I’m often asked about our name, what it means, how you say it, and why we picked it for our wine label.

Well, Revenant (REV-uh-nuhnt) comes from the French revenir, “to return.” As a noun, it refers to one who returns – often as a ghost, I suppose, or simply after a long absence.

The name came about unexpectedly, as these things often do, one summer evening on my terrace. Good friends were over to share some sushi and more than a little wine when one mentioned the name Revenant. She had run across the word while reading a book, and once I learned the definition, I just knew it was right for this venture.

At the time, I was laying low, getting ready for the next phase of my career, and promising myself that this time around, I was going to take life a little slower.

Some sharp linguists will point out that revenir is also the source of the word “revenue.” And that’s just fine with me. But for my own “return” as general manager of one winery while starting my own label, Revenant is a personal reminder to take each day as it comes, and enjoy life at a slower and much more relaxed pace.

The triskele, a symbol composed of three interlocking spirals, comes from an ancient Celtic emblem representing the cycles of life. In its primary interpretation, the three spirals relate to the sun, the afterlife, and to reincarnation -- when drawn in a continuous line suggesting the movement of time.

A common feature found throughout Celtic art, the triskele also evokes the concept of the elemental domains of material existence – earth, water and sky – and their various interrelationships.

For me, the cyclical feel, along with the references to natural forces, certainly applies to the growing of grapes and the crafting of wine that carries the Revenant label.