About
A mythical creature of North American folklore, a cross between a jackrabbit and antelope.
1. A fabulous beast made up of parts taken from different animals.
2. Dream, fantasy, delusion.
I began my journey in the wine industry pouring for a small, family-owned winery near Salem, OR. My first career was all office work, so when I found myself working in a bucolic setting, the grin didn’t fade for days.
When Fall hit I joined a harvest crew. Harvest work is hard, wet, with long-hours, but ultimately satisfying work. Camaraderie is formed through the suffering, and there is always something new to learn. The first team lunch I had began my love affair with the industry, and wine: a tired, wet, exhausted crew sharing a large meal and a glass, taking a break from the work to regroup and prepare for the afternoon’s tasks. This showed me: the wine industry is about community, and a love of the work, something I’d not experienced before.
For me, the chance to create something, to have an end product I could hold in my hand and share led me to wanting to make my own wine. Further, wine is a social beverage. A wine bottle contains memories, experiences, and love. I want to create this.
Why Jackalope Wine Cellars? The jackalope has been a sort of totem for me for a long time. As a kid, my older cousin would write and send postcards from Nebraska, telling me all about the animal, swearing they were real. These memories formed a bond early, which gave me fond memories to treasure, as he passed away when I was in 8th grade.
Fast forward to 2004: unsatisfied with my life as a civil engineer, I decided to make a drastic change and quit my job, sell my valuables, and travel. My gift to myself to start this journey was a jackalope tattoo on my right shoulder to join me on my adventures.
And now, another turning point in my life: winemaker. The jackalope has become a special form of support for me and I want him featured prominently in this adventure. Thus, Jackalope Wine Cellars.
Thank you for joining me on this journey.
Thank you so much to all of the people who contributed to the Indiegogo campaign. Your contributions are greatly appreciated, they were a tremendous help, and it means a lot to me for you to put such faith in me and what I’m doing.