Winemaking Customer Story: Thomas Gayno

Thomas Gayno, originally from France, is one of the winemaking customers who basically stumbled upon Brooklyn Winery as we were getting ready to open last summer. He was kind enough to spend a few minutes talking to us about why he decided to make his own wine and what his favorite part of the experience was.

How did you discover Brooklyn Winery? Last summer, I was walking home with two bottles of wine. As I passed what used to be Supreme Trading, I heard a voice: “You like wine? Come check this out." That was Ryan. [Ed. Note: Ryan is our General Manager]

What made you decide to try wine making? I love wine and I love understanding how things are made. When I have a chance to leave that awful computer, I like making stuff with my hands too (and prove to my Mum I am not that much a desperate nerd). That's the best combination possible for me.

The group of people you are making wine with has a reputation around the winery as being a really fun group. How did you pull people together and get them excited about making wine? They are coming from various backgrounds. One of them is my oldest friend—we met in France when we were 12 and now both of us live in New York. My girlfriend is in there too. She even designed the label of our wine. Most of the team actually comes from work. I do work with a fantastic group of people at Google's Creative Lab. It's a great mix of Americans & French people. Completely mixed together.

Was the idea of making wine purely social for you or was there an interest in learning more about the process, too? Don't tell anyone, but I'm just here for the process. I just invited people to do it with me to afford the barrel. That's my definition of "being social". Hehe.

You recently had a party at the winery and bottled your 2010 Pinot Noir. What was the best part of the experience for you? We all loved trying all the different stations and understanding how wine was going from the barrel to a finished, great-looking bottle. Also, living with your cases brings a beautiful grin on your face.

We’ve tasted your wine, and it is terrific! What would you say to someone who told you that they don't think great wine can be made in the middle of Brooklyn? C'est faux!

We are looking forward to harvest in coming months, which means a new vintage. Do you have plans to make wine again this year? If so, what will your group make in 2011? I am really interested in doing Riesling and understanding the differences in the process between reds and whites. And also I tasted the [2010 Riesling], and it's delicious.

A big thank you goes out to Thomas for sharing your winemaking story with us and with our blog readers!