Hello! I’m Claire.

I started LAMBI because I was tired of wasting wine. You know the feeling—you open a nice bottle to have a glass or two after work, and promise yourself you’ll finish it by the end of the week. You jam the cork back in and put it in your fridge, destined to be forgotten. A week later, you give it a cursory sniff, but it’s oxidized. Down the drain it goes; another $30 wasted. As it turns out, this is a common phenomenon. Every year, American consumers dump out what amounts to 624 million bottles of wine annually. That’s $1.27 Billion of wine. I’ve always been opposed to unnecessary waste, so this really bothered me. I determined that I would find a way to drink without dumping anything down the drain. The problem? Despite working at a wine store and studying for my Sommelier exam, I was a bit of a lightweight. That meant that the negronis, martinis, and old fashioned’s that I tried to use to replace my little glass of wine just didn’t cut it. To add insult to injury, beer wasn’t a viable option due to my gluten intolerance. I ended up circling back and looking into boxed wines, which could keep wine fresh for weeks, but I struggled with the amount of real estate it ended up taking in my tiny apartment fridge. I was starting to feel like goldilocks, when I remembered a mysterious fifth option that I knew kept well in a fridge for weeks while touting a low abv: aperitif wine.  

 During my time studying abroad in Madrid, I discovered the magic of aperitif culture. Every bar had these incredible vermouths, sherries, and aperitif wines that locals would casually sip before dinner—no ceremony, no pretense, just pure enjoyment. The flavor profiles were wild: some bitter and complex, others bright and floral. Each one told the story of its region, from the Spanish Coast to the Italian Alps and the French Riviera.

But here's the thing—I wasn’t a Spanish woman smoking a cigarette with her vermut and soda, eating dinner at 9 o’clock. I was a Californian living in New York, working late nights, and craving something to unwind with while re-watching Sex and the City. These aperitifs were beautiful expressions of European tradition, but I wanted something that celebrated my everyday life.

So I decided to create my own nostalgia.

Growing up in San Diego, our backyard was basically an edible paradise—citrus trees, herb gardens, the works. But instead of typical American dishes, my Swedish mom filled our kitchen with cardamom buns, äpplekaka, and her legendary glögg. One day it hit me: glögg and vermouth are basically cousins—wine, botanicals, a splash of spirits. Why not make a white version?

I called my mom, convinced her to overnight me some San Diego lemons, oranges, apples,  and herbs, and got to work in my tiny kitchen. I wanted to make something with real structure and complexity that could work in cocktails but also shine on its own. Six months and countless iterations later, I had just that: a white aperitif that was equal parts California sunshine and Swedish comfort, more versatile than anything else on the market.

It became my go-to for everything—spritzes, lower-abv cocktails, highballs, and even straight up after dinner. Where I had once scoffed at the taste of a traditional 50/50 martini, I found myself ravenous for a second round. Refusing to acquiesce to any sort of tradition, I’d somehow created a hybrid between a dry and a blanc vermouth, without any of the wormwood and oxidative notes. Instead, my aperitif wine was packed with Swedish baking spices, apples, citrus, and lots of herbs. It defied convention, and I absolutely loved it. 

I started serving it at parties and sharing it with my friends. Midway through their drinks, my friends  would literally grab me and ask "what IS this?" They were obsessed—asking for the recipe, and begging me to make them bottles when I refused to give it out. No matter how much I made in advance, I’d always end up running out and feel terrible because everyone wanted more. That's when my friends started pushing me to make this into a real thing.

Today, LAMBI has grown from that cramped kitchen experiment into an award-winning aperitif that's redefining what American luxury can taste like. We use California wine, neutral grape spirits, and all-natural ingredients to create something uniquely ours—not too sweet, not too bitter, and endlessly versatile.

The whole point of aperitif culture isn't waiting for some perfect moment on the French Riviera. It's about treating your regular Tuesday like it matters. Whether you're having a quiet night in or going out with friends, LAMBI works with your plans instead of against them. No complicated rituals, no pretentious rules. Just something that tastes incredible and keeps the vibe going all night long.

Made to celebrate your life.