Piper is getting in the game, Ben Piper,
[00:09:35] Allison from Arabalis Wines: and I think you started that right where it manifested, [00:09:38] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: now [00:09:40] A.J. Weinzettel: it’s true.I do
[00:09:41] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: that quite a bit. Yeah, um, and they’re, the Cho’s might jump in on some things, so we’ll see where, where things end up. But there’s a number of other people that have been Very interested to whether it’s all a cart like we just want to do riddling or we just want to do disgorging. So I mean We’re just happy to help where we can because they’ve helped us and so we’re trying to help increase that Willamette Valley traditional method Oregon grown. [00:10:11] Allison from Arabalis Wines: It’s just so exciting right now there’s so many people looking to get into sparkling wine and traditional method especially and to be able to like Be a part of that and facilitate other brands, help us help them grow as people have helped us grow is pretty cool. And it works out really nicely in terms of right now, because we’re still building up our production.And so we have capacity and as that, that will change over the next decade or so. But right now, like that’s mutually beneficial. thing. So yeah, this year is kind of our proof of concept. Um, so we’ll just, you know, training, getting up and running, doing a handful of clients and then next year we’ll be on our way.
Yeah.
[00:10:53] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: It’ll look a little bit different because we’re already like we’re maxed out for this year and there’s probably some little gaps here and there that we could fill for sure on the production schedule. But one thing we were also getting is another gyro barrier gyro, just to help. With our capacity planning for our personal brand but help others in terms of their timelines.So that’s
[00:11:15] A.J. Weinzettel: that is amazing So it’s part of the business plan, you know, was there a new family member like included in that whole business plan? [00:11:25] Allison from Arabalis Wines: It was always part of the business plan. Yeah Yeah, we’re expecting our first and third The next few weeks, or tomorrow, who knows? [00:11:35] A.J. Weinzettel: Well, let’s just get through the interview here [00:11:37] Allison from Arabalis Wines: and then Yeah, we’re really excited about that and, um, yeah.There’s always going to be something going on with our business, so family just comes in parallel and we’re, we’re
[00:11:49] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: really excited. Yeah, it’s been in, like, my purpose has changed, because, well, it’s always been a Legacy. Like, we want to, hopefully, you know, pass it over, but, um, little steps at a time. Like, we think it’d be so cool to, I don’t know, I’d be topping with Little monkeys.Yeah. Crawling all over the racks. I don’t know, I think it’d be fun.
[00:12:15] A.J. Weinzettel: I think it would be fun too. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. It’s, and it’s interesting, you know, to have like a 15 year old. She took some, you know, so I’m, by day, I’m a coder, right? And I love coding. Um, and she took a computer science class this past semester.And I was like, ooh, what are you doing? Ooh, can I see this? Ooh, can I see that? And she could tell that I was super excited about it. But she was like, don’t get your hopes up. I’m, you know, I’m not going to be a coder or anything like that. So just, just stop thinking about that. I wasn’t, I was just excited that you’re doing this and I can talk to you about it.
Yeah. Um. Yeah.
[00:12:52] Allison from Arabalis Wines: We gotta keep our expectations open. Yeah, definitely. We’re very excited to like, bring the baby along with us wherever we go and, you know. [00:13:00] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: It’s hard not to think about those moments and get excited and have that connection point in the conversation. Of [00:13:06] A.J. Weinzettel: course, you have to have those types of hopes and dreams and excitement.Very much so. Um, not too long ago you were on some TV talking about Oregon Sparkling.
[00:13:18] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Yes, that was a, a great opportunity talking with Claire and, um, yeah, there’s so much potential. I mean, there was more to that conversation than what we fit into the podcast interview. And so, um, yeah, I think it’s, with Oregon Sparkling Wine, it’s going to be More to come for sure.Yeah,
[00:13:40] A.J. Weinzettel: so what, what, what did they leave out? [00:13:43] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: I think for, it was more like the, who, who is doing like what other projects are coming in the works. And, um, there’s more like site typicity and things that we’re trying to find, I think, in, in Oregon. I think now, you know, you have Dan and Gene that are planting high elevation kind of on the It’s the western side of Viola at the top, Windfall with Andy Lytle, like, so it’s here and there are now pockets of the valley that are kind of ideal and even vineyards that people are like, I’d never got ripe, like now there’s a purpose to that block rather than balking it out or using it for other things that it, it can be a really good.So, um, yeah, some Claire and I, we had some good laughs and I think it’s, I, I, Wish we had more time, so. I’m curious if there’s gonna be a Sparklers 3, maybe, or a Sparklers 2, cause I would love to get involved. There’s definitely a Sparklers 2. Okay.
