Opening a bottle of wine is all about connecting with those around you, and no one believes that more than Andi Caruso and Jesi Gelber, founders of 7 Stories Wine.
Caruso, who has a sommelier degree, and Gelber, who has worked as a food and beverage director in Jackson for many years, founded 7 Stories in 2019, a small boutique wine label that tells meaningful stories about those around them, with a portion of each sale supporting nonprofits.
“No matter what wine you are drinking it always tastes better when sharing stories and laughs with those you love,” says Caruso. “It was that connection that we wanted our wine label to represent. We wanted to share people’s stories, and in sharing those stories we wanted to give back to them by donating to a non-profit that meant something to them.”
They just released a new rose, Love, highlighting Spread the Love Commission founder Wren Fialka’s story as she’s worked to foster the connection and collaboration between those experiencing homelessness and those outside of it.
“We are the bridge of helplessness to hope for people that need a hand up as well as people who have a hand to give,” explains Fialka. “I think with the homelessness crisis a lot of housed people have a sense of helplessness and misunderstanding about the crisis. Instead of feeling that way, one of our things is small, informed and impactful gestures.” Spread the Love was born in 2014, and Fialka has since served over 40 communities and cities across the U.S. thorough a outreach model dedicated to approaching the homelessness crisis in an informed, respectful, and empowering manner.
“What 7 Stories is doing is providing a light hearted but impactful way to inform and help housed people contribute and be part of the solution,” says Fialka. “We’re really honored to be a part of it.”
Caruso says the new wine, Love, encapsulates what love is all about. “It’s that happy, warm feeling that brings so much joy in both the color and taste profile of the wine,” she says. “That’s the emotion we want to bring out through this wine.”
7 Stories will donate $1 of each bottle of Love wine sold to the Spread the Love Commission. Wine can be ordered directly from their website, or you can find locally it at Westside Wine and Spirits, Bin22, Aspens Market, and Dornan’s.
