In 2022, I first had the idea for Bottles With Babbitt while in France. It struck me there, right beneath the iconic Eiffel Tower, as I enjoyed what was either the third or maybe even the fourth bottle of wine that evening (just kidding, it was definitely the fourth). In that moment, under the stars and the shimmering lights of the tower, I realized that wine wasn’t meant to be intimidating; it was meant to be memorable.

And so I thought to myself: why not take that wonderful feeling back home? Why not be transported there every time I opened a bottle and share that same experience with friends and fellow wine lovers? Naturally, I did what most engineers would do: I started studying. Before long, I had earned my Certified Sommelier title (Court of Master Sommeliers Level 2) and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 3 certification. Around the same time, I began assembling a small but dedicated team to help other would-be winos discover the same joy and unmistakable je ne sais quoi that I had found in this timeless drink.

Since then, I’ve visited more than 50 wineries, experienced over 80 tastings and tours, and met countless friends along the way. Each visit has deepened my passion for wine and strengthened my goal of bringing authentic winery experiences to life, one sip at a time.

I was born and raised in small-town Brenham, Texas, a place known more for light beer and whiskey than good wine. My father served in the U.S. Air Force, and my mother worked as a physical therapist. I earned my Aerospace Engineering degree from Texas A&M University and my Master’s in Systems Engineering from the University of Southern California (USC). I haven’t always worked in the wine industry; in fact, far from it. My full-time job, which helps support these wine adventures, is as an engineer at Northrop Grumman, where I work on drones.

When I’m not engineering drones, you can usually find me traveling to wineries, diving into unique and exciting wine adventures, creating content with my Bottles With Babbitt team, or sharing a glass (or bottle) with friends and fellow wine lovers in sunny San Diego, California.