[00:14:56] A.J. Weinzettel: Uh, do you know who Joel McHale is? [00:14:58] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: No? Have [00:14:59] A.J. Weinzettel: you seen the TV series, uh, Community?Oh, yeah. I’ve seen a couple of episodes. Yes. Okay. So, the, uh, Joel McHale is the arrogant kind of leader of the group? group. He’s going to be in sparklers
[00:15:16] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: too. Oh, right on. Yes. [00:15:18] A.J. Weinzettel: Okay. And you know, I, uh, I talked to Jason wise back in December and I, I wish I would’ve told you, I’m like, so you’re gonna get Joe McCall on sparklers too.There needs to be a paint. Paintball challenge, right? I mean, because I mean, when I think community, I think of that one episode and they did it over multiple seasons of a huge paintball competition inside the school. Yeah. And it was just epic
[00:15:47] Allison from Arabalis Wines: at the joy [00:15:47] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: in the house. Yeah. Oh, my God, [00:15:52] Allison from Arabalis Wines: forever changed. [00:15:53] A.J. Weinzettel: That would be forever changed.Sorry, Andy, we Popped that idea out there.
[00:16:00] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Oh man, that’d be cool. I mean, I’m excited for that. Yeah. I’m excited about that too. Yeah. They, it’s just such a cool concept that they did in terms of the competition, just kind of the round Robin. It, it seems so more with more, there’s more sparkling wine in Oregon coming into the market.in the next two years than ever. I think that’s what, it’s super exciting and I think there’s gonna be, like, those producers that are, you know, focused on it, those that definitely want to get on the market trend with it. Um, so, curious to see where, where it goes in five, ten, fifteen, cause, um, Um, now that people are planting it in the viney, just getting older and older and more complex, it’s going to be really cool to see that evolution.
Yeah,
[00:16:55] A.J. Weinzettel: I, I completely agree. And I don’t know, I kind of consider you all part of like you, the chose Dan and Gina corollary kind of part of this Oregon sparkling revolution. Right. I mean, it’s, it’s, it’s to me, it almost feels like the old times of Oregon of like everybody kind of coming together to kind of get this thing off the ground.And it’s, it’s been fun to watch.
[00:17:20] Allison from Arabalis Wines: Yeah, it does feel like that. And there’s a really good community. I mean, like, the people you just mentioned were close friends and talk about it and collaborate a lot. And, um, there’s also, like, the Celebrate Sparkling group, which is kind of more formalized. And that’s evolving too, which is exciting.So I think, yeah, it’ll only become, uh, you know, it’s kind of like a snowball
[00:17:42] A.J. Weinzettel: effect. Yes, yes, definitely. And, you know, and I’ve heard Rumblings in the air of, you know, some big kind of organ, champagne kind of event. And I’m like, how can I help? I’ll do anything, you know? And they’re like, I’ve gotten one call of like, hey, do you have any numbers for this?And I’m like, uh, not really, but here’s, you know, who I do know of. Oh, man.
[00:18:11] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: It’s gonna happen. Expressed interest in that because I think it’s only time that, time will tell, like when that actually event gets going because the wines that are coming are like being produced. We, I’m in a technical tasting group with Andrew and, uh, Lundy and I mean, Dan and Jean have been great in terms of like fostering a lot of these events at their house too.So like we are opening bottles and doing blind tastings together and it’s, you learn a lot. You learn a lot. The quality is there, right? I mean, in terms of. I know we’re not champagne. Like we have a marker as far as Oregon sparkling goes. And it’s really exciting that from a quality standpoint, the flavor aroma texture is giving you an experience that’s just as luxurious as champagne.
So that’s what’s amazing to me as far as it would be awesome to be rubbing shoulders at a party or event that is educating customers. Educating the market and the Psalms and the restauranteurs to say like, Here’s, here’s what to do in terms of talking about Willamette Valley sparkling. Right. And then at the same time, like, let’s pop some big shit, like, And have fun with it.
Cause, Joining of the like minds I think is helping foster the innovation. Cause, The more we’re sharing, And that’s, that’s what’s been amazing in the technical groups, like, It’s an open book in terms of, like, people have what they’re going after and that their style and trying to carve out their niche.
And I think, you know, we’re doing that. Um, and it’s very different, but similar in terms of how we’re going about this.
[00:20:05] A.J. Weinzettel: No, I completely agree. And I don’t know how this popped into my head the other day, but, uh, Philippe Andre, I think he might be a good person to talk to about this. [00:20:17] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Yes, I really want it. I was just telling this about and you were talking to him at IPNC.Yeah. He’s going to be back again this year. I would love to meet him. Oh, he is such a good guy. Yeah. Yeah. It seemed like a very down to earth.
[00:20:32] A.J. Weinzettel: He is. Yeah. And, uh, he did Oregon penal camp and did harvest, uh, me Sarah. Oh, sweet. And so, I mean, Oregon is just deep in his heart. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that was, I, I had the, uh, opportunity to interview him before I did like the day before IPNC, you know, and I hate to admit this, but when I first saw the big flamboyant Philippe Andre, I was like, Ooh, okay.But then as I got to know him, Oh my gosh. Yeah. And that was, that was an amazing interview that
[00:21:05] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: I had with him. Yeah. No, he brings a lot of energy, a lot of passion for the product and the brand. Um, And the community, like, so I think there’s, there’s that in terms of our, and I, that’s what we noticed when we went to Champaign, because since that conversation we had, we went to Champaign in January.And I think that was the more or less the crux point of like, all right, we’re investing in our future of sparkling, and all the people that we talked to in Champaign. We’re so welcoming. Like, even Guillaume Dillard, Flavia Nowak, like those guys have become best friends, Instagram, pen pals,
[00:21:54] Allison from Arabalis Wines: um. Like people you very much looked up to, purposefully scheduled these visits with producers that were of sizes and like, mindsets that we really wanted to learn from and they like, did not disappoint at all.It was so, so nice. They took us in, they, you know, showed us all the You know, everything in the cellar he took us in the vineyard. They were explaining how they were pruning to Kenny and why and different things that they’re trying which are new and um, and yeah, we like, we can’t wait to go
[00:22:24] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: back. No, we’re going back for sure and little one in tow.And I think the, that was what was interesting. They were surprised, because we went in January, it was freezing, it was really cold, and snow, it was very picturesque. But, they’re like, you want to go in the vineyard? I’m like, yeah, like, it’s starting there, you’re setting the season for the next three years.
