As the air turns crisp and we lean into harvest season, a new month-long campaign aims to celebrate wine culture and its power to bring us together. Launched by wine industry pros Karen MacNeil, Gino Colangelo and Kimberly Noelle Charles, Come Over October, a counterpoint to Sober October, is encouraging people to invite family members, friends and neighbors to connect over a glass of wine. The goal? To promote the positive attributes of wine.
“We believe that through the simple act of sharing wine, we share other things that matter— generosity, caring and a belief that being together is an essential part of human happiness,” reads the campaign’s mission statement.
Since launching Come Over October earlier this year, McNeil has been overwhelmed by the response. “It has gone from a humble idea I had early one morning while walking the dog to a global campaign that, as of October 1, had already reached 1.1 billion people [in impressions],” she says.
Given the interest in the campaign, we reached out to wine industry experts to see how they plan to honor the month-long celebration and enjoy wine with the people they love.
Leaning into Nostalgia
Alison Smith Story, founder of Smith Story Cellars
“Wine these days for me is a time capsule,” says Alison Smith Story, who founded Smith Story Cellars with her husband in 2014. She notes that many of her first memories of learning about wine involved social gatherings with friends who introduced her to new bottles and styles.
This October, Smith Story is planning to embrace nostalgia and revive a tradition she started in her mid-twenties: Sunday Night Blues Club. On these evenings, she’d invite friends over for a cozy home-cooked dinner, classic jazz and a conversation about life and the week ahead.
“The only ask was for each person to bring a bottle of wine to share,” she says. “Those nights were truly some of the most relaxing and interesting wine sipping and gatherings of my youth.”
Living in wine country, Smith Story and her friends “are mostly in the thick of harvest and wine club season,” she says, so they could all use a night of fun and relaxation. “At least one night, the menu will consist of a longtime favorite recipe of mine, Italian ragu with creamy polenta—a Nancy Silverton recipe that stole my heart years ago.”
She plans on opening a new bottle of the 2022 Smith Story Russian River Zinfandel and “a killer bottle of F.lli Cigliuti Barbaresco ‘Serraboella’ from the cellar.” There’s just one rule for the night: “The wine has to be made by friends of course!”
Smith Story is setting the dinner table with a mix of vintage Heath Ceramics, hotel silverware, vintage wine glasses and her favorite casual glass by Zalto. She says, “their stemless cocktail/tumbler is safe from long fluffy dog tails” that are always circling her dinner table.
And last, but not least: John Coltrane and Nina Simone will be on shuffle.
WE Recommends:
Zalto Denk’Art Universal Glass
Zalto’s new collection of mouth-blown, lead-free wine glasses, the DENK`ART Collection is luxuriously delicate yet sturdy enough for a trip through the dishwasher.
$ Varies Wine EnthusiastKeeping it Casual – but Opening Something Special
Karen MacNeil, wine journalist and co-founder of Come Over October
McNeil is embracing the everyday magic of sharing wine with community and friends, so she plans to keep it low-key and informal at her Napa Valley home.
“We’ll probably stand in the kitchen (where else?) and I’ll open a wine I’ve saved, knowing that an important part of the enjoyment of a great wine is sharing it with the people you love,” she says. “Which wine exactly? I will decide at the last minute because that’s how wine inspiration works.”
Gino Colangelo, wine communications and co-founder of Come Over October
There’s another exciting reason to celebrate this October: a certain New York baseball team has defied the odds. “This October is extra special for me because the Mets are in the playoffs,” says Colangelo, who plans on opening some New York State sparkling wine to celebrate. “Maybe I’ll pair it with some hot dogs and other baseball favorites. Then my son and I are going to settle in and ‘root, root, root for the home team!’”
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Wine Enthusiast x L’Atelier du Vin Glossy Black and Wood Oeno Motion Corkscrew
This French-designed corkscrew boasts an ergonomic handle, precise vertical lever design and integrated foil cutter, making it easy to open your favorite bottles.
$170 Wine EnthusiastWine Enthusiast x Cheer Moda Electric Sparkling Wine Opener
The world’s first automatic sparkling wine opener, safely and quietly uncorks sparkling wine bottles in seconds with the press of a button.
$79 Wine EnthusiastPutting the Phones Away
Channing Frye, founder of Chosen Family Wines
After his parents died in 2016, October through Thanksgiving has been a tough time for Frye, former NBA champion and founder of Chosen Family Wines. “Every year since, I always make sure to be present with the people I love,” he says.
To Frye, Come Over October is an opportunity to connect with loved ones and open that special occasion bottle. “Life moves so fast sometimes we forget to just put our phones away, open that bottle we've been saving, and just talk,” he says. “Come Over October is about doing just that for me.”
Cooking a Seasonal Feast
Kimberly Noelle Charles DipWSET, co-founder of Come Over October
October is spooky season, and Charles plans to celebrate accordingly. “I live in San Francisco’s vibrant Mission District and the annual Dia de los Muertos procession happens right in front of my house,” she says. “I host friends and cook mole, pozole and many other late October Mexican dishes. I will be enjoying wines from Mexico as well as wines made by Mexican heritage winemakers in California to honor the origins of this very special festival.”
