(SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.) — NEWS: COME TOGETHER-A Community for Wine Inc., the mission-driven company behind the Come Over October™ and Share & Pair Sundays™ wine advocacy campaigns, today announced the launch of the second annual Share & Pair Sundays campaign, running May 3 through June 28, 2026. Across nine consecutive Sundays, anchored by Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and the unofficial start of summer, the campaign invites consumers to gather around a table for the simple, time-honored ritual of sharing wine and food with the people they love.
“Last year proved that American wine drinkers are hungry for connection and for the kind of sharing that wine encourages,” said Karen MacNeil, co-founder of COME TOGETHER and author of The Wine Bible. “This year we’re building on that yearning. Sharing wine and food, as simple as that act can be, becomes a time of meaning, bringing friends and family together.”
A Cultural Response to the Loneliness Epidemic
The campaigns arrived at a moment when public health leaders were sounding alarms about social isolation. The U.S. Surgeon General has reported that roughly half of American adults experience loneliness, identifying it as a serious public health risk. The World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Connection estimates that around 16 percent of people worldwide experience loneliness and shares that high-quality social connection is essential to mental and physical health and well-being.
“Wine has been part of the human ritual of gathering for 8,000 years,” said Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET, co-founder of COME TOGETHER and president of Charles Communications Associates. “Share & Pair Sundays is a simple invitation to reconnect, to carve out time, however that looks for you, to share a meal, a bottle, and a moment of presence. It’s about making space for real connection in a way that feels natural, not prescribed.”
A particular focus this year is making participation feel truly accessible. Share & Pair Sundays is designed so anyone can take part, whether it’s a dinner at home, a night out a restaurant, or causally standing around the kitchen counter with friends. The campaign encourages participation in whatever way feels natural, offering approachable recipes and pairing ideas that remove friction and make gathering seem simple. The goal isn’t to define what connection should feel like, but to remind people that it’s always within reach, and that wine, at its best, is something we share.
Building on a Movement
Together, Come Over October and Share & Pair Sundays have generated 2.6 billion media impressions, 1,315 published articles, a journalist reach of 1.29 million, over 5.6 million social media impressions and activations across more than 1,400 retail locations. The campaigns have also benefited from over $150,000 in donated media value contributed by leading wine publications.
This year’s activations are already showing the breadth and creativity of the wine community’s response. As detailed in a recent feature in Wine Industry Advisor, businesses across the country are interpreting the campaign in their own way: Idle Hour, an inn, restaurant and winery in Oakhurst, California near Yosemite, is using its monthly Supper Club to bring isolated locals together around shared, family-style meals; Cork & Keg Tours is curating intimate Sunday wine excursions through Loudoun County, Virginia; and Long Island Wine Country has launched a Blanc & Franc Brunch Series pairing North Fork sauvignon blanc and cabernet franc with menus from regional chefs.
“Whether it’s a backyard tailgate, a neighborhood potluck or a Sunday supper, the format doesn’t matter, the connection does,” added Gino Colangelo, co-founder of COME TOGETHER and president of Colangelo & Partners. “Our 2026 goal is to grow consumer reach by 50 percent, deepen retail and restaurant engagement and bring even more international participation into the movement.”
Sponsors and Resources
Foundational partners of COME TOGETHER – A Community for Wine include Jackson Family Wines and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. Benefactor partners include WineAmerica and Local Wine Events. Lyft, RedChirp and Yelp are preferred partners while media sponsors include Wine Enthusiast, Tasting Panel, Somm Journal, Wine Folly, VinePair, Wine Industry Network and Wine Business Monthly.
Free downloadable assets, pairing guides, recipes and host tools are available at https://www.shareandpairsundays.com/.
Wine producers, retailers, restaurants, importers, wholesalers and hospitality partners interested in joining the campaign can contact Program Director Barbara Fitzgerald at barbara@cometogetherforwine.com.
Media Contacts:
Karen MacNeil, karen@karenmacneil.com
Kimberly Noelle Charles, kcharles@charlescomm.com
Gino Colangelo, gcolangelo@colangelopr.com
About COME TOGETHER-A Community for Wine Inc.
COME TOGETHER-A Community for Wine Inc. is the mission-driven company behind the Come Over October and Share & Pair Sundays wine advocacy campaigns. Founded in 2024 by noted wine writer and author Karen MacNeil, along with leading wine industry marketers Gino Colangelo of Colangelo & Partners and Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET of Charles Communications Associates, the company shares the story of wine’s historic and contemporary role as a beverage that uniquely brings people together. To learn more, visit https://www.cometogetherforwine.com/.
Related link: https://www.cometogetherforwine.com/
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