Like, because for them, it’s, the vineyard practices are super complex, they’re very standardized. Um, like they’re, if they’re only a half a meter too high, they’re gonna get fined. Like, it’s super, cause they’re trying to control the quality of the brand of champagne, so. And I get it, and that was something that they’re, like Guillaume is doing Cordon.
In his Clos de la Abbey vineyard on Chardonnay. And I thought that was super intriguing. And I’m like, can we see, like, why? Why the place? Why that? Right. So, yeah, the reasonings were confirmed to me why. So, um,
[00:23:31] A.J. Weinzettel: Wow, that’s, that is amazing. Yeah. Wow. Um, I, you know, I, I saw this picture of you. It was, I think it was part of the photoshoot for Friendsgiving.Oh, yes. And you’re like, six feet up in the air, doing the splits. Allison is looking up at you. What in the world? I mean, number one, how did you get that much elevation? Number two, how did you capture it? Number three, how did you even think about doing that? I mean, I’m just I know you’re athletic and everything, but holy Toledo.
[00:24:07] Allison from Arabalis Wines: You, that was the first and only take of that. Nobody believes that. No other shot. [00:24:11] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Wow. [00:24:12] Allison from Arabalis Wines: And one day you just jumped off the couch over me. And I, I think it’s such a like nice microcosm of our like winery and relationship and everything. Like you’re such the dreamer and you’re like shooting for the stars and I’m like grounded and we’re like, we’re a good team and I’m also like.Looking up at you like, please don’t follow me. Exactly. So that was, um, the photographer that day was, his name is Josh. He is, uh, his handle is pdxploration on Instagram and he’s an awesome photographer and he, uh, he caught that like just so well and everything was in focus and yeah.
[00:24:49] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Yeah. That was the thing.He’s like, normally I don’t like, this is multiple because somebody you’re. Your foot’s blurry, or your eyes aren’t looking here, like at the camera. Right. Everything was just like, crystalline, in terms of the, the quality there, and I think. I do, I think we owe Grant Renee a new couch because I might have broke a spring,
[00:25:13] Allison from Arabalis Wines: so.Oh, that’s a very fun catch. I heard it break a few times throughout the photoshoot. There were a lot of bodies. I’m pretty sure Dave threw himself horizontal on it and it cracked too, so. Take full responsibility for that. Yeah. Yeah, that was a very fun photoshoot and a really fun event, so. Oh yeah,
[00:25:29] A.J. Weinzettel: I mean.And I assume there’s going to be a Friendsgiving 2 this year,
[00:25:33] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: right? That crew’s getting together again. So, uh, there will be a Friendsgiving 2. Good, [00:25:38] A.J. Weinzettel: good. Um, cause, holy cow, whoever was the mastermind behind just putting that together and whipping it up? That was, that was really nice. [00:25:48] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Lois [00:25:49] Allison from Arabalis Wines: and Gene. Yeah, I think Gene and then yeah, Lois helped drive it for sure.Marketing and yeah. Yeah,
[00:25:54] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: and we were all just like, hell yeah. Everything that came of it. Food was amazing from Humble Spirit, like, whole, yeah. So we’re hoping to do [00:26:04] Allison from Arabalis Wines: it again. Yeah, and that space is just beautiful. It is. There’s the water building. [00:26:08] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Yeah. The story of that was, we were all talking, and Dave was on like a sales trip in MAC, and Gene was, happened to be in the area too, maybe like delivering wine as well, but they were like, let’s meet, we’re here.And the sun was in, they’re like, yeah, this plate, this might be the spot to, to do it at. So, yeah, yeah,
[00:26:33] A.J. Weinzettel: no, that was amazing. I, um, every morning I go to Starbucks and I get a chai and the manager of the, of the store, I think she asked me, I was like, where, where, you know, where should I go for after Thanksgiving?I’m like, Oh, you got to go to Friendsgiving. And I showed her the pictures and she’s like, this looks awesome. And then this morning I told her about the Equinox dinner coming up. And, uh, she was like, Oh, I’m gonna have to check that out because the Friendsgiving was so fun. Yeah.
