H2Vino is now the Acme Wine Company
MEET THE TEAM
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Dan Hodge
What and where was your wine/spirit epiphany?
I was lucky enough to try some of the best wines while working at a liquor store in my 20s. I met some industry figures, they took me under their wing, and before I knew it, I was drinking some of the best stuff out there. Hard to pinpoint an exact wine as my “epiphany,” but wine is often delicious if you’re with the right people.
Favorite pairing?
Any wine with good company; even better if we’re in my lovely backyard with my dog, Fido.
If you were a grape, what would you be and why?
Chardonnay. If it’s Chardonnay, I’m in love.
Aaron Woodrow
What and where was your wine/spirit epiphany?
My seminal wine moment was a horizontal tasting of the 2002 vintage of Jean-Marc Boillot's white Burgundy appellations, which was an early, glowing example of how the “taste of place” is a legitimate and fascinating phenomenon. My life in this business began in college working the floor of a St. Louis wine shop where I learned to tell the difference between Pinot Noir from Pinotage (on a good day). Moved back to Chicago in my early 20's and have been lucky enough to continue working in wine almost continually since then.
Favorite pairing?
My favorite food and wine pairing is trite and unoriginal, but in my world fried chicken and Blanc de Blancs Champagne simply cannot be beat.
If you were a grape, what would you be and why?
I'd be something like Savagnin or Gouais Blanc, one of the ancestral varieties to many of the more familiar contemporary wine grapes. I'm fascinated by origin stories and the borderland between documented history and the unrecorded (but purpose-driven) practices in human culture that have given rise to the contemporary world.
Mick Swain
What and where was your wine/spirit epiphany?
I've had the good fortune of tasting in some of the most iconic cellars around the world - Ch Latour Pauillac, Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny, Claude Dugat Gevrey-Chambertin and Sadie Family in Malmesbury South Africa among others. But the wine that set me on that journey was a bottle of CVNE Vina Real 1975 Gran Reserva Rioja, tasted in a wine store on Shaftesbury Avenue, London in the mid 1980s. My second day of working there and my first employee purchase.
Favorite pairing?
Two bottles of cheap cava and The Who: Live at Leeds playing really loud! My neighbors love me...
If you were a grape, what would you be and why?
De-stemmed, crushed, seedless and doused in SO2! "Do unto others..." and all that.
SALES TEAM
Erik Wiseman
What and where was your wine/spirit epiphany?
I was on a Chicago West Side rooftop in the early 2000s, after an apartment punk show. A couple friends and I climbed a decrypt fire escape and shared a bottle of Merlot and a pack of Lucky Strikes. Between laughs and sips from a red solo cup, I knew the wine and night and friends would be a part of my life forever.
Favorite pairing?
Grüner Veltliner with spicy ramen
If you were a grape, what would you be and why?
I would be Albariño because I prefer cooler weather next to the ocean! I also tend to be a little salty.
Andrew Schicker
What and where was your wine/spirit epiphany?
My wine epiphany was in 2015, when I went to El Ideas with Bodegas Tradición’s Lorenzo Garcias-Iglesias. He paired all 11 courses with a different sherry, and they all worked beautifully.
Favorite pairing?
Oysters and Muscadet (or Albariño)
If you were a grape, what would you be and why?
I guess Vioginier. I would be frequently misunderstood by some and almost always hated by my boss Dan Hodge unless I am well-outperforming expectations. I would love life as I thrive in the south of France, though!
What and where was your wine/spirit epiphany?
I was 21 years old, and my best friend wanted me to go to this HUngarian restaurant with her because she had a crush on the bartender. I obliged and though, what am I going to drink on a list that I can barely read? The bartender recommended Blaufränkisch, and it tasted like nothing I had ever had before. I set out to buy more and discovered a nearby shop carried it. Afterward, I started to explore different styles and regions and my curiosity for wine took off.
Favorite pairing?
Potato chips, creme fraiche, and caviar with Blanc de Blancs. It’s a classic pairing that takes a casual twist. I’m all about finger food!
If you were a grape, what would you be and why?
I most identify with Chenin Blanc. It tends to be versatile in style so it can adapt to multiple different tastes. I get along with just about anyone, and can both blend in with or stand alone in a crowd. We can both be described as floral, whimsical, and zesty – and can be bubbly or sweet, too.
Ryan Scheler
What and where was your wine/spirit epiphany?
When I worked as the Wine Director | General Manager of Hearth Restaurant in Evanston, I inherited an eclectic and well-curated wine cellar as plans for an ambitious new program. I was versed in the world of craft beer and spirits so my introduction to fine wine was a crash course. I remember opening a bottle of 2001 Riesling from Mosel, and it was absolutely stunning. I learned wine can surprise you and have fallen down the rabbit hole ever since.
Favorite pairing?
BBQ and rosé.
If you were a grape, what would you be and why?
I would say Listan Blanco from the Canary Islands. It’s a beautiful wine from a beautiful special place for wine.
Brooks Blair
What and where was your wine/spirit epiphany?
I was beginning my wine journey and a friend of mine was tasting me through some of his collection. When he poured Chilean Carmenere, it stumped me. The profile was so familiar but I couldn’t quite put my finger on one distinct aroma. Suddenly it hit me! Grilled jalapeño! It was my first time discovering pyrazines, a compound that gives green notes in wine, and I’ve loved looking for them when tasting ever since.
Favorite pairing?
A lineup of Beaujolais, including nouveau, on Thanksgiving.
If you were a grape, what would you be and why?
Chardonnay. I like to think myself friendly and adaptable.
OPERATIONS TEAM
Eric Senske - CFO
What and where was your wine/spirit epiphany?
Years ago at a family celebration, my father-in-law ordered the Macallan Fine Oak 17 Year Old Single Malt for me. Bourbon and sourmash had always been my drink of choice, usually with Diet Coke, but I had no idea I could love a neat dram of whisky. I was enamored and have since spent years delving into the world of single malt scotch.
Favorite pairing?
Three-way tie between Glengyle: Kilkerran 8 Year Cask Strength of Campbeltown with a sunny-day outing at the golf course, Bunnahabhain Toiteach A Dha with an Archetype Chapter 3 Sacred Scales Robusto Cigar, or the Highland’s Glenmorangie Signet with fresh raspberries and brown bread ice cream (and good company).
If you were a grape (or grain), what would you be and why?
I would be barley growing on the island of Islay, enjoying the salty breeze and cool weather.
Stephen
What and where was your wine/spirit epiphany?
Just a few months after I had started working in restaurants, I was served a clarified milk punch by a bartender friend of mine at Kumiko in the West Loop. I fell in love with the drink, and became obsessed with recreating it. Acting as a gateway into craft cocktails, I began to learn more about mixology and have had a passion for crafting new drinks and libations ever since.
Favorite pairing?
A decadent sherry like the Hidalgo La Gitana Amontillado, with Prairie Breeze White Cheddar and pickled beech mushrooms
If you were a grape, what would you be and why?
Concord, because I know everyone else is jelly.
Becka Joynt
What and where was your wine/spirit epiphany?
Years ago, I worked in a French Bistro that hosted wine dinners monthly. I started getting interested in food and wine pairing then. My studies continued in wine where I discovered what a fun, ever-changing and fascinating subject it is. There is always more to learn.
Favorite pairing?
Ugni Blanc and garlic soup! Trust me.
If you were a grape, what would you be and why?
Cabernet Franc. Fairly even-keeled but can keep things interesting.