Welcome, I’m Donna!

Writer | wine lover | traveler

I’m no wine pro, just someone slowly working her way through various wine certifications and classes and trying to expand her wine knowledge in general. I do that via winery visits, master classes, a lot of reading and listening to actual pros…and copious amount of wine tastings.

I own a social media marketing agency, where we help our clients get more business, sell more products and services, and grow brand awareness. My career consists of over 25 years of writing, photography, content creation and community management. Almost 17 of those years was for a major media company, followed by seven in the travel industry, all before I went out on my own.

I’ve had a dream career, from walking red carpets for movie premieres to interviewing celebrities, to ride alongs with racing legends, to shooting photos in NASCAR pit lanes, to eating the food from Michelin-star chefs at restaurant openings and promoting new international resorts while exploring a country on an ATV. I’ve ridden in a blimp and driven high-end sports cars, then ended those days drinking $500 bottles of champagne in a five-star hotel. Amusement parks, sports stadiums, awards ceremonies, there are days I can’t believe what I’ve had the privilege of doing.

All of those incredible experiences have given me the opportunity to develop my freelance writing skills, decades after winning a journalism scholarship, before a stint in the military, followed by raising four kids. I professionally ghostwrite and contribute pieces to other publications, but I have a lot to say — hence the start of Wine and Travel with Donna.

I want to make wine accessible to everyone, so I write for the person new to wine, the everyday wine drinker, and wine nerds everywhere. My goal is to help people feel confident at both a wine bar or store, pairing bottles with their meals or wanting to impress with their host gift choice. Wine doesn’t have to be expensive to be good, and there’s no flex to being a wine snob.

If you’ve ever said “I don’t know what wine to buy, I just want something good,” or “I want to go wine tasting, but I don’t want to look like a newb,” then I hope my site helps you.

Wine is so much more than just what grapes are in the bottle — it’s the entire experience. The more I learn, the more I realize I still need to learn, so I plan to share it here as I go. My love for wine is not new, but my passion is growing and I am excited to see where it takes me.

As an avid traveler, we enjoy wine at many destinations, but we adventure for many reasons. It was one person’s excitement over Costa Rica that inspired us to visit, and now it’s my happy place. If I can help someone plan the trip of their dreams or take a quick getaway, or plan a budget-friendly vacation, I’ve put my site to good use. We travel both domestic and international, so I’ll share travel tips and our top travel gear recommendations. (And while we don’t visit just places for wine, we usually end up finding some along the way!)

When I’m not writing, you’ll find me at a yoga studio, Disneyland, or enjoying food and bevs with my family and friends and our two precious pups. I’m based out of southern California, not far from the Temecula wine region, within an hour of the beach, Los Angeles, and the ski slopes. Cheers!