Before establishing the winery, I owned a large timber processing plant. In 2008, when we experienced the financial crisis, which for timber companies had already begun in 2005 and 2006, the moment arrived when I began to take a deeper interest in winemaking. When I travelled to trade fairs abroad, I would stop at small wineries and try to taste drinks that were not available to buy in Latvia at that time. In Germany and Austria, the range of delicious drinks was very extensive; I tasted plum schnapps, and drinks made from cherries and apricots.