[00:27:08] Allison from Arabalis Wines: Nice. Oh, that’s awesome.That it’s like having this echo effect. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:27:13] A.J. Weinzettel: Yeah. It [00:27:14] Allison from Arabalis Wines: was really good. Yeah. Equinox is an event they had had in the Yolanda Hills. I guess a decade ago, but well before our time. And so this is sort of a resurrected and we’re really excited to see, to see it happen again. And yeah, it’d be a lot of wineries, a lot of good food and really pretty location again.So
[00:27:34] A.J. Weinzettel: I am very much looking forward to that. Yeah. It’s on my calendar and approachment. It’s having their lunch or their launch party. Oh, that’s from like four to seven. Oh, wow. Equinox is from seven to 10. My day’s [00:27:48] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: planned. You staying at the Joy? No. No. Well. Still. It’s a lot for one person. It’s a party that day though.It is a party that
[00:27:56] A.J. Weinzettel: day. It is definitely a party that day. Yeah. No. At the Joy is uh, happening in May. Oh cool. [00:28:01] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: So yeah. That’ll be fun. Yeah. Perfect timing. Already the birds out there are chirping. Buds are, well the bulbs, spring bulbs are popping. Right. And I’m like. I smell spring. Even yesterday, I’m like, I smell the ocean air.It’s blown in. I mean, it’s, it always blows in, but yeah, I think it’s, it’s,
[00:28:20] A.J. Weinzettel: it’s the February tease. I always call it, but man, it is, it is exciting. Yeah. Yeah. During our last conversation, um, I was reading back and you sent me a DM and you just like, I listened to your, you know, your interview, I think with Dan and Jean and somebody else.And I didn’t realize that you worked at a grocery store. And so you’re like, we need to bring that topic up again and talk about it a little bit. Uh, so I personally think my side of the grocery store conversation is kind of bland. I mean, I worked at a grocery store, uh, like during my senior year in high school, uh, actually junior, senior year.
I mean, I was in Tennessee, I was a bag boy, I was the cashier, I worked in produce, also worked in the meat department, uh, and I have to say that working in the produce department opened my eyes to like what I want to do for the rest of my life, and I’m like, I don’t want to do the same thing day in, day out, and not have any challenges whatsoever.
Uh, I got, uh, I butted heads with the produce manager, uh, because I did all my work. I was supposed to stay until like 8 or something, but I was done with everything at like 6. 30. I’m like, kweesh, out. I got, I got rowed up, I stormed out, and I quit. Uh, I did come back and work the meat department, but. Oof, that was, that was a great minute.
That, that’s my memory of working at a
[00:29:55] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: grocery store. I mean, the, you had, you had a Like you knew what you wanted and you got a lot of work done like there’s efficiencies and mad respect for the associates that do all the service work at the stores because like that’s something customers expect perfection when they walk in right and it’s so hot like that’s the thing that they don’t see all the pallets that they’re moving like double stacks organizing because You As pallets are coming off the truck, it could be fruit, with Velveeta, with oats, and, you know, unless it’s a big pallet of apples or a big pallet of potatoes, like, which, those things move more frequently than some other things like pineapple.Um, so, it’s very Interesting, because like, the associates want to give the customers the best experience, but also, they’re having metrics that they have to keep up with. Like, so, it’s like, produce doesn’t stop, like, should you be polishing the apples, or like, you know, making the pyramid, or something. Like, you wouldn’t have known, because you don’t, at that time, it’s like, you don’t know, you don’t know what the customer wants.
Right. So. Translating the customer need down to the associate level, I think, would only help increase the customer satisfaction, but also the customer service. Right, right. So, it’s something, it’s interesting because everybody sort of, grocery is so inherent to our business. Like, I mean, I work for Kroger, so.
[00:31:44] Allison from Arabalis Wines: My first job was at a grocery store. Yeah, she [00:31:46] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: worked at Kroger. [00:31:46] Allison from Arabalis Wines: Her first job is a Right. As a courtesy clerk slash bagger. [00:31:50] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Yeah. Yep. Yep. Yeah. So, all these moments in the customer journey are To help with the satisfaction, and that, it’s, it’s interesting, like, it’s a constant evolution, but food is at the center of a lot of things, and food experiences, it’s not just like one ingredient, it’s, somebody’s buying the stew meat to have family stew on Sunday, or they’re buying wings for Super Bowl Sunday, like, there are, there are purposes to what they’re buying, but also balances to, Accessibility, like, if you have people with differences, physical differences, like, how do you help them navigate this?Or I saw an associate the other day, like, helping a woman at Albertsons navigate in shop 4, and I was like, wow, that’s super It, like, made me feel warm and fuzzy inside, because I’m like, good They’re doing a good job. Yeah, it’s just like, they’re doing a good job. They’re helping this person, they’re walking her to the car, or like her escort car, and getting her home with what she came for, so.
[00:32:56] A.J. Weinzettel: And, yeah, but there are so many different aspects to it. Yeah. So you were a courtesy clerk? I [00:33:03] Allison from Arabalis Wines: was, yeah. Yeah, that was my first job. I had a lot of jobs in high school, you know, every summer after school. Yeah, so, bagging and collecting the carts was my favorite activity because I liked to be outside. Yeah.So, and even in, it was the Seattle area, so it was often, well it was summertime, so it was hot and it was nice to be outside. Um. Yeah, I also worked at Jamba Juice. I worked at the UPS store. That was exciting, actually, because I worked there with my brother, and it was like a family owned business. That was maybe my first exposure to like, because it was franchised, like a family owned business.
