FLX Libations: Jen’s Wine Writing Origin Story

Deep in the winter of 2024, I was hanging out with Nancy and Kip at Bet the Farm Winery, and blurted out, “I wanna write for FLX Libations.” I had been dying to write about wine in some capacity and knew Nancy was the editor, so I thought I’d take a chance. “Can you write?” she justifiably asked in returned, and I showed her the Black Walnut B&B website and the content I had written for it. Thank goodness that was enough, because she immediately assigned me to write about Damiani Wine Cellars for their 20th anniversary year. 

My first printed article, “We Make the Wines We Love to Drink” Celebrating 20 years with Damiani Wine Cellars published that spring and I was ecstatic. I loved every moment of the process, from meeting and talking with everyone at the winery and tasting room, to crafting a piece that really showcased all I heard and wanted to convey. I was hooked and have been writing articles for this local paper ever since. 

After Damiani, I wrote about Forge Cellars and their wonderful French winemaker, Léana Godard. And then I tackled my first home and family in the Finger Lakes, Sheldrake Point Winery, where I worked two harvest seasons and a winter of pruning and tying in between. Last fall, I profiled Boundary Breaks Vineyard and their small but mighty crew led by Bruce and Diana. 

If you’d like to learn more about the region and the wineries (and breweries and cideries), visit the FLX Libations site, which has all past issues available to read.  

Check out the Fall 2025 Issue. My Boundary Breaks Vineyard article starts on page 12.