About us
True story…
Having New York City in your backyard as your stomping ground is not a bad gig at all.
And that’s where it all began…
The first act
Marco and I met in Soho in a restaurant/bar called Lucky Strike. It was the year of the cosmopolitan and the apple martini and during the days of wine and roses. He was the only one drinking a glass of red wine, like myself, and I walked up to him and asked what he was drinking and heard his Italian accent – of course!
That night we bonded over wine, were bewildered why people drank wine from plastic cups and shared a spirited discussion about cool labels and dry vs. blends. Marco knew so much more about wine and I pretended that I did.
We decided, weekly we would explore the wines of New York City and New Jersey, and took short trips to the Finger Lakes Wine Country, New Paltz, NY, New Hope, PA and various local NJ wineries. We wound up purchasing a few bottles to assess and getting tipsy. We knew we had to do something in the world of wine, I even considered becoming a sommelier.
The second act
Marco headed back to Rome and I followed suit, we wanted to get our feet wet in the world crushed grapes. Marco was an art director/graphic designer at the time and I was an art curator, photographer in the communications profession.
We worked for Pavarotti International in Modena, (Pavarotti and Friends), charity concerts pairing global music and art with major icons, performing duets with Pavarotti. Fun fact: Marco created the event’s logo – bragging right forever! The event increased our love for wine and art while rubbing elbows alongside sommeliers, wine-makers and fellow artists.
The electricity, charm and excitement within the world of wine was fascinating and we vowed to get involved with the making, selling or purchasing.
The third act
We set on a mission to do all three, enrolled in wine classes, studied a bit and created partnership with wine-makers – we decided to go for broke (Baroque) – yes, pun intended in the name! Then set on a journey of non-stop exploring of chianti classicos, pinots and smooths blends.
Although we love a cool, energetic white, we are red wine loyalists! We often discuss our favorite wines, comparing their distinct flavor profiles and robustness. I’m still so obsessed with my all-time favorites like Pinot Grigio and Barbera, they are smooth, crisp and vibrant. Pear notes, floral and fruity finishes, buttery vanilla, dark cherry and blackberry hints – bring it on!
Marco loves bold, Italian oaks with earthy-terroir lingering notes, structured tannins that are balanced and don’t overwhelm your palate, basically anything that perfectly pairs with a rib-eye steak or a good ragu like Amarone, or a good Chianti – and I agree!
We love the way our wines pair with hearty meals and the nostalgia of the vineyards. Plus, we can’t forget how we met and bonded over our mutual appreciations for good wine.
Sitting at our partnered vineyards, exploring the different flavor profiles together, is still one of my favorite ways to catch up.
These days, we often debate which wines are liquid perfection, it’s too hard to decide for us.
“All I know,” Marco says while pairing a platter of tagliere with a Montepulciano, whatever it is, I won’t be drinking it out of a plastic cup!”
We find joy in you tasting the wines that we are so proud of and we can’t wait to share them with you.
– Melissa
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