Many moons ago, I was born to a family five generations strong in Orange County. My great grandparents even had a farm in Fullerton where they grew oranges and tomatoes. The first years of my life were spent in Fullerton, and at the age of six I moved with my family to Huntington Beach where I attended Smith Elementary School; funny… a block from where I live now. After working for the city of Fountain Valley for almost 29 years, I retired in 2004 with plans to open a wine business in downtown Huntington Beach.

In the mean time, I have enjoyed countless visits to the wine country. Whether it’s Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, or the Sideways tour, I always have the time of my life and meet some of the greatest people. I’ve found that people who love wine tend to be friendly, life loving people who share amazing stories that inspire you to love life even more. Or maybe it’s just the wine!

My friends are a huge part of my life. Over 10 years ago, a restaurant named Chimayo at the Beach opened at the base of the Huntington Beach pier. My buddy Herb and I couldn’t wait for it to open and we ended up being the first customers to walk through the door. Inside, I met my very good friend Oscar, who was a bar back at the time. He soon became a fantastic bartender and began developing his wine palate. Over the years, he has moved on to develop his wine skills at some very prominent wine venues in Orange County. Oscar and I will be working side by side and I encourage you to take advantage of his extensive wine knowledge.

And at long last, in the summer of 2009, my dream finally came true. The long, trying process of starting a business landed us in the third block of Main Street, Huntington Beach. We hope to see you soon browsing through our collections and enjoying a glass of wine, whether an old favorite or something new and exciting.

Cheers!
Dann