At à l’eau à la bouche, we cherish sincere projects—those that tell a story of commitment and strong values. This time, we headed to California to meet Taylor and Ryan, founders of Polemonium, a young wine label rooted in authenticity, ecology, and simple pleasure. With them, there's no smoke and mirrors—just living juice, DIY videos, and a straightforward, warm relationship with wine.
If your wine were a conversation, what would it sound like?
Taylor: Like a chat around a campfire. No pretension, no jargon. It’s about creating a space where people feel safe to ask, learn—or just enjoy. We want wine that speaks clearly, not wine that shows off.
The word “transparency” comes up a lot in your messaging. What does that actually mean in practice?
Ryan: It’s simple: we show everything. We make videos explaining our decisions, our experiments—even our mistakes. People want to know what they’re drinking, where it comes from, and why we made it that way. Transparency means saying things as they are, even when it’s not perfect.
You also partner with environmental organizations. How do wine and activism connect?
Taylor: Wine starts with the land. If we mistreat it, we lose the foundation. We chose to work with the Eastern Sierra Land Trust because they protect what truly matters: soil, water, biodiversity. For us, responsible winemaking begins there.
What’s been your most powerful moment since launching Polemonium?
Ryan: The day we labeled our first bottles by hand, laughing at home. We’d just finished our first 1,000-case release. Small by market standards, but huge for us. That moment was the fulfillment of a dream—and the start of another.
Your content is very personal. Why did you choose to show so much of yourselves?
Taylor: Because wine is personal. If you hide the humans behind the bottle, you lose the essence. We shoot our videos ourselves, in our own words and gestures. It’s not marketing—it’s sharing. We want people who drink our wine to feel like they’re part of the story.
Where do you see Polemonium in five years?
Ryan: Still small, but more structured. We’re aiming for 5,000 to 6,000 cases—no more. We want to grow without becoming corporate. The goal is to stay accessible, available. So someone can still write to us directly and get a real response—not an automated one.
If you had to describe your wine in one word?
Taylor: Honest.
Ryan: Alive.
And if you were to toast to all that?
Taylor: A fresh, no-sulfur-added cuvée, drunk outside at sunset. With grilled bread and some wild cheese.
Ryan: And our dogs nearby, obviously.
