About Us : The Quaranvino Story & Team
Our Story : How Quaranvino Began..
Quaranvino online wine tastings were launched from our HQ in Munich, Germany at the beginning of the Covid 19 crisis on March 28th 2020 as a fun way of bringing people who love wine together as well as wine producers who were suffering the effects of the first lockdown.
As a long-term expat, I loved organising events for expat wine lovers when I lived in Belgium and when I came to Munich. It was an easy way to meet people and my day job (organising events for wine professionals and taking Sommeliers and press to Italy) allowed me to get to know some of Italy's best and most-sought after wineries.
My last in-person event was on March 10th 2020, the day Italy went into lockdown. Just a couple of days later, I launched the first Quaranvino online wine dinners to bring wine lovers together in that moment of darkness. It also gave me the chance to help the wine producers I knew and loved the chance to share their stories and passion for their craft.
Our first session was attended by almost 40 households from across Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK. Friends brought in friends, who brought in friends, and Quaranvino events became a lifeline in that time. Those online events became a way for us to stay connected in that moment when lockdown was new. Friendships grew, bonds were formed, and the wine makers who hosted our dinners loved having the chance to meet the people who were enjoying their wines - without having to get on a plane to see them.
After Lockdown..
After lockdown I found a large community of people who had loved to learn about wine from producers during our events and knew and trusted my taste in wine. I love to find labels that are good - ones that I'm happy to take to anyone's house because I'm sure they'll be happy with it (personal preference is one thing but no wines here are not well made!). This is why the Quaranvino wine shop continued.
Periodically, I select wines that I put together in seasonal boxes for people who are looking for good wine without having the stress of having to choose themselves. Along side this, I also send out recipes and love hearing people's experience with both.
Food, friends and good wine is just pure enjoyment..
Here's more about me and my team...
Faye Cardwell - Founder
I have been working with Italian wineries since 2004 when I started a job organising wine exhibitions in Asia whilst living in Verona, Italy. Soon after I got the wine bug, studied my Italian Sommelier certification (AIS) and WSET levels 2 and 3, and went from being almost tea-total to converted wine-lover.
I'm from the north of England (Yorkshire!), lived in Italy for 10 years, Belgium for 2 and have called Munich home since 2013. I never says "no" to champagne and believe just about every wine is perfect with the right company, food and setting.
Irene de Vette
Irene de Vette is a writer, editor and sommelier based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Just like Faye’s, Irene’s journey into wine started in Italy. Living in Rome, she was writing about the country’s food and culture, so wine inevitably became a love affair. Irene completed the sommelier course at the Associazione Italiana Sommelier (AIS), and continues writing about wine culture around the world. She has published several (cook)books, including a book on Dutch wine, Discovering Dutch Wine (2015). Irene moderates some of our online wine-makers dinners and writes regularly for our wine blog.
Fred Nijhuis
Fred has been writing about wine for over 30 years and is one of the Netherland's leading independent wine experts and wine writers.
He regularly hosts workshops, masterclasses and seminars on wines from all across the globe although his true passion and specialisation lies in Italian wines. Fred joined the Quaranvino team in March 2021, to host online corporate and group events as well as the new Three of a Kind format.
The rest of our team..
Our events are something different because of the wine-makers that host them and the logistics partners we work with to be able to ship our wine tasting packages. They are make Quaranvino possible.