One of the biggest misconceptions in the wine world is that Lambrusco is always sweet. But Chris Lyons, founder of Lyons Wine, is changing that narrative with a proper dry Lambrusco that’s taking the wine industry by storm.
In 2007, Chris was working as a server at Cheesecake Factory in Atlanta when a customer left behind a bottle of 2000 Cakebread Cabernet. That moment sparked an obsession with wine that would completely change his life trajectory.
After recognizing how complex the wine world was, Chris made it his mission to create an accessible wine brand. His research showed only a handful of Black vintners in America—but instead of seeing a barrier, he saw an opportunity.
In 2013, Chris joined Andreessen Horowitz, the legendary Silicon Valley venture capital firm behind companies like Airbnb, Instagram, and OpenAI. During his time in tech, he tried a sparkling Australian Shiraz that blew his mind. He became fascinated with the concept of sparkling, chilled red wines.
But instead of making wine in California like everyone else, Chris chose Italy. Specifically, he chose Lambrusco—a wine that had been bastardized into sweet, cheap bottles. In 2017, he went to Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and created a DRY Lambrusco that’s semi-sparkling with 10.5% alcohol and notes of red cherry, floral, and blackberry.
The best part? His bottles are opaque matte red, so you can’t tell when they’re empty. It’s like Russian roulette for the last sip.
Today, Chris Lyons is building Lyons Wine into a brand that proves wine doesn’t have to be intimidating or exclusive—it can be innovative, fun, and for everyone.
🍷Check out Lyons Wine: https://www.lyons.wine
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