Sami Gaston: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Sami Gaston of Bar Diane and Négociant wine shop. At the start, Sami goes over her time before wine as an artist studying studio art, apparel design, and fashion forecasting. She also mentions her eagerness to travel, which inspired her to earn a degree in Spanish literature. The daughter of a bartender and cocktail waitress, Sami describes how she found herself soon drawn to a similar scene. She talks about trying out different jobs, hospitality, and eventually discovering Oregon wine. She goes on to speak about her own business, their clientele, and how it has already expanded and evolved. Throughout, Sami speaks about the communal, collaborative nature of wine. For her, wine is better with other people and her work centers around introducing people to what the Oregon wine world offers. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Bar Diane in NW Portland on June 7th, 2022.