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ITALIAN WINE IS
A WAY OF LIFE
We're inspired to share not just the wine we enjoy, but the stories that nourish us in our journey.
MEET THE TEAM
Wine Marketing & Business Development,
Italian Wine Ambassador
BARBARA FITZGERALD
Barbara's love for Italy and her Italian heritage has undeniably shaped her life and career. Born into an Italian-American family among the pioneers of California's wine industry, she has been immersed in the world of wine since childhood. After graduating from Syracuse University, Barbara returned to California to gain valuable experience working with various wineries. Determined to maintain her connections to her roots, Barbara shifted her career to incorporate Italy, ultimately founding a full-service wine marketing agency. Her agency, Apri La Creative, specializes in crafting effective strategies for the ever-evolving direct-to-consumer channels, catering to both Italian and US wineries.
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Barbara speaks Italian fluently (and with great pleasure), is a certified Italian Wine Ambassador with Vinitaly International and, though born in San Francisco, actually left her heart in Italy.
Wine Production & Operations
DANIEL FITZGERALD
Although he was born in the US, Dan spent his first 16 years in Belgium, an experience that had a lasting impact on him. After coming back to the US, Dan was just a year away from finishing an architecture degree when an unexpected harvest internship opportunity popped up, completely altering his path. Falling in love with the work, Dan traded architecture for winemaking, spending two straight years doing back-to-back harvests in California and Australia. He later returned to school, earning an enology degree from Fresno State University. Settling down in Sonoma County, Dan's entrepreneurial spirit and superior winemaking ability led him to own three wine production companies, build three wineries, and continue making wine.
It's possible that Dan might not have uncovered his passion for Italy if it weren't for his wife's roots. Yet, there's something about Italy that speaks to his soul, and it's become the place where he feels most at peace, breathing more easily than anywhere else on Earth.
WHY WE IMPORT ITALIAN WINE
Our joint Italian adventure began on our honeymoon in 2012. Since then, we've made countless trips to visit Barbara's family in Tuscany and traverse the entire country for work and pleasure. We ended up finding our own slice of paradise in a quaint apartment nestled within Ostuni, Puglia's centro storico. With each return, every glass of wine, and each winemaker's tale, we found ourselves yearning to share these experiences with our loved ones back in the US.
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Italian wine has a remarkable ability to connect—linking the past to the present, people to the land, and individuals to one another. It's ever-present on nearly every table, from laid-back lunch meetings to those long, lingering family dinners that stretch into the early morning hours. Italians aren't known for drinking heavily, but for them, wine isn't about the alcohol; it's about the connections it fosters.
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And let's talk about the value of Italian wine! We've been amazed by the quality of affordable Italian wines, like a $7 gem from the supermercato or the $15 house wine in a restaurant. Wine doesn't need a hefty price tag to be great; it can be authentic, sustainably made, tell a captivating story, and still be incredibly affordable. This is the essence of the Italian wine industry, and it's a belief that has captured our hearts.
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Italy, like the US, is a melting pot of diverse influences, and this rich tapestry has resulted in a fascinating array of wine styles. We'd been fortunate enough to already be spending time with small producers who craft wines reflecting their roots—terroir, heritage, and culture. It was time to make our dream of more widely sharing their gifts a reality.
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At Volare, we team up with producers who are all about farming with integrity and keeping the land healthy for future generations. Their wines showcase the harmonious blend of art and science, nature and human. And rest assured, we're always on the hunt for wines that deliver way more than you'd expect for the price.
Our mission is to connect folks through remarkable wine that is by the people, for the people. Because let's face it, sharing great wine with good company is not only one of life's greatest pleasures, but one of its greatest unifiers. Cheers to that!