Um, so that was pretty cool. And then, yeah, definitely in college, started taking more science based jobs. That’s definitely where my, kind of my heart is, so I worked in a microbiology lab doing like cell molecular research. I worked in physical therapy office, optometry office, I was trying my hand in all these different pseudo, like, healthcare professions just to see what I liked and, um, nothing really like jumped out at me.
I was an EMT on campus, so I tried all these things and then. I graduated with my biology degree and I was like, now what am I going to do? Like, I knew I wanted to study more. I knew I wanted to keep learning. And I happened to be in the Bay area tasting wine. It’s like, this is a good application of my science background.
So that’s kind of how it started for me. Yeah, no, that,
[00:34:30] A.J. Weinzettel: that is awesome. And we’ve kind of heard Kenny’s side of this story, but not really your side. So, you know, you were, uh, I forget the term. But basically you were, like, Kenny’s tour guide at Washington State. Who fell in, who fell over heels first? Did you, were you like, ooh, or did he like, Because, I, and the reason I ask this, right, is so like with Dan and Gene, uh, Gene was sitting at a bar one night.You know, having a whiskey. And Dan went up to, started talking to her and uh, that’s kind of how they met. And he wanted to get a whiskey and the bartender never brought him at the whiskey . And, you know, that’s, that’s kind of how they met. So it was him approaching her. So I’m just kind of curious who approached who
[00:35:23] Allison from Arabalis Wines: we were.Like we had the same circle of friends for a long time and we were good friends for years before we started dating. We were studying a lot together. There’s this thing in graduate school called preliminary exams where you kind of have to prove yourself to get into the next, like, phase of the program, and so we were studying together a lot for that, and I think just like, spending a lot of time together, and I remember one Christmas break, I was gonna drive home to Seattle, and Kenny is like, um, I was, I was waiting for something for you, and I don’t know why, you like, needed to give me something, and it turns out it was like, three mixed CDs.
Not one, but three. It was a six hour car ride. It was really, it was really sweet. And I think that, that moment I was like, oh yeah, he likes me. And it was good music and I listened to it, um, for a long time until actually we just sold, I had a Honda Civic that I’ve had since high school and we just kind of sold that and that was our last car with, um, with all the CDs in it.
[00:36:29] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: I kind of. I feel like the Yukon. had the CD player, because Rick had a whole, he had those CDs in his Oh, there was a CD [00:36:38] Allison from Arabalis Wines: player in there. No, there was. It was. Yeah. Yeah. So I think that was, yeah, I think, I think he liked me first. But we were [00:36:47] A.J. Weinzettel: good friends, so. That’s cool. What are one or two songs that really stood out on those three CDs to you? [00:36:53] Allison from Arabalis Wines: Ooh. There was a lot, I think there was a lot of Lumineers. I [00:36:56] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: think, like, the Bon Iver. Bon Iver. Holocene. [00:36:59] Allison from Arabalis Wines: Yeah. [00:36:59] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Yeah. Yeah. There were some other ones, like, there might have been some rap on there, too. Yeah. I forget. I don’t know. It was, it was a mix of things, like, there’s always the joke of like, as the night progresses, the rap comes [00:37:20] Allison from Arabalis Wines: out.It’s like, indie rock, country, country rap, rap.
[00:37:25] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Rap. Rap. Yeah. That’s how, I don’t know, Harvest goes, too. There’s different phases. Well, I’m sure. Start of the day and then the end of the day, it’s Yeah. Yeah, yeah. No, [00:37:39] A.J. Weinzettel: that’s, that’s cool. Uh, so I always ask this question when I am interviewing couples. And you can decide to be like, Eh, nope, I’m not gonna answer.And that’s, that’s cool. Uh, so I’m asking both of you. Uh, it’s the, you know, middle of the night. You know, you’re woken up from a phone call. Allison, it’s Kenny on the other end. And he’s in jail. Oh my god. What crime has he committed?
[00:38:10] Allison from Arabalis Wines: Huh. I think it has to be a crime of misunderstanding. Like, you were definitely well intentioned, and somebody didn’t get it.And you were, that’s, I don’t know what you would have been doing, but I know that would have been the case.
[00:38:24] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Probably. My [00:38:25] Allison from Arabalis Wines: words. Some sort of communication error. Yeah. But like, But you were definitely well intentioned. [00:38:32] A.J. Weinzettel: Yeah. Yeah, I can see that. Yeah. Yeah. So, Kenny, it’s the middle of the night. You get a phone call.It’s Allison. And she’s in jail. What has she done?
[00:38:43] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Probably Loitering. Uh, the reason why I say that is like, No, it’s because she forgets where she is, in time and space sometimes. Right. Like, because she, she reads so much, and she, I’ll be, I’ll be talking. And it just, I’m [00:39:02] Allison from Arabalis Wines: really good at focusing on, I actually, I thought you were going to say something about that.You’re going to be like, she didn’t leave the bookstore or something like she’s
[00:39:08] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: locked in while loitering, like loitering in the bookstore. Like that’s, [00:39:13] A.J. Weinzettel: that’s cool. I love the expression on your face. I mean, one person immediately when I asked that question, we’re like murder and it was like, Holy cow, really [00:39:23] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: murder.We went there.
