Since 2006, some colleagues from the Cal Poly Philosophy Department and I started making wines from grapes sourced across San Luis Obispo county; our label was Painted Ceiling, named after an unfortunate accident with a particularly effervescent first vintage. Over the years, we experimented with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo, Grenache, Zinfandel, Merlot, Petite Verdot, and Petite Syrah. As my research into the Spirituality of Wine and Winemaking evolved, I helped make wine in McLaren Vale in Australia and interviewed extraordinary winemakers around the world. In the Spring of 2015, we planted the Lavra Vineyard, over 600 vines of cool-climate Syrah and Grenache. Together with Amy Hart, our first organic Lavra wine was released in 2019, and was followed by a series of Lavra wines made from friends’ vineyards across the county.