American's in France - Why O'Vineyards is Cool

A few years back I read a story out of Tampa Florida about a family (a contractor father, a Parisian Mother, and a recently graduated son) who had left Florida to start a vineyard in the Cabardes Region of Southern France. The O'Connells left American life behind to take up the wine trade, and I had a lot of respect for that. Shortly afterward I struck up an Internet relationship with Ryan, the son, and have since become a big fan of what they're doing. Today they're making small batches of award winning wines, and if you ever get the chance to try them . . . don't pass it up.

The O'Connell's story has been told in the WSJ, as well as a number of French wine reviews. Their website has a ton of information on what they're up to, and Ryan's blog is funny, informative and interesting. If you want to impress your friends with a cool story, look into O'Vineyards. Ask your local wine shop to stock the wine. Hit them up on facebook. Show them some support. It's nice to see Americans doing so well in the typically closed-off wine regions of France.