At Home with the Donelans
Covid-19 has really altered our reality, for better or for worse, we are locked in for the time being. We have chosen to dig in; between connecting with both old and new friends, working, keeping the kids homeschooled/entertained, cooking, eating AND drinking wine, the Donelan family has stayed quite busy throughout quarantine. Joe and Christine have been entering a virtual reality, with numerous Donelan fans and those just starting the journey, all the way from their home in Nantucket. Cushing has been letting the kids inspire the meals, and Tripp has been busy selling wine, shipping wine and keeping an eye on the winery in Santa Rosa. We’re here to invite you to step inside the Donelan households and get a taste of what daily life has been like.
At Home with Joe and Christine
Joe and Christine like to spend their free time in the elements on Nantucket Island; reading, beaching, cooking, sipping wine, and spending time with their kids and grandkids. Even though this way of life has changed slightly, the most important thing for them is connection. It’s been extremely heartwarming for Joe to see how many loyal fans and new faces have been tuning in every Saturday afternoon to laugh, learn, and drink Donelan wine with him and his family. It’s opened up his eyes to an entire virtual world he has rarely dabbled in and sharing his passion for wine with others has meant so much to him. Now, if Joe likes being on camera with all of you there’s no saying when it will end — but hey, we’re not mad about it! Throughout May we’re bringing you brand new virtual Donelan experiences like never before. On Saturday, May 2nd, we played Donelan bingo (a first for Joe!) where the winners took home some incredible prizes – it was the perfect way to kick off the month! Next up will be a Mother’s Day-themed tasting, a vertical tasting, a blind tasting, and a New World vs. Old World experience. Join us on the journey and be sure to register ahead of time.
At Home with Cushing
As some of you may already know, Cushing and his wife Caroline have two not-so-little ones at home. Genevieve and Hardy have been keeping their parents busy but also helping pass the time at home in Southern California. Cushing has made it a point to introduce classic movies to the kids, listen to music, try out different arts and crafts projects and let them cook the meals (from time to time, of course). When the kids aren’t playing with their new pup Bizzy or making quick guest appearances in the Saturday virtual tastings, the family likes to walk around their neighborhood Saturday afternoons listening to neighbors play live music from their porches. It’s a silver lining that has quickly become a family favorite for Cushing, Caroline, and the kids.
At Home with Tripp
The last shoes (or should we say clogs) we will be stepping into on our journey through the Donelan family homes, are Tripp Donelan’s. Tripp resides in Northern California when he’s not traveling from state to state visiting customers, hosting tastings, and seeing family and friends up and down the East Coast. Staying in one place has been tough for Tripp since he’s usually the on-the-go guy, but he’s been keeping himself busy with filling customers’ orders and helping or shall we say, entertaining our winemaker, David, at the winery in Santa Rosa. He (and his mustache) also have been co-hosting on our Saturday afternoon Donelan virtual tastings and will be throughout May. If you’re in need of some pure entertainment, register for one or all of our upcoming tastings to see Tripp in action. He’s the glue that holds the whole operation together.
As tough as it’s been for the entire Donelan clan to be apart for this long, it’s shown them and everyone around them a new appreciation for connection. Connecting virtually and over the phone is important to keep Donelan traditions alive, but most important is keeping a relationship with our customers. Thank you to everyone who has tuned in so far to our virtual tastings and we can’t wait to create new memories and drink great wine with all of you again. Continue to celebrate and share… stay safe and be well!