This summer is all about sharing wine and feeling fine for Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough.
The best friends co-own their wine label, with their company Fresh Vine Wine offering premium, lower-carb and lower-calorie bottles that are produced in Napa, California. Years into their business partnership, Dobrev, 33, and Hough, 34, are closer than ever, with Dobrev exclusively telling E! News that the pair "clicked immediately" when they were introduced through their mutual hairstylist more than a decade ago.
"We ended up going on a little friend date," Hough continued, "and have not left each other's side."
So what is the secret behind their special bond?
"We're very similar and very different at the same time," Dobrev explained. "We're strong in ways that the other isn't. In a weird way, we complete each other, which is really nice."
When it comes to their similarities, The Vampire Diaries star shared, "We're both really outgoing. We both love drinking wine. We love dancing and sharing experiences together and laughing and going deep."
Which is what inspired them to start Fresh Vine, with the pair hoping to share the experiences they cherish together with the world. And no, they had no concerns about two stepping into business together.
"You've heard it for years, right, not to work with family and friends?" the Dancing With the Stars alum explained. "But when it's the right partner, friends and family can be incredible. You have to respect each other. It's the best because you get to share in creating something really powerful that you can share with the world. There's nothing better than sharing something that you love with somebody that you love."
Another passion Dobrev and Hough share is maintaining holistic yet balanced lifestyles, which was why they prioritized making their wines lower in calories and carbs without sacrificing its taste.
"We really like going to classes, dancing and doing things," Dobrev said. "But at the same time, we love to laugh and go out and have fun and balance is really the key. We wanted to create a really balanced wine that doesn't make me feel horrible to drink it. It doesn't make you feel guilty when you have it."
Acknowledging their company helped fulfill "a personal desire" for the BFFs to have access to a wine that served their own needs, Hough said that they noticed a growing desire in the market for options that could be part of an active lifestyle.
"People are more conscious about what they're putting into their bodies and they probably want to have two or three glasses and not feel so bad about it," Hough continued. "Yes, we did it for ourselves because that's what we love, but we also thought, wow, this is the way the world is shifting and it would be really great to create something that is beneficial to how people are shifting their own lifestyles and not compromise on the fact that it's really beautiful, premium wine."
Given the warmer temperatures and late summer nights, Dobrev said it was the "perfect time" to launch their latest wine, a $20 Sauvignon Blanc, calling it her "new favorite."
"It's really light and refreshing, so it is perfect timing," she raved "When it's hot outside, you want to unwind with something that will cool you down and the Sauvignon Blanc is really special because it's got aromas of key lime, fresh melon and citrus blossoms."
Hough explained it was important to make their wines affordable, wanting to help customers create special occasions without breaking the bank "so that each experience felt like a luxury and moment where you can create a memory and make it really special."
One such event is coming up in Hough's future: brother Derek Hough and soon-to-be sister-in-law Hayley Erbert, and she expects to see Fresh Vine Wine being served at the wedding.
"I have demanded it," Hough said. "That is a joke, but kind of not."
One thing you can definitely count on is finding Dobrev and Hough on the dance floor, making memories one sip at a time.