[00:39:28] A.J. Weinzettel: Um,Something that I personally have been thinking about is, I know that there’s science, really that this is more of a kind of a science question, but it also still kind of boggles my mind. How do you think about creating a wine today that in 20 years will be absolutely phenomenal?
[00:39:58] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: It’s like playing chess, you know, you have to think so many steps ahead.And so, when we’re picking a wine, and like, even thinking about the Before then, like, thinking about the place where those vines are being planted, You know, you have to think About 10 years from now, because that’s the, that’s probably the first time you’re going to taste that wine from that place, especially with sparkling.
Right. So, like, I give huge credit to Dan and Gene, because they’re starting this endeavor now. Which, that fruit probably won’t be seen until 2032, maybe? Right. So And that’s just like the first of the, that wine or when the fruit was made. So even as those vines are maturing, it’s like 20 years. What does that wine taste like?
When do we have to pick it? How much acid customer preferences are changing? So like I, I worked in the bourbon industry for a few months coming out of grads or in between years of grad school. So. It was an internship and that to me was so interesting because they were distilling so much whiskey and bourbon on the hopes of four years from now when they release that first stuff, customers are still demanding that.
So that was kind of like how we’ve been thinking about it too is, you know, we’re making so many different wines and base wines. to show what is a possible. So even with our, our sparkling wine that we did under cork and I’ve been tasting it every quarter, like there’s a, you know, that’s a very different wine versus a wine age under crown cap.
And so that might not get the same age or it might get more age. Um, Or might be dosed with something else. So, like, there’s so many lovers with sparkling wine that you’re making wine three times. Pretty much. And there’s all those factors and attributes that we’re going after. It’s a long winded answer.
Like, I think it’s, it’s too complex to really know. But, yes, you have to think, like, this wine is amazing right now as a wine. Because there’s not much carbonation in it. So My philosophy and how we’ve been making is like make the wine first and with the intention of what will that taste like with carbonation.
So, and without carbonation, because as it sits in the glass or in a decanter or over the course of a night without a stopper on a table, like that wine’s changing. Of course, right. So.
[00:43:05] Allison from Arabalis Wines: It’s definitely risky, and you’re playing the long game, and like, you definitely have to look backwards at what you can learn from what you know about how wines evolve, and what causes a wine that we like to be how it is, and what did they do, and What do we want to do that’s like that?Or what do we want to do that’s not like that? And I think one thing that Kenny does really well is just constantly thinking about it and tasting and reading about it. And like, we’ll be going to bed and I’ll be reading like my science fiction or my thriller and he’s reading like Noble Rot. And it’s always on his mind.
And so I think that
[00:43:42] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: helps a lot. Yeah. No, it’s, it, I mean we’re learning. We’re learning every year. Every step. Um, which is. The exciting factor, I think that, yeah, it ties into our science y background. Like, it’s an experiment. I mean, it’s a big, it’s a big experiment. Um, but it, if we hit it, then great. If we miss it, we learn.Right. So, it’s all positive in the end. It’s not a, you know, some might see it as a failure, but it’s like, okay, that’s a cool, that was some, we learned lesson. Let’s Yeah,
[00:44:23] A.J. Weinzettel: no, it’s cool. It’s just a interesting process for to think about. I mean, because a lot of consumers are like, Ooh, there’s, there’s wine, you know, that to drink it now.And then not even thinking to like in 20 years that it’s still
[00:44:38] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: viable. Yeah. So you, you interviewed Jason Wise and I was listening to this interview. With him and Claire. It was like the top 10 wines of the year. They did. And they did a special You must have been asleep. We were driving back from California over the holidays.And one thing that interested me was his Franchi Accorda experience. It was like decades on the Lees. Wow. And all Blanc de Noir. And they disgorged it. And Jason was like, that was the freshest wine. I like it. A lot of times people expect Blanc de Noir to be phenolic. It’s like this interesting kind of medicinal Robitussin, I don’t know.
That, to me, is some of the Blanc de Noirs I’ve had. It’s like lutein, cherries, whatever. Right. But no, he was like, super fresh. So, what they were doing in Frenchy Quarter, they were already like, this wine is gonna be sitting for decades. So, for them to know, What was happening in the matrix, like pH, alcohol, tant, whatever.
They had the vision of like, let’s see what happens, right? It might not be like, I might not be alive when we disgorge this, but our kids will have fun with it later, whether it can sell or not. But that’s
[00:46:04] A.J. Weinzettel: mind boggling. Yeah, absolutely. Mind boggling. Yeah. [00:46:07] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: So I thought that was. I’ve learned more by listening to podcasts, reading, Instagram, YouTube, penning, like more than the textbook will attribute.So that to me is why we’re trying to learn as much as we can.
