Barrister Winery
Greg Lipsker and Michael White were vacationing with their families in British Columbia. En route, they stopped in a local shop to buy wine and walked out with a five-gallon Zinfandel wine making kit. Five gallons turned into fifty gallons, which then turned into crushing 1½ tons of grapes in Greg’s garage in 2000. Validation came when they submitted their wine to the Indy International Wine Competition and walked away with three golds and a silver medal.
Author: Caroline Porsiel
Caroline Porsiel is a master distiller and liqueurist based in East Ellijay, Georgia. She founded House of Applejay, a fine spirits and liqueur distillery, in 2022 with her mother, Sabine, crafting award-winning products like Applejay from Ellijay, Mt. Frozen Knob Vodka, and Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. The distillery won a 2024 Best of Georgia Award and a 2025 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. As a founding member of the AMBRU Campaign, launched in 2020, Porsiel advocates for the global recognition of American Brandy and Rum. She continues to drive innovation in the craft spirits industry from her active distillery in the heart of Georgia’s apple country.
