Stacy Buchanan is a one-man hype machine with a preacher’s fire—not to save souls, but to fuse wine and heavy metal.
He’s the founder of Blood Of Gods, the cult biannual publication that’s become a global underground hit since its 2020 debut. Its sold-out annual Merrymaking festival in downtown Walla Walla, WA is the region’s loudest celebration of wine, art, and music—drawing winemakers like Maggie Harrison (Antica Terra) and Pax Mahle (Pax Wines) alongside bands, artists, and fans. The festival has raised more than $50K for Planned Parenthood, proving rebellion and generosity can share a glass.
Buchanan is no stranger to smashing worlds together. A veteran of the music industry—touring and promoting with System of a Down, Slipknot, and Marilyn Manson, and serving as a publicist at Century Media Records—he returned home just as Walla Walla was exploding as a wine destination. Spotting uncanny parallels between wine and metal—niche obsessions, rabid fandom, gatekeeping jargon—he forged a new communion where none existed.
The result? Critical raves and cult devotion. Named to Wine Enthusiast’s Future 40 and Imbibe’s 75, his work has been featured in Decibel, Saveur, Somm Journal, SIP, and more. Each issue tears down pretension with interviews spanning Master Sommeliers like Bree Stock and Doug Frost to metal legends like Maynard James Keenan (Tool) and Cannibal Corpse’s Paul Mazurkiewicz, alongside savage art from Jim Mahfood, Morgan Beem, and others.
Buchanan’s first book, out from Feral House Publishing, extends the manifesto in full-length volume. He has brought his vision to stages from New Zealand’s SuperWild to Taste Washington, and upcoming in 2026: the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium and Grenache Fest.
4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