[00:46:29] A.J. Weinzettel: Rapid fire questions and then we’ll reveal the blind wine. Okay. Favorite artist to listen to during Harvest? [00:46:37] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift. Is that your answer too? Yeah, I mean, I do like Taylor Swift. I think for me, I, I like Bon Iver. Okay. There’s, especially his, uh, What’s the other album?Yeah. Bon Iver. I’ll say that. Okay.
[00:46:57] A.J. Weinzettel: Favorite indulgent food? [00:47:01] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Oh, man. [00:47:03] Allison from Arabalis Wines: Salt and Straw? Well, that, yeah. Local? Local. Um, Okay. I’m sweets. All about the sweets. Yeah. You’re more salty. [00:47:13] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: I was going to say, like, Graters or Skyline. See, like, those are Cincinnati favorites. Right. But it’s just like, man, five, or four way with bean.That’s like mine.
[00:47:27] Allison from Arabalis Wines: Yeah. That reminds me. We have a reel on our Instagram of when we made Skyline chili for the team at, when we were producing at Fjordson a couple years ago. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That’s a fun one. If you don’t know what Skyline Chili is, that will give you an [00:47:40] A.J. Weinzettel: idea. Okay, I’ll have to research that one.Yeah. Yeah. Uh, has there been a, a food that you’ve been craving most during pregnancy?
[00:47:48] Allison from Arabalis Wines: I wish. I feel like that was one thing I was looking forward to was like crazy cravings. You know, the pickles or the chips or whatever. And I just haven’t had that. I’ve had more kind of just, I’m not excited about certain foods that I used to be excited about.So it’s more like, not true aversions, but just. Right. Yeah.
[00:48:07] A.J. Weinzettel: Alright. Yeah. If you could choose a superpower, what would it be? Ah. [00:48:12] Allison from Arabalis Wines: Flying. That’s a good one. Transfiguration. For sure. Why? Why? Cause you could transfigure into a bird and I could fly or I could be like, yeah. [00:48:22] A.J. Weinzettel: You could be an alligator. Yeah. You could be [00:48:25] Allison from Arabalis Wines: I could be another person.This is why she’s my
[00:48:29] A.J. Weinzettel: boss.Harvest notes, are they digital or handwritten?
[00:48:37] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Handwritten. [00:48:40] Allison from Arabalis Wines: Then we kind of digitize the ones that need [00:48:42] A.J. Weinzettel: to be, yeah. That seems to be [00:48:45] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: a common answer. Yeah. It’s hard to keep electronics dry in the cellar. Yes. I need to get a, I need to get the case for the tablet. Yeah. So, you know a lot of the flip, speaking of Superbowl Sunday, like they have all the like protective things.Right. You clearly see the players throw them. It’s like, if it drops off the press.
[00:49:06] A.J. Weinzettel: Ooh, you know, that just gave me a business idea. Create a iPad case for winemakers. Yeah. [00:49:12] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: I mean. Boom. Yeah. There you go. Yeah. It, it would be nice, cause then I would. I could easily be like, okay, this barrel got stirred or this barrel, like smelling via, you know, funky or, you know, or feed it like, [00:49:30] Allison from Arabalis Wines: right.It would definitely be more efficient, but I feel like you kind of are like analog, analog, like you like writing.
[00:49:39] A.J. Weinzettel: It’s interesting. I’ve been asking this question for three years now. And the majority of the people are, like, handwritten, a little bit digitized, or it’s on a, you know, painter’s tape on the barrel, [00:49:53] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: or it’s all up here.Yeah. You know, everything that happens on the barrel, it’s, it’s on the tape. Like, so I know, you know Anybody who
[00:50:03] Allison from Arabalis Wines: looks at the barrel can track what just happened, what needs to happen next, maybe. [00:50:07] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Yeah. I see too many times, like, a barrel is just 2023, whatever, but you don’t, has it been Salford? Has it been fed?Has it been inoculated? Like, blah, blah, blah. So it’s, yeah, I want, if something happened, like you could go in and no, and just pick it right up. Yeah. So that’s like the fail safe to the nodes for sure. Yeah.
[00:50:34] A.J. Weinzettel: Uh, last book you read. And it could be Noble Rot. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with that. [00:50:41] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Probably Noble Rot, honestly.I’m waiting for the next issue. I’ve been reading, uh, ecological fictions. So, yeah, there’s this uh, fish and wildlife warden in the middle of Wyoming. Uh, what are the Joe Pickett, the Joe Pickett series. I picked that up. And they’re just so, you can crush them. So, yeah.
[00:51:07] Allison from Arabalis Wines: I’m pretty sure my last full book was that audio book, the, for the baby.Is it Expecting Better, Emily Austin?
[00:51:16] A.J. Weinzettel: Well, you know, there are so many parenting books out there, I did my share of parenting books too. Yeah. So yeah, I totally get that. Yeah. Alright, shall I reveal the wine? Yeah. Let’s do it. Or do you want to take, do you [00:51:29] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: want to talk about it more, or? I think it’s Le Marnier, Vertu, Blanc de Blanc.I don’t know, it just, it seems old world to me. Okay. Um, Very creamy, it’s got like that chalky element. So, And it’s a great, I mean it just has like the, Yeah. It smells, it smells old world to me. Chardonnay based. Okay. Well. Oh god. I had to pick a grower’s champagne. Oh, there we go. So. That’s a good one. Yep.
