Sip & Savor
Sonoma State of Mind
Location
We sat down for sips with Danielle Westfall, the chic founder of invino.com, a private sale-style showroom with well-known brands and boutique labels slashed up to 70% off - their obsessed fans include wine newbies and novices alike. We asked why she prefers living in Sonoma to Napa, about a cult wine she helped put on the map and how Sofia Coppola's style translates to winemaking. Take $10 off your purchase - follow this link and the credit will appear in your cart.
You're a vet of the marketing world, working with heavy hitters like Ghirardelli and Francis Ford Coppola. Are you a foodie? I love exploring food. There is no place you'll find me more than in my kitchen. In Sonoma, there are so many people who specialize - small producers and artisans of olives, cheeses, breads. And I love Top Chef. I'm a Bravo junkie!
invino has a serious following - what's the biggest wine secret you've ever let your Members in on? Vin de Manies, a Napa Cab made by the Cellarmaster of Opus One. It's now kind of a cult phenomenon, and a damn good wine at that; plus, it comes at outstanding value and as a result, it sells out immediately every time it goes up.
Why do you prefer living in Sonoma to Napa? As beautiful as Napa is, it doesn't have that kind of small town feeling. I need the sense of community we have in Sonoma. But as far as the wines are concerned, my palate has no boundaries!
When at a tasting, is it gauche to drink every pour or should one always politely use the receptacle provided?
It depends what outcome you want. If you want to taste through 100 wines, sitting and spitting is probably better to actually enjoy the wine. But it's not bad form to drink every wine. They've made it because they want you to enjoy it, and at the end of the day, this is an everyday luxury.
We think Sofia Coppola is an icon of all things stylish. How does that translate into her winemaking? I love everything she does. I think what I love about Sofia is the quality that's always there. Such innovation with that family; it's so fashionable, and no one else does it the way they do. They spend a lot of time on gorgeous packaging and the sheer sense of pleasure that comes with a sip of great wine.
Follow this link and get $10 off your first invino purchase. (The $10 credit appears in your cart.)
