Today we’d like to introduce you to Sammy Lam.
Sammy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Wanderlust Wine Co. began as both a personal journey and a desire to reimagine the traditional wine experience.
My interest in wine was inspired by my late mother, Diana Cano. She loved wine but never had the opportunity or resources to explore it deeply. After losing her, I felt drawn to better understand something she had been passionate about. That journey became more tangible during Semester at Sea, where I took a Geography of Wine course and experienced wine as a way to explore different countries, cultures, and communities. It ultimately inspired Wanderlust’s original idea: helping people travel the world through wine.
I continued my education through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and earned a Master of Science in Wine Management through the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV). I also spent years working across different areas of the industry, including tasting rooms, production, packaging, sales, and sommelier services. Along the way, I saw opportunities to make wine more accessible, inclusive, engaging, and environmentally responsible.
I founded Wanderlust in 2019 and opened our first Downtown Austin location in 2020, just as the pandemic began. The original concept centered on self-pour wine technology and a large, globally curated selection of wines on tap. When the shutdown disrupted those plans, we quickly pivoted to retail sales, virtual tastings, and other creative ways of connecting with our community. That period taught us how to adapt, experiment, and keep moving even when there was no clear playbook.
Since then, Wanderlust has grown from one tasting room into a family-operated company with three Austin locations, immersive wine experiences, private events, seasonal pop-ups, and a growing consumer-products business. We have also expanded through partnerships with organizations including Austin FC and the San Antonio Spurs.
Sustainability remains central to everything we do. Our reusable keg and stainless-steel packaging systems help reduce the dependence on single-use glass bottles, while allowing us to serve wine efficiently without sacrificing quality. We have been recognized as a Platinum Austin Green Business Leader, but we still view sustainability as an ongoing journey rather than a finished accomplishment.
Today, Wanderlust is much more than a tasting room. We are building a Texas-born wine and hospitality brand that brings together sustainability, culture, technology, and memorable experiences. What started as a way to reconnect with my mother’s passion has grown into an opportunity to make the wine industry more welcoming and create a positive impact—one glass at a time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but every challenge has helped shape Wanderlust into what it is today.
We opened our first location in 2020, just as the pandemic began. Our original concept relied heavily on guests gathering in person and exploring wines through a self pour system, so we had to rethink the business almost immediately. Construction was delayed, regulations changed constantly, and many of the experiences we had designed were temporarily impossible. We adapted by offering retail wine sales, virtual tastings, and creative outdoor programming while doing everything we could to keep the business alive.
Another major challenge has been introducing a model that is still unfamiliar to many consumers and industry partners. Wine has traditionally relied on glass bottles, so building confidence in keg wine and reusable packaging requires ongoing education. We have had to demonstrate that a more sustainable format can still protect quality while creating a fun and approachable experience.
Growing from one location into a company with three venues, new products, major partnerships, and a larger team has brought another set of challenges. Access to capital, construction costs, staffing, inventory, and maintaining consistency across locations all require constant attention. As a family operated and minority owned business, we have often had to build opportunities for ourselves and learn through experience.
There have been moments when we were unsure how we would move forward, but our family, team, and Austin community continued to believe in us. Those challenges made us more resourceful and reminded us why we started. The road has not been easy, but it has been meaningful, and we are proud of the resilience that brought us here.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Wanderlust Wine Co.?
Wanderlust Wine Co. is an Austin based, family operated, and minority owned winery focused on making wine more accessible, sustainable, and fun. Our purpose is to help people travel the world through wine by introducing them to different grapes, regions, cultures, and stories.
Our first major accomplishment was becoming known as the world’s largest wine on tap winery. That distinction helped establish Wanderlust and introduced guests to a more approachable and sustainable way to explore wine. It was an important chapter in our story, but it no longer represents the primary focus of our business.
Today, Wanderlust is evolving into a broader wine and experiential hospitality brand. We are focused on curating and offering wines from around the world while creating immersive events and experiences that bring people together. Guests can join us for guided tastings, private celebrations, weddings, corporate gatherings, seasonal pop ups, drag brunches, and distinctive concepts such as our Speakeasy Wine Cave.
We also produce Wanderlust wines, margaritas, and sangrias, and we are proud to serve as an official wine partner of Austin FC and the San Antonio Spurs. These partnerships allow us to introduce our products and our story to new audiences throughout Texas.
What sets us apart is our ability to combine global wine discovery, sustainability, hospitality, and storytelling. We believe wine should feel engaging and welcoming rather than intimidating. Every part of the Wanderlust experience is designed to encourage curiosity, connection, and celebration.
Brand wise, I am most proud of our ability to evolve. Becoming the world’s largest wine on tap winery was our first defining achievement. Now, we are building on that foundation by developing a recognizable Texas born brand, expanding our portfolio of wines from around the world, and creating memorable experiences that extend far beyond the traditional tasting room.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Adaptability has been the most important quality behind our success.
Wanderlust opened during one of the most uncertain periods the hospitality industry has ever faced. Since then, we have continued to evolve from a wine on tap concept into a broader wine and experiential hospitality brand. That growth required us to listen to our guests, recognize new opportunities, learn from challenges, and remain willing to change without losing sight of our purpose.
I also believe curiosity has played an important role. Wine is about exploration, and that same mindset guides how we approach business. We are always asking how we can create a better experience, introduce people to something new, operate more sustainably, and connect with our community in a meaningful way.
Success has not come from following a perfect plan. It has come from staying resilient, being open to change, and continuing to move forward with purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wanderlustwine.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wanderlustwineco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wanderlustwineco/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wanderlust-wine-company
