We met on the internet…
Isn’t that how all meet cutes happen these days? After the urging of a friend in publicity to start a social media account to support her growing small business, Brielle created an Instagram account and shared her first post. Michelle, who had just launched her own small business, was the first kind commenter. Our friendship started there!
We soon learned how much we had in common: where we grew up, mutual friends, and a shared love of bringing people together with wine. The Wine Pro & The Wino has been a long time coming, and has been such a fun project to work on together. We’ve sipped delicious wine, talked to interesting people, and learned so much more about the grapes, winemaking process, and history of wine behind it all. Plus, we’ve had so much fun!
We hope you’ll enjoy listening and learning from this podcast as much as we have enjoyed making it. If you have wine questions or ideas for future episodes, please let us know here. Thanks for tuning in!
Michelle Matos (she/her) was a casual wine drinker when she started her personalized wine label Etsy Shop, Lushy Labels, in late 2020. After starting an instagram page (@lushylabels) and meeting a whole bunch of wine enthusiasts and pros (like Brielle!), this wino got more interested in trying new varietals and learning about all the nuances of wine. Similar to other average wine consumers, Michelle is most interested in learning the wine basics (How do you pair wine with food? Which wine should you bring to your friend's house? How do you sound impressive at a party? ;) ) to elevate her wine drinking experience. All in all, Michelle believes that wine brings people together and is hoping this podcast does the same. Cheers!
Brielle Buckler (she/her), founder of Viva la Vino (on Instagram as @vivalavino_nyc) , is a wine enthusiast who loves rare varietals, busting wine myths, and making the world of wine more approachable. While Brielle is typically based in the NYC area, she has been traveling the country by car for the past year, hosting virtual wine tastings from the road (check out her brick background – it’s a backdrop she brings with her!). The philosophy of Viva la Vino is that wine is only good if you like it, and Brielle is passionate about helping wine drinkers of all levels understand what qualities they prefer in wine and why. She wants to help others be more confident ordering wine in a restaurant or asking for recommendations in a wine shop. Brielle currently holds her WSET II certification and is waiting to sit for her WSET III exam.
Get to know us!
The Wine Pro
The Wino
