Family Photos & Wine

Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it.

I didn’t grow up in a family of wine drinkers, don’t remembering trying wine until college and definitely didn’t like it then. I remember when Ryan and I were dating and I started attending family dinners wine was always served. I used to struggle to get through the small pour I had, I’d just never acquired a taste for it before. Don’t worry, now I love wine. 🍷🍷🍷

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My in-laws all love wine and they didn’t give up on me. They were members of wine clubs all over California, hosted their own wine tasting events where other wine lovers would gather and blind-taste wine, and even made their own wine. Initially their wine was a hobby, something fun to do with friends, but it turned into so much more. Their wines were really good, like earning a DOUBLE-GOLD medal good.

In 2016 they got bonded and licensed and became Wildwood Oak Winery. It’s been so inspiring to see their business grow from sharing their wine with family & friends, to now being sold in local markets and restaurants. But this post isn’t only about wine, so check out their website here, and keep reading. ☺️

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Marrying Ryan blessed me with an amazing extended family and as I’ve had my own children and gotten older and wiser (proof is in the greys, my friends) it’s become increasingly evident how important family is. Last year we moved to Seattle, Washington, leaving most of our immediate family in California. When we had the chance to fly back this August and celebrate both my Mother-in-Law’s birthday and mine, we squeezed in a family photo session*. This was an exciting session because not only were we all in one place at the same time (this rarely happens), but we also captured the significance of family to Wildwood Oak Winery. Each of their grandchildren have a signature wine named in honor of them.

Over the years there’s a lot of things I’ve learned to appreciate about wine. The bouquet, the mouthfeel, nuances of my own pallet, the way it enhances the flavor in food. But “wine time” with family is really what I enjoy most. I have fond memories of weekend family dinners, sitting on the patio, drinking wine and catching up with family. Cheers to many more 🍷❤️.