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ADOPTION WEEKEND SPECIAL: PART TWO

A little girl, a phone call, and a life changed forever

Back in September, I wrote about my own adoption at seven days old. My parents received a phone call telling them a baby was available, and they made a quick decision that changed all of our lives.

Adoption changed my life a second time on October 27, 2003, when I received a phone call about a pregnant woman in Texas who was making an adoption plan for her daughter.

Fortunately, it had been an early vintage. The only grapes still on the vines were Rosella’s Syrah for Novy Winery, one of our wineries at the time. We entrusted Gary Franscioni with picking the grapes and Ryan Zepaltas with making the wine, and we flew to Texas.

On October 30, 2003, Amber Rose Lee was born. We brought her home from the hospital on Halloween.

From day one, Amber was a spirited child. Christian, our oldest, had been a mellow baby, but Amber was determined to follow her own path. She potty-trained herself in a single weekend. And her first words weren’t just a word—they were a sentence: “Want that bird.”

Now, 23 years later, that little girl is married and expecting a little girl of her own in February. It’s hard to believe—and a joy to see.

When I celebrated my own adoption, I put together an Adoption Weekend Special, and the response was wonderful. For Amber, I wanted to do the same, with two newer, spirited wines that feel like a fitting way to celebrate her.

THE ADOPTION WEEKEND SPECIAL

Mixed 12-Pack

• 6 bottles 2023 BABS Santa Barbara Pinot Noir – 91 points Vinous, 91 points Wine Enthusiast, 91 points Jeb Dunnuck
• 6 bottles 2025 Felix Culpa Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir – 94 points The Wine Palate

Regularly $510
Special: $299, including tax and continental U.S. shipping

Special Pricing ends November 2, 2026

Thank you for letting me share a little of our family’s story—and for helping us celebrate Amber.

Cheers,
Adam