So, you know, just, and I’m wrong, but that’s fine. Well, it, it, it’s okay. I mean, block to blank though.
[00:52:13] A.J. Weinzettel: Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Blanc to blanc and, you know, quite the family story and, you know, they’re only doing block to block right now. Yep. And, uh, yeah. [00:52:23] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Is this, this is a, when, when [00:52:26] Allison from Arabalis Wines: was it discouraged or what year is it? [00:52:28] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Well, this is, I think it’s, I don’t, lemme see. I’m looking for the code. 19. But, well, 2019. Was the vintage. Was the vintage. Uh, I can’t find the code. Oh, well it’s rubbed. But that’s fine.Oh, it has the NFC though. Do you have the phone? I don’t have my phone. This, I think, is interesting to me. So, all these, all the producers, I mean, to protect the brand, like, uh, Cedric Moosey had the, the RFID. Mm hmm. Because he was seeing That’s interesting. compromise, but yeah.
[00:53:15] Allison from Arabalis Wines: They’re also doing it for marketing.It’s really cool. Like, you can scan and it’ll take you to an experience, a digital experience about the wine.
[00:53:24] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Yeah. Dan and Gene do that, like, with the QR code. So you, the wine is digitized. And I think that it’s, um you know, really cool. Cause you know the, where it’s coming from. It’s kind of like where I, my French isn’t really bad, but like what’s the Missy and boot tip, but T like the bottled at the domain, like, Oh, I had no idea.Yeah. So that, that’s why we did this. It’s like, we can control the quality and like people know it’s coming from us and you know, not elsewhere. So it’s. Yeah. Yeah. No, that is very cool. But, thank you for sharing this. Of course. I mean, Blanc de Blanc from the Cote de Blanc is great, but this is Ori, so, yeah.
Who, this, you were not at Celebrate Swercling, the last one at Vinovate, but they had this wine there, and I was like, damn. Yeah,
[00:54:23] A.J. Weinzettel: I asked to come and I was told. We’re not allowing media. Really? I’m considered media? Jeez. Yeah. [00:54:31] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Okay, fine. There’s been a lot of good conversation, so I’m excited about that. [00:54:37] A.J. Weinzettel: Yeah, no, that is good.Well, as we wrap up, do you have any questions or anything for me? You can put me on the spot if you’d like.
[00:54:46] Allison from Arabalis Wines: I have one. Go for it. Well, when you’re asking us about what would we be in jail for, I was thinking what would your daughter say you were in jail for? Oh, [00:54:57] A.J. Weinzettel: what would I be in jail for?You know, there are in general, and like when I, like I was talking about being in the produce department at the grocery store, if there are rules that I’m supposed to follow and they make absolutely no sense to me, I’m like, uh, no, I’m not following that rule. You know, so if there was a law or something that.
I broke because it’s like, that is just absurd. That, that’s what it, yeah, that, that would be it. Nice.
[00:55:36] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: What are you drinking more these days? Like, is, is there a specific region or? [00:55:41] A.J. Weinzettel: I, I tend to be completely all, well, mostly Oregon. Yeah. Um, yeah, it’s, and yes, give me all the, all the sparkly. Yeah. [00:55:53] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: All of it. [00:55:54] A.J. Weinzettel: Yeah. Um, But, you know, just tried and true, Pinot, Chard, Sparkling, yeah, it’s, it’s nothing fancy, nothing, uh, super excited to get excited about in the world of wine. So I just, I like exploring what’s here and people’s stories and just getting to understand, you know, the, the wines that they make to better understand what’s going on. [00:56:25] Kenny from Arabilis Wines: Yeah. Well, thank you for listening to our story and continuing to follow us. Like it’s been, it’s been fun, fun getting to know you and seeing [00:56:35] Allison from Arabalis Wines: you at all the events and everything. Yes. Yeah. And like you said, we have a lot of runway ahead of us, so this is still just the beginning. I’m excited for when we look back on this and we’re like, oh my gosh, that was what we thought back then.And like, oh, we didn’t even have a baby yet. And you know, like. It’ll be a good record, so
[00:56:55] A.J. Weinzettel: I appreciate it. Oh, of course, and I appreciate you taking the time, you know, on Super Bowl Sunday to come meet me, and hopefully you have enough time to get back home and enjoy the game. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right.Cool. Well, thank you so much. Thanks, AJ. Thank you for joining me on this flavorful voyage through the world of wine on the Wine Notes podcast. I’ve been your host and guide, AJ Weinzettel, and it’s been an absolute pleasure sharing these captivating stories with you. But alas, like the last sip of a fine vintage, our time together must end, but don’t fret, my wine loving friend, the podcast will always remain open.
Waiting for you to return and explore new conversations, stories, and musings from the captivating people behind the magical world of wine. Before you go, hit that subscribe button on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, and don’t forget to leave a sparkly five star review to help spread the word. And to our glasses clink again, remember to savor life’s moments and let the spirit of wine And as always, may your wine glass be full, your heart be light, and your journey be delighted.
