Restaurants Chefs Some of Our Favorite Winemakers Share Their Culinary-Focused Side Hustles Give them a try this spring. By Oset Babür-Winter Oset Babür-Winter Title: Senior Drinks Editor, Food & WineLocation: New York CityExperience: Oset Babür-Winter has completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust's (WSET) Level 3 Award in wines and was previously the magazine's associate culture editor, where she edited Obsessions. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on March 29, 2022 Trending Videos Photo: Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen As if making wine weren't time-consuming enough, some of our favorite winemakers are channeling their creative energies into culinary pursuits beyond the vineyard. "The idea to start roasting coffee in California came to me and my husband while discussing our Shared Notes wine brand and how we also share this passion for coffee," says Sonoma-based winemaker Bibiana González Rave. "Bringing coffee to life is really hand-farming, fermenting, and a precise crafting of each roast to a profile that fits one's personal philosophy. It's astounding how many parallels there are to winemaking," she says. Savor her craft in a bag of Shared Notes Coffee (at right), along with the wares of five more winemakers who are branching out. Pennyroyal Farm Cheese "Growing up in my family's winery and sheep farm introduced me to regenerative farming techniques. Incorporating farmstead cheesemaking into estate winemaking has helped develop regional flavors," says Sarah Cahn Bennett, winemaker and owner of Pennyroyal Farm. The estate's wines pair beautifully with its cheeses. From $9, pennyroyalfarm.com Elena London Dry Gin Frederick Hardy II Who says Piedmont is just for wine? This small-batch gin features juniper berries from Italy's Maritime Alps as well as thyme and black elderflower from the Langhe hills and is the brainchild of Vietti Winery's Elena Penna and Luca Currado. This gin is made using two woodfired pot stills from the 18th century. $35 Erda Tea Frederick Hardy II Vintner Annie Favia felt inspired to work with Napa's terroir beyond bottling nuanced wines under her wine label, Favia Wines, which she owns with her husband, Andy Erickson. Erda's herbal tea offerings include spearmint and rosehip, and they are all organically grown and hand-picked on the couple's farm. $36, erdatea.com Cyrille Sevin Elderflower Fizz Frederick Hardy II This delightfully effervescent soda made from macerated elderflowers is perfect on its own over ice or as a sidekick to gin or mezcal. Made in France's Cour-Cheverny region by winemaker Cyrille Sevin, this bottle is an ideal occasion-worthy option for nondrinkers. $16, lecountry.store Shared Notes Coffee Frederick Hardy II Carefully sourced from small farms in Colombia, this versatile, medium-bodied coffee (available to ship whole bean or ground) pairs just as smoothly with eggs and toast as it does with dessert. It has hints of dark chocolate and molasses, in addition to welcome acidic hints of strawberry and cherry. $18, sharednoteswine.com Branchwater Farms Red Wine Vinegar Frederick Hardy II Husband and wife wine pros Robin Touchet and Kevin Pike found that their day jobs meant taking home a lot of partial wine samples—more than they could consume. As a result, they turned to making vinegars, like this red wine version made from a range of imported wines.$12, branchwaterfarms.com Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit