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Scottsdale author marries poetry with wine

BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer

Award-winning author and filmmaker Alexandria Rizik sat at home during the 2020 pandemic lockdown thinking about what she would do when the world became “normal” again.

From an epiphany, she launched a red wine called “Poetry in a Bottle.”

“I wanted to have my own business and I’ve always been so passionate about wine,” Rizik said. “So, I combined my love for writing and poetry with my passion for wine and came up with Poetry in a Bottle.”

Rizik stumbled upon a company called Blendtique in Happy Canyon outside of Santa Barbara, California, which delivered samples of wine to her doorstep.

Rizik told Blendtique that she was looking for a specific red wine that tasted fruit-forward but was still dry as well as what percentage of certain types of grapes she wanted.

Rizik received a bottle of her custommade wine and after popping the cork and pouring herself a glass, she knew she had found the perfect drink.

Rizik then shared the bottle with her three sisters, who, she admits, are not the biggest fans of red wine. They couldn’t resist the sweet, dry beverage. “We all tried it together and we all agreed that this is it,” Rizik said. “This is the perfect wine for people, whether they like red wine or don’t like red wine. It’s something that will bring people together over dinner, drinks or good company.”

As an accomplished writer, Rizik’s next plan was to draft a witty title for her new concoction when she thought of a writing style, she often equates it with red wine.

“With the title ‘Poetry in a Bottle,’ I wanted something kind of poetic,” she said. “When I think of the word poetic, I think of red wine.”

Rizik began pitching her new wine to some of Scottsdale’s most notable restaurants like EVO, Dominick’s Steakhouse, Sorso Wine Room, Steak 44 and Ocean 44.

“Scottsdale is so great with supporting small businesses and so I’ve had so much support from my accounts that the wine is in,” Rizik said. “It was hard work to get in some of these restaurants but, as a female entrepreneur, you have to be persistent and keep turning people onto the wine.”

Rizik got her wine into the glasses of customers at all of the restaurants she pitched and has been astounded at how well it has paired with their menus.

“I think they do Poetry in a Bottle perfectly because it’s not a wine you’re going to see just everywhere and anywhere, It’s a little bit more exclusive and I love the accounts that it’s currently available at,” she said. “I enjoy it with different types of pizza, like Margherita pizza, or pasta with red sauces and I also think it pairs well also with meats like filets or beef kebabs.”

After the success of Poetry in a Bottle. Rizik began crafting another wine with a contrasting taste to her inaugural bottle.

She wanted to create something for white wine lovers, which was why she decided to craft a sauvignon blanc that would be equally provocative and refreshing.

Just like with her red wine, Rizik received a sample of what she had in mind and fell in love with the �irst bottle.

“They were both nailed it on the first try and the Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect complement to the red wine,” she said.

Building on her experiences with her first wine, Rizik also found some food that she feels the wine pairs perfectly alongside.

“Since it’s a very light, crisp California white wine, I think a white fish or light salad pairs best,” Rizik said.

“I think it’s the wine you start the night off with and end the night off with,” she said. “I think it’s perfect for a girls’ night and I think it’s perfect if you are just looking to kind of cozy up after a long day and read a book. There are so many settings that you can drink this wine in, and that’s why I love it.”

After tasting the wine with her friends and family, Rizik’s last step was to give it a title before releasing it this summer.

“I wanted something a little bit more mysterious and had a sense of romanticism to it,” she said. “On the bottle, it’s a picture on the front of a couple kissing in the rain, hence the name ‘Kiss in the Rain.’ So, I wanted something a little bit lighter and something a little bit happier and more romantic.”

In addition to offering two unique variations of wine, Rizik’s bottles also include verses of poetry for connoisseurs to read as they sip. “I wanted to re�lect with this product speci�ically that wine tells a story which is why it has the original poems on the back of the wine bottle,” she said.

With both wines now available for consumption, Rizik is eyeing releasing a rosé by next summer to pair with her current collection of wines.

Award-winning author and fi lmmaker Alexandria Rizik has sensationalized tastebuds with two lines of wines; a red wine titled “Poetry in a Bottle” and a sauvignon blanc titled “Kiss

in the Rain.” (Courtesy of Poetry in a Bottle)