Michael A. Fors didn’t set out to build a business—he set out to solve a problem at his own table. For more than two decades, he’s hosted “wine night,” a Thursday ritual ranging from intimate gatherings to fifty-person celebrations filled with music, food, and conversation. These nights brought joy but also highlighted a challenge: red wines often tasted harsh when first opened, and waiting hours for a decanter wasn’t practical.

Inspired by the Gloucester shoreline, Michael imagined wine flowing over contours that would open it naturally. Working with a local metalworker, he created a prototype that proved the idea right. That sketch became Liquid Jazz, the first patented decanter designed to bring out a bottle’s best character in just four minutes.

Today, Michael speaks less as an inventor and more as a host. He shows how design can preserve the ceremony of wine without the wait, turning both restaurants and homes into spaces for memorable experiences. As a podcast guest, he shares how everyday frustration became a patented product, why wine is about people as much as grapes, and how innovation can deepen—not replace—tradition.