From time to time, I see something in the wine space that makes me do a double-take. I’ve always enjoyed pages that combine wine with other niche interests. In this case, it was a new social media page and blog about Anime & Wine.
Below is a short interview with its creator, Striker Reese:
Can share a little about your background and how you became interested in both wine and anime?
I listened to a marketing podcast in college that fascinated me with the world of wine. I started emailing pretty much everyone in the wine industry. I'm pretty sure half of the industry received an email from me in 2020! I was so determined to learn and kept at it until the owner of a wine marketing agency admired my hustle and gave me a shot. From there, I started working retail in wine, too. I spent two hours every day traveling on two trains and two buses from Washington DC to Chantilly, VA, to work at the only wine store that would take someone with no wine certifications at the time. The Roots Fund has also been an incredible support for me. Wine is the ultimate hustle.
Anime came more naturally. Growing up in the 90s, it was so different from traditional American animation, and the adult themes and action provided an escape for me.
What inspired the unique blend of wine and anime for your blog? Was there a specific moment or inspiration?
The Folderol wine bar in Paris, which sells wine and ice cream, was an inspiration. The way they blend wine with the fun of ice cream showed me that wine, at its best, is meant to be an experiential drink. Wine should be the conduit for people to bond, have fun, and come together.
How do you go about selecting wines and animes to feature?
I start by finding a connection point in the wine that I can relate to something in an anime in terms people can understand. For example, pairing a light and fruity wine with an anime that's also light.
How do you hope your blog will connect the dots between wine lovers and anime fans? Who are you aiming to reach with your blog content?
Wine needs more Gen-Z and Millennials. I'm hoping that by showing people that wine can be fun, it opens the door for them to try wines from small producers, winemakers of color, or just a variety they've never heard of. Even if you think anime is the weirdest thing you've ever seen, there is a very loyal group of people who love it, and wine needs people willing to be different.
For those hesitating to launch their own unique blog idea, what advice or encouragement would you offer?
Working in marketing, I was exposed to a lot of CEOs and learned that most are not the mythical geniuses society builds them up to be. It's mostly a combination of opportunity and resources. So, why not you? I've heard hundreds of "no's" trying to break into wine, been ghosted more times than I can count, but the word "no" is just the cost of trying. All it takes is one "Yes." So, I say go for it!
Anything in the works you'd like to mention or promote? How can people follow and support your blog?
Yeah! I'm currently interviewing chefs that have anime-themed restaurants. They don't often get the prestigious accolades for their food, so I hope to shine a light on some pretty unique restaurateurs.
You can find me on Instagram and Twitter at @animeandwine and animeandwine.com. I'm just getting started, so I would love to connect and collaborate with like-minded people!
Thank you for reading.
Hope you enjoyed this interview.
Interested to see what the future holds for Wine and Anime!
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