Wine isn’t really about wine.
It’s about slowing down. It’s about savoring a moment. It’s about who you’re with, where you are and how the evening unfolds. It’s laughter over a shared bottle, warmth around a fire and a quiet reminder to enjoy life as it’s happening.
Just ask Virginia Beach resident Vicky Schiano. The moment you step into her home, she’s rattling off wine options like an unpaid sommelier — enthusiastic, generous, and ready to pour. But for Vicky, it’s never just about what’s in the glass.
Every weekend in the warmer months, she brings her Ocean Park neighborhood together for Firepit Fridays — an open invitation to gather on her front patio beneath string lights, beside blooming flowers, and around the flicker of a firepit. Dozens of people show up, often with their own chairs, ready to connect and unwind.
Sure, the wine is good. But it’s the atmosphere, the sense of ease, and the shared joy that keep people coming back.
That’s the real beauty of wine. It’s not about the label or the notes or whether you’re swirling it the right way. It’s about connection. It’s about being present — with others, with yourself, and with the moment.
It pairs well with conversation. With music. With fireflies and sunsets and the simple act of taking a breath.
That same spirit comes to life at Virginia Wine Camp, hosted by Camp Cardinal. Here, wine is woven into outdoor experiences designed to bring people together. Maybe you’re sipping a chilled white while learning from a winemaker as a campfire gets going. Or maybe you’re enjoying a bold red as the deep oranges of the sunsets glisten off the Severn River, surrounded by laughter and good company.
“When you combine wine with the relaxed setting of a campground,” says Michael Kimball, Camp Cardinal’s Wine Director, “the experience becomes very personal, approachable and fun.”
There’s no pressure to perform or pretend. Just real people, real stories, and really good Virginia wine.
And while the experience speaks for itself, science quietly backs it up. Studies have shown that wine actually tastes better in a relaxed outdoor setting. One study published in Food Quality and Preference found that people rated wine as more flavorful when drinking outside compared to a sterile indoor environment.
It makes sense. Our sense of smell, which accounts for about 85% of what we think of as taste, is more receptive in fresh air. Indoors, the scent of candles, cooking, or cleaning products can mask subtle aromas. Outside, your nose resets and picks up more of the wine’s natural character — from bright citrus and berry notes to earthy undertones.
Being outdoors also helps you relax. With fewer distractions and more calming scenery, your body produces less cortisol. That opens the door for a more immersive experience, where you can fully enjoy the aroma, flavor and texture of each glass.
But maybe the real magic of wine isn’t something you can measure. Maybe it’s in the way it draws people in — around patios and picnic tables, porch swings and fire pits. Maybe it’s in the pause it creates, when everyone slows down and enjoys simply being right where they are.
Because in the end, wine is really just an invitation.
To gather. To reconnect. To savor.
And that’s something worth toasting to.
