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Celebrate