About The Grape Escape

Hey there!

I’m Francesco. Born and raised in Italy, with an insatiable appetite for all things fermented, aged, and shaped by time.

My path didn’t start in wine. I studied finance, spent a few years in financial journalism, and thought I was heading somewhere very different. Over time, things shifted. After a few years in the US, I settled in Switzerland. During a trip through a lesser known part of France, I opened a bottle of Savagnin. It wasn’t famous. It wasn’t obvious. But it was unforgettable. It made me curious. Curious to taste more wines I didn’t know, to spend more evenings discovering something new, and to step away from the usual choices. More escapes from the predictable.

That curiosity pulled me deeper into wine. I completed my WSET Level 3 in Wine and discovered that wine is far more than a drink. It’s a time traveler. A culture shaper. A quiet force that has influenced trade routes, science, and everyday life for centuries.

I created The Grape Escape to share that way of discovering wine. I look for bottles that are honest and expressive, made by small producers who work with care and intention. Many of them are found in places that don’t always get attention, from Hungary to Armenia, Greece to Portugal. Wines with a sense of place, a story, and a reason to exist.

Through tastings, events, and the wine club, The Grape Escape creates moments to slow down and connect. Not just with wine, but with people, conversations, and simple shared experiences. The idea is simple: helping people enjoy wine without pressure, and with a sense of curiosity.

There’s no wine snobbery here. Just good bottles, honest stories, and an easy way of approaching something that can feel intimidating, but shouldn’t be.

If you’re curious, if you like getting a little lost, and drinking with an open mind, you’re in the right place.

Welcome to The Grape Escape.