Meet Paula De Pano | Wine Shop Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Paula De Pano and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paula, how do you think about risk?
I don’t consider myself a big risk taker, likely preferring to be able to predict a comfortable and safe outcome. Though looking back at the riskiest decisions I’ve made in recent years, from opening up a wine shop “dur-pan” (during the pandemic) to jumpstarting my personal life, taking that leap reaped some of the most rewarding outcomes.

The thing is, we will never know how things will turn out. Yes, it can fail based on previous data, but what if it doesn’t – that this one time, it goes the way you envisioned it to be? I remember one of the most powerful quotes I’ve learned during my career – What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? Giving an idea a chance because we’re curious enough to see what happens next and then navigate through it, from the messy to the beautiful, is a journey in itself. It can be an uncomfortable sort of growth, but we learn something new every day from these experiences and I found that my life has become richer because of that.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We are a local wine shop and bar dedicated to finding the most terroir-driven wines of the world, from far-flung regions of Argentina to the steep hillsides of Germany. We are partial to high-acid wines, believing that it is more important than alcohol levels.

We are accountable for all the wines that we put in front of you. We support wines made by real families, not board members. We care that our producers make wines ethically and put environmental sustainability as a priority. We amplify the voices of all the women, immigrants, people of color, and LGBTQ+ members of this industry.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Starting off with drinks at Belltree Cocktail Club, followed by dinner at Tesoro, music at Cat’s Cradle, and a nightcap at OCSC.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wonderful girls, Laura and Hannah, at the shop, our little trip of wine-loving females making wine more approachable and fun.

Website: https://www.rocksandacidwineshop.com/

Instagram: @rocksandacidwineshop

Image Credits
Daniel Turbert Photography