We follow the stories of Latinas in Wine, and particularly, we pay attention to those breaking barriers to pursue their dreams but, at the same time, naturally making an inadvertent step towards broadening the diversity in the wine industry.
Such is the case of Juanita Diusabá, a prominent sommelier and wine student who, back in 2021, gave us a peak into her life moving from London to Washington State after she finished her Certification at WSET L3 in the UK to study Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College in WA State.
In her own words,” I wanted to be closer to the vines and the wine production to have more hands-on experience and understand better the language of wine. The experience in Washington State was enriching, with many learning experiences and a sense of community.”
Juanita Diusabá in the route of success
From London to the Pacific Northwest
It’s inspiring but also an actual work of bravery, first immigrating into a new country and leaving friends and family behind. There must be a deep-rooted passion that has been installed at heart to truly achieve Juanita’s desire to cross borders and establish herself in the Wine Industry in America.
“My passion drives me to get to know a lot of winemakers, farmers, and restaurant owners around the area and connect with them to understand all of the AVA within soil science, aspects that influence wine growing, and the marriage with winemaking. “
As an Oenology student, she also worked at L’Ecole No 41 for the 2022 harvest. L’Ecole is one of the most honored wineries in Washington State and has garnered national and international accolades for producing superior-quality wines over the years. Juanita knows L’Ecole wines by working in the hospitality industry in London “ “I heard about their wines while working as a Sommelier in London; I also had the honor to serve them. “
She was an excellent student at Walla Walla College and was involved in many extracurricular activities. For instance, she volunteered for Lewis Peak Experimental Vineyards on a scientific project to determine which varietals would reach physiological ripeness at this lofty elevation with international grape varietals.
She received recognition for her work and the prestigious Women of the Vine and Spirits Foundation Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to individuals working in the food, wine, hospitality, and viticulture industries; in 2022, they received 240 applications from around the world, and I was the only Colombian recipient.
Moving to Sonoma County
After getting her degree with honors in June 2023, Diusabá moved to Sonoma County, CA, to work for Flowers Winery with the vision of learning more about wine technology, experiencing the historical places of the largest region of wine in the USA, and getting more intimate with the fermentations of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Juanita has had a marvelous experience in Sonoma, and she seeks to continue her professional studies focusing on the senses of wine, winemaking techniques, and the importance of sustainable wine growing, in addition to other essential factors in the wine industry, such as the international trade business.
For Juanita, wine is an international connection for me. She would like to use an overall perspective and further her studies after enrolling last semester at Whitman College in the rhetoric of public culture and its broader implications of how language influences one’s senses and guides one’s fundamental ideas about reality.
An exceptional woman in wine who keeps pursuing her passions and dreams at a very young age deserves our support and recognition. Juanita, we wish you well, and we are sure the following steps in your career will only continue to surprise us. We will follow Juanita’s story, and we will report back. In the meantime, follow her journey at
Instagram.com/juanicultura