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All-In-One Acacia Wood Cheese Board and Wine Decanter Serving Set
This serving set includes our signature removable marbled stone insert that you can chill in the fridge before guests arrive to keep your food cool longer, along with a spiral aerator and special spot for a decanter, serving bowls, cheese knives and a waiter’s style corkscrew.
$249 Wine EnthusiastBarrel-Inspired 18” Lazy Susan Cheese Board With Divider
This 18” lazy Susan lays out the perfect spread with a removable divider that can organize bites and a gentle spin that allows guests to effortlessly access their favorite nibbles.
$119 Wine EnthusiastEnjoying Fuller-Bodied Reds and Whites
Rodolphe Boulanger VP of wine merchandising at Total Wine
Rodolphe Boulanger is eager to invite over some close friends for an outdoor dinner that leans into all things autumn—even the dress code. “I’m asking everyone to dress cozy and warm in their favorite plaid while we enjoy some grilled meats with hearty side dishes featuring squash and pumpkins,” says Boulanger.
He’ll open a few fuller-bodied red and white wines, including his favorite Harvester Cabernet Sauvignon from Hope Family Wines. “This full-bodied delight boasts flavors of red berries, a hint of spice and smooth, velvety tannins—it is the perfect pairing for the great conversations I know we’ll have,” he says.
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Vienna Break-Resistant Glasses
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$ Varies Wine EnthusiastWine Enthusiast Aria Short Stem Universal Tasting Wine Glass
The official glass of the Wine Enthusiast magazine Tasting Panel, developed in collaboration with Tasting Director, Anna-Christina Cabrales, the 3” stem on this elegant glass ensures stability and conveniently fits in the top rack of the dishwasher.
$30 Wine EnthusiastEnjoying new and old wines
Barbara Banke, chairman and proprietor at Jackson Family Wines
To pair with seasonal autumn dishes made with vegetables from the garden, Barbara Banke is looking forward to opening a variety of wines from the Jackson Family Wines portfolio, including a new white blend from Stonestreet, plus “treasures from our library, like Vérité and Cardinale” and Oregon Chardonnays from Penner-Ash and Gran Moraine. “I’m thrilled about big ideas like Come Over October because they highlight the positive role wine plays in bringing people together,” she says. “Wine is a unique beverage—it’s woven into the fabric of our traditions here in California’s wine country.”
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L’Atelier du Vin Bilami Twin-Blade Corkscrew - Chrome
This French-made Twin-blade extracts a cork without puncturing it, leaving them fully intact—even the old and fragile ones.
$40 Wine EnthusiastSharing Special and Rare Wines
Cynthia Lohr, co-owner J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines
“Come Over October is exciting for the trade and consumers alike,” says Lohr. “At our J. Lohr Paso Robles and San Jose Wine Centers, we are celebrating the discovery of limited-release wines, including a bonus pour of our 2022 J. Lohr October Night Chardonnay, wine club benefits that can be shared with friends and family, an after-hours complimentary tasting night and a chance to win the just-released San Luis Obispo California Edition Monopoly game featuring J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.”
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Vinotive Vortex Somm Aerating Wine Dispenser With Acacia Base
The Vortex Somm aerator design catches sediment and aerates wine by the glass in seconds via a “rain filter” that is not only efficient but looks great in the process.
$269 Wine EnthusiastWine Enthusiast Art Series Cascade Wine Decanter with Aerating Pourer
The Cascade decanter, which features a stainless-steel aerating pourer, is designed to maximize aeration with unique visual appeal. Its interior wall is handblown with a scalloped surface, creating a natural ventilation system that accelerates aeration as the wine beautifully cascades into the decanter.
$69 Wine EnthusiastPlaying Host for Come Over October (and Every Month of the Year)
Anna-Christina Cabrales, tasting director Wine Enthusiast
“Every month for me is like Come Over October,” says Cabrales, who lines out her table with multiple types of glasses for guests to pick-and-choose from as well as a dump bucket and spit cups, so everyone can taste through the offerings without stress.
“My friends and guests should be able to consume what they like, how much they like and whatever they like,” she adds. “That ranges anywhere from NA spirits and wine to, of course, my favorite: bubbles. Cheers to the moments—especially over wine and other beverages—that bring us together.”
WE Recommends:
Acacia Wood and Marble Lazy Susan 16-Piece Serving Set
Complete with all the essentials to create for an irresistible presentation, the acacia Susan comes with removable marble inserts that can be chilled in the fridge, along with cheese knives, serving picks and spoons, ceramic bowls and a spiral dish.
$179 Wine EnthusiastMore Entertaining Coverage
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- The best wine glasses for every type of drinker.
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- Common ways you’re ruining your wine—and how to fix them.
- The case for varietal-specific wine glasses.
Published: October 7, 2024