GREENSBORO, N.C. - s4story -- Five years ago, David and Laura Comer took a leap of faith and became the owners of what was then Autumn Creek Vineyards. Five years later, that leap has grown into Gioia dell'Amore Cellars at Autumn Creek Vineyards—a winery and destination built around wine, travel, hospitality, celebration, community and, above all, joy.

But the story began long before the vineyard.

Then came an idea from Laura's sister, Julie.

Julie, a youth minister with a heart for serving others, dreamed of using vineyards and winemaking to create opportunity and community in an underserved part of the world.

Then Julie was diagnosed with cancer.

During treatment, Julie lived with Laura and David. She wanted to remain close to her children and family, but the sisters still needed something positive to dream about. So they began imagining a winery.

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They began tossing around names. Laura suggested Joie de la Vie, "Joy of Life." Julie insisted the winery had to be Italian because she loved Italian wine and its warmth, family and togetherness.

Julie suggested Amore Perfetto—Perfect Love. Laura laughed. There is no such thing as perfect love. Love grows through our imperfections.

Somewhere in that playful exchange, they found Gioia dell'Amore—Joy of Love. It captured Julie's love, Laura's joy and David and Laura's playfully romantic marriage.

David and Laura attended winemaking school at Texas Tech University. On September 1, 2021, they became owners of Autumn Creek Vineyards. On June 29, 2022—Julie's birthday—the business officially became Gioia dell'Amore Cellars at Autumn Creek Vineyards.

When they purchased the vineyard, it had 11 wines. They recreated those wines and ultimately added 15 new wines. They also created the Scatter Joy! philosophy: a commitment to make every guest's experience more memorable, welcoming and joyful.

Today, Gioia dell'Amore offers vineyard lodging, weddings, events, RV stays and a wine club with 115 members. In 2026, they launched the Andiamo! Wine Travel Club.

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Giving back is part of the story, with fundraisers benefiting local causes.

But perhaps the greatest accomplishment is the community that has grown around the vineyard.

Guests have become friends who gather, travel and show up for one another. Wine-club connections have even led to love. Through Andiamo!, friendships that began in North Carolina now stretch across the country.

For David and Laura, that is what Scatter Joy! really means: creating a place where people can find their people—and where the joy keeps scattering long after they leave.

Woven quietly through it all is Julie—the sister whose dream helped shape the heart of this business.

David and Laura couldn't follow Julie's original path around the world. Instead, they created their own path here—planting roots in North Carolina and building a place centered on wine, love, community and service.

Five years later, the mission remains beautifully simple:

Make great wine. Create unforgettable experiences. Love what you do. And Scatter Joy!

https://gioiadellamorecellars.com/