Let’s Celebrate!
Jamey and I are kicking off the year celebrating a couple of big milestones: our 20th wedding anniversary and the 15th anniversary of welcoming guests to the Whetstone chateau.
Over the years, we’ve practiced the art of being present – with each other, with our guests, and with the stories that unfold here over a bottle of wine. Your choice to gather at Whetstone, whether for celebrations or solace, is a reminder of the two things that matter most: people and place. They are the bookends, and the rich core between them is a wine’s story in the context of our culture and community. The rule at Whetstone is no matter how you feel when you walk in, you feel better when you walk out.
At Whetstone, we want our guests to feel they are not just walking into a physical space, but an experience. Every space has a mood, a feeling, an energy. It could be the coziness of the chateau filled with laughter and warmth that holds beautiful memories or perhaps soaking up the sun with a glass of Whetstone on the front patio or on the lawn with the distant echo of a song that stirs up a forgotten memory.
Ernest Hemingway once said –
“Imagine how powerful it would be if we listened more deeply – if we made a commitment to being fully engaged, to hearing and understanding not just the words, but the emotions and intentions behind them. It’s about connecting on a level deeper than surface conversations, because when you truly listen, you open a door to empathy and genuine connection. It’s a beautiful thing to be a person who listens with their heart, who observes deeply, and who feels fully. It means you’re not just drifting through life; you’re living it intentionally. You’re soaking in the fullness of each moment, aware of the beautiful and complexity around you.”
When we’re truly present – whether sharing a conversation or a bottle of wine – we invite depth and meaning into our lives. Like listening to a vinyl record, where every note and every pause pulls you into the moment, a bottle of wine invites us to slow down. It is connected to the places and people who made it and the places and people we share it with.
This spring, we invite you to enjoy these moments with us. Together, let’s honor the beauty of being present, deepening our connections, and the simple joy of gathering around a bottle of wine.
With gratitude,
Michelle Whetstone