Come Over October: Sip, Share, Connect

There’s no denying that the sober movement is having a moment. Across social media, tags like “Dry January” and “Sober October” show people taking breaks from alcohol for many valid reasons. At the same time, wine (and alcohol in general) has faced increasing scrutiny in the media, often portrayed only in terms of excess, health risks, or societal problems.

But wine doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing choice. Wine in moderation has been part of the table for millennia, woven into the rituals of meals, conversation, and human connection.

This belief is at the heart of Come Over October, a campaign launched in 2024 by wine journalist Karen MacNeil and public relations veterans Kimberly Noelle Charles and Gino Colangelo. Their goal is to reframe wine’s story, not as a vice, but as a bridge that invites people to gather, face-to-face, over a bottle and shared stories.

“Come Over October was created to form a positive narrative around wine, a product that is facing so much negativity,” says Gino Colangelo, president of Colangelo & Partners.

Charles, MacNeil, and Colangelo sharing a moment with wine. Photo: @Alltheswirl

Wine as a Connector

“Wine has played an incredibly positive role in society and culture for 8,000 years. It’s the beverage that has brought us together in so many ways,” says MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible.

From the ancient vineyards of Burgundy to the modern vineyards of Napa, wine has always been meant to be shared. In our hyperconnected age, however, genuine connection can be elusive. By texting and scrolling, we catch only curated glimpses of each other’s lives. We may think we’ve caught up with our friends, yet we often wonder why we feel so isolated.

For the founders of Come Over October, that gap became their calling. “Come Over October is about rebuilding the habit of hospitality,” says Colangelo. “It’s about saying, ‘Let’s see each other again, at a real table, not a virtual one.”

The Value of Moderation

The role of this campaign isn’t to oppose sobriety or about drinking more. Its goal is to open up another path. As Charles, founder of Charles Communications Associates, explained, “it’s about enjoying wine more intentionally.”

And you don’t need a rare vintage or gourmet spread to celebrate Come Over October. Just open a bottle (even a modest $16 one), make something to eat, sit down, and talk. Share what’s happening in your life. Listen to someone else’s. Let wine do what it’s always done: soften the edges, spark connection, and remind us we are not alone.

So this October (and beyond), consider sending that message. Call your sibling. Invite a neighbor. Ask that friend you haven’t seen in months. Pour a glass. Let the table do its work: bringing people together through food and wine.