I have been working to get Farmstead Wines into business for a couple of years now.  Guy Kawasaki  has helped me focus, work through the tenth version of a plan, and ultimately open for business. Without Guy and my dear friends Renato Fenocchio and Milva Giacone, Farmstead Wines would not exist. When I met Renato and Milva it was only a matter of days before we knew that we had to bring wines like theirs to North America. As a chef, I have always tried to work with and support local farmers. My grandfather was the first in his family to work outside of the family farm. He still had a garden that was nearly an acre, and I worked with him as soon as I could walk. I grew up cooking with my grandmother. In some way, planting seeds with my Papa Bill and peeling beets for Grandma Judy's borscht have brought Farmstead Wines to life. It is the beauty of people who are in tune with the land, with the Earth, that inspire Farmstead Wines. They are family farmers who make wine the only way they know how- in unison with nature, handcrafted and delicious. These are wines they serve to their families and friends.
My wife, Sarah, and I were eating artisan salami and cheese at a picnic table in an Italian town square. Since it was late June and stonefruits were at their seasonal peak, fresh peaches were served for dessert. Some people cut them into pieces, some ate them out of hand, some soaked them in their red wine before eating. But everyone peeled them first. Not just washed off, as many North Americans do religiously, but each and every person peeled their peach before eating. When we wondered aloud why they did not eat the skin, the answer was simple-“We don’t know who grew it.” Buying wine with the Farmstead Wines sticker means you do not have to peel your peach. We know who grew the fruit, how it was handled, and ultimately what has gone into the bottle. So you don’t have to worry about what you are sharing with your friends and family. You simply have to enjoy the ripe, delicious flavors.