Ep. 067 Scott Donnini - Auburn Road Vineyards

🎙️ Show Summary

In this grounded and heartfelt conversation, I sit down with Scott Donnini from Auburn Road Vineyards — a former corporate lawyer turned winemaker — to explore how values, terroir, and intention intersect to shape not only the wine in the glass but the life behind it.

We talk about how Valroir — my fusion of values and terroir — reveals itself in every bottle, every vineyard, and every act of creation. Scott shares how leaving a high-powered legal career led him and his wife, Jules, to a life rooted in creativity, connection, and courage. We unpack what it means to live deliberately, to “find what you love and let it kill you,” and to infuse purpose into every act — from plowing fields to pouring wine.

It’s a conversation about art, authenticity, and the quiet power of living by what matters most.

💡 Highlights

• The origin of Valroir — how values and terroir intertwine to express place and purpose

• The philosophy behind “Everything Matters” and Auburn Road’s soulful approach to winemaking

• How Scott and Jules built a life centered on creativity, courage, and partnership

• Why imperfection, compassion, and consciousness belong in the same bottle

• Lessons from 20 years of farming, hospitality, and community — and what it means to be truly “great” at what you do

• The wisdom of Walt Whitman, Bugs Bunny, and Bukowski — unlikely but perfectly fitting heroes in the vineyard of life