Patrick R. Dunn applies folklorist Sandy Ives’ fieldwork method to the people behind the wine.
October 13, 2026 (Sparks, NV) — Patrick R. Dunn, founder of the Sparks-based hospitality storytelling practice Vianarra, has launched Meet the Winemakers, an oral history series featuring long-form interviews with winemakers across the United States and abroad. Each interview publishes on vianarra.com as a full written transcript alongside Dunn’s narrative summary.
Dunn trained in narrative at the University of Maine under author Stephen King and folklorist Edward “Sandy” Ives, who founded the Northeast Archives of Folklore and Oral History. Dunn’s own student interviews are preserved in that archive’s Maine Women During the Depression and World War II collection, held at the Library of Congress.
Applying Ives’ fieldwork method to winemaking, every subject answers a fixed set of 20 questions sent a day in advance, allowing winemakers time to reflect on their personal history. Because the core questions remain consistent, the interviews serve as a comparative record as the collection grows.
“I learned how to do this from Sandy Ives,” Dunn said. “He taught us that the person across the table knows things nobody ever wrote down, and the job is to ask good questions and then let them talk. He spent his career doing that with woodsmen and river drivers. Winemakers carry the same kind of knowledge, and most of it goes home with them at the end of the day.”
The series debuted with California winemakers Scott Harvey (Scott Harvey Wines) and Adam Lee (Clarice Wine Company). Upcoming sessions include winemakers in Armenia and the Republic of Georgia, with Dunn targeting two new interviews weekly.
Interviews are conducted via Zoom or through translated written Q&As. While complete audio and video recordings are archived, the series publishes in written form, with every subject reviewing their piece prior to publication.
The series is open to winemakers worldwide with a story to tell. Interested participants and wineries can contact Dunn at patrick@vianarra.com.
About Patrick R. Dunn
Patrick R. Dunn trained in narrative under Stephen King and folklorist Sandy Ives at the University of Maine. He spent over a decade as a National Park Service interpretive ranger and led global crisis management teams across four continents for 30 years through major events including 9/11, Katrina, and Sandy. He holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, and is the author of Stop Leading on Empty (Archway/Simon & Schuster, 2026). He lives in Sparks, Nevada.
About Vianarra
Vianarra is a hospitality storytelling practice of Patrick Dunn International LLC, based in Sparks, Nevada. It provides staff training and brand communications for wineries, hotels, and restaurants, and publishes the Vianarra trade newsletter and Pour Story Society, a newsletter for wine enthusiasts.
