The Story Behind ProVino

The story begins with friendship. When Fred and Terri McQueary found Dan and Amanda Pinheiro and Tom and Brenda Conroy, the three couples discovered shared interests in travel and good wine. One night, conversation led to a discussion of going into the wine business, and PorVino, a small-batch wine importer, was born. All three couples have connections to different local businesses and industries, and one has a direct link to the wine’s origin.

“Dan is from Portugal, one of the largest wine countries in the world,” says Fred McQueary. “Most of the wine that they produce never leaves Portugal. Portuguese wine as a whole is very intimidating to people.” That knowledge eventually led to PorVino’s first product, Ever Seeking. It’s a Portugese red blend of Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez and Trincadeira grapes, with a concentrated ruby color. “It’s a type of wine you can drink with anything. It’s pleasant by itself, or you can drink it with a wide variety of foods. It’s very versatile.” McQueary says.

Ever Seeking is currently on the shelves, or poured by the glass, at many local favorite locations, including Brown Derby, Macadoodles, Hy-Vee, Char and Avanzare. “Ever Seeking Red Blend is a well-made Portuguese wine with local roots,” says Brad Feuerbacher, owner of Brown Derby Wine Center & Marketplace. “Coming together and partnering to bring it to our community was an honor, not to mention a lot of fun.”

While Ever Seeking has found success, PorVino also has a white wine, made from a native Portuguese grape, currently being aged in Portugal. It will hit stateside this spring. Its name is Forever Seeking. “We really want to make a reputation, so that when you see it you know it’s going to be good. That’s the niche we’re trying to hit,” McQueary says. PorVino’s employees are all owners. As the company is still in the startup phase, McQueary declined to share revenue numbers.