Honoring Heritage:
Winegrowers and Family Businesses
Told Through a Sojourner’s Lens

I’m DQuietAsian - a storyteller, sojourner, and advocate for heritage makers. What began in the UK and Singapore, has widened over four decades of living in and learning from different communities in B.C., Canada, the Mid-west United States, to Basel, Switzerland to the vineyards of France and Italy.
Today, I seek to champion not only family winegrowers, but also the artisans, dressmakers, grocers, leatherworkers, shoemakers, and small legacy businesses that keep culture alive.Every bottle, every bench, every hand-cut sole tells a story. I travel to listen—then share those stories so more of us can choose, support, and sustain what’s genuine.What shall we explore together?
Who I AmI’m DQuietAsian - a storyteller, wine lover, and long-time sojourner. For over four decades, I’ve lived across communities in Asia, Europe and the United States, learning how family, place, and craft shape the things we drink, wear, and bring to our tables. My heart remains with heritage winegrowers in France and Italy—and my circle now includes the many other family businesses that guard tradition with the same quiet pride.What I Do
I seek out the people whose work holds memory: growers who know each row by touch, leatherworkers who hand-finish each stitch, bakers and grocers who keep a neighborhood fed and connected. Through conversations, photos, and on-the-ground journals, I share their stories—pairing wines with Asian cuisine, tracing craft lineages, and mapping the ties between vineyard, workshop, and community.Why I Do It
In a world of scale and speed, heritage makers keep us rooted. Choosing their work is choosing continuity—skills passed down, land kept healthy, and neighborhoods that still recognize themselves. By shining a light on these families and their crafts, I hope to help you discover, savor, and support that which endures.Join me in keeping these stories, and the families behind them, at our tables, in our wardrobes, and in our daily lives.
Castelvechii Rada, Chianti, 16 March 2025
Azienda Agricola Franco Roero Piemonte, 24 March 2025
Bertolino Azienda Agricola Montegrosso, Piemonte, 25 March 2025
Agricola Brandini La Morra Barola, Piemonte, 26 March 2025
Domaine Bernhard & Riebel Alsace, 8 April 2025
Domaine Schoepfer Alsace, 9 April 2025
Where I share personally; and also contribute at À Ta Santé. Expect heritage winegrowers, family craft stories, and reflections from life as a long-term sojourner.
The DQuietAsian logo is a compass for heritage, connection, and discovery. The chalice speaks to wine, but the compass and vines also point to the wider map of family craft—the workshops, kitchens, and storefronts that give each place its character. Together, they mark a path: from vine to village, honoring the people who keep traditions alive.
To the many friends and family members who asked. And those with some time to spare ;-)The DQuietAsian Logo: A Compass for Heritage, Connection, and Discovery
The DQuietAsian logo is more than a visual signature—it is meant to be a tapestry of meaning, carefully woven to reflect the heart of my journey and the mission of this platform. Each element tells a story, echoing the values and passions that define DQuietAsian.Central Chalice: The Soul of Wine and Storytelling
At the heart of the logo stands a chalice, symbolizing not just the enjoyment of wine, but the vessel of stories, traditions, and shared experiences. It represents the families whose lives are rooted in the vineyards of France and Italy, and the wines that carry the wisdom of their ancestors. This chalice is a tribute to the artisans whose dedication and artistry I seek to honor - reminding us that every glass is filled with more than just wine, but with heritage and heart.Compass Rose: Guiding Journeys and Connections
Encircling the chalice is a compass rose, pointing north, south, east, and west. This motif is a nod to the sojourner’s spirit - my own path from England to Singapore, through Europe and back again, and the journeys of those who wander in search of meaning and connection. The compass is a symbol of exploration, guiding us to new stories, new flavors, and new ways to bridge cultures through wine and food. It also reflects the potential global reach of DQuietAsian, connecting heritage vineyards with Asian gastronomy, wherever you may be.Vines and Grapes: The Roots of Tradition
Woven through the compass are grapevines and clusters of grapes, a direct homage to the families who have nurtured their land and vines through generations. These elements celebrate the enduring bonds between people, place, and craft - reminding us of the silent guardians of tradition whose work is often overlooked in a world of mass production. The vines are a living thread, tying together past, present, and future.Patrimonium Venerans: Honoring Heritage
The Latin phrase “Patrimonium Venerans” encircles the logo, translating to “honoring heritage.” This encapsulates the very essence of DQuietAsian: a commitment to respecting and uplifting the legacy of family winegrowers, and to inviting others to cherish the extraordinary within the ordinary. It is a call to celebrate not just the wine, but the people and stories behind every bottle.Torri gate and the Tau: Bridging Cultures
The two symbols rendered on either side of the compass, are meant to symbolize the meeting of cultures. This reflects my own journey—rooted in both Asia and Europe—and the mission to create harmony between heritage wines and Asian cuisine. It is an invitation to discover how traditions can be shared, celebrated, and reimagined across continents.DQA: The Signature of a Sojourner
At the base of the chalice, the initials “DQA” stand for DQuietAsian—a storyteller, wine lover, and advocate for those whose lives are intertwined with the vine. This is a personal mark, but also a threshold: an invitation for you to join me in crossing from the mundane to the extraordinary, one story and one glass at a time.---“To be a simple threshold for others to use to cross over from seeing just the mundane to discovering the joy of seeing extraordinary in the ordinary. I invite you to share this journey with me.”Every element of the DQuietAsian logo is a compass point on this journey—toward honoring heritage, forging connections, and finding wonder in every bottle and every story. Join me in celebrating the families, the traditions, and the wines that make our tables, and our lives, richer.Above all, the logo is an invitation. It asks you to pause, to listen, and to savor the stories behind every bottle. By supporting these family winegrowers and exploring new culinary pairings, you become part of a movement—one that honors authenticity, preserves tradition, and creates new connections across continents.
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Last updated: June 11, 20251. Introduction
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