Local Couple Run Wine Gift Greeting Cards Business

This Q&A feature helps readers learn more about Mount Vernon-area residents working in our business community.

This week’s Q&A profiles Leon and Jeannine Sample, co-owners of Bottleneck Winecards, LLC, a Mount Vernon-based family run business that provides greeting cards designed to slip over the neck of a wine bottle. The wine gift greeting cards feature printed verses suitable for a variety of wine-giving occasions. 

Leon and Jeannine have lived in the Mount Vernon community since 1974.

Leon has a bachelor's degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia, and is a graduate of the Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill, OK. After serving three years in the Army, he worked for Group Hospitilization Incorporated, which was the Blue Cross health plan for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. While there, he started in the financial department, worked in product development, underwriting and eventually became the Director of Contract Administration. Jeannine attended the University of Georgia, where she received her bachelor's in Home Economics. She worked as a dietician in a hospital until she had children. She then earned her teaching certificate and taught elementary education at a North Carolina private school, as well as part-time in the Special Education Department at Mount Vernon High School.

The couple has three children, ages 47, 44 and 36, all of whom attended MVHS when they were younger. They also have three grandchildren, who live in the Leesburg area.

How did you become interested in your business?

The idea for the business was really born out of frustration. We like to bring wine gifts to party hosts. With that said, there was always the time-consuming chore of buying the gift of wine in one store and the greeting card in another. There was also the frustration that occurred when the wine and card become separated at a party, leaving the host without a clue as to which bottle of wine was from which guest.

How does it work?

We sell our wholesale cards to a number of tasting rooms at wineries and upscale wine shops across the country. We exhibit annually at four or five trade shows attended by winery owners. The Bottleneck wine cards are sold as a set of 24 different verses with a display stand.

What are your daily responsibilities?

We make sure our in-house inventory of cards is adequate to fill orders for now and existing accounts when they come in. The preparation for and traveling to trade shows takes a lot of time and effort.

What do you enjoy most about your line of work?

Meeting the winery owners at trade shows. These folks are in it for the long haul and they are creating a generational business. There’s a lot of dedication and loyalty. They are really sincere and genuine people … some of them have been buying our cards for over 20 years.

How is it working together as a husband-wife team?

She has her opinions and expresses them, and I have mine. Once we reach an agreement together, then we go from there. Jeannine comes up with lots of ideas for the cards. Oh, and it’s nice to go to trade shows together.

What is your favorite wine gift greeting card?

It says: “Most pleasant of all ties is the tie of host and guest!” (Aeschylus, 456 B.C.)

Leon: Where is your favorite place to go in the Mount Vernon area?

I love running along the George Washington Memorial Parkway. [Editor’s note: Leon has won “first place” in his age category in the annual George Washington Parkway Classic 10 mile race the last two years.]

Jeannine: What about your favorite place to go in the Mount Vernon area?

I love to go to the Mount Vernon Estate and share it with our grandchildren. We have such history in our backyard!

Leon: Any hobbies?

Sailing, traveling, being active with my church and family.

Jeannine: What are your hobbies?

I love to play the piano, read, knit, sing and garden.

Do you have a favorite area restaurant?

We both love Mama’s Kitchen and Chadwicks in Old Town.

Leon: If you weren’t in this business, what would you be doing?

I think my dream job would have been as a ferryboat skipper.

Jeannine: What is your dream job?

I probably would have liked to have been a weather announcer (I love anything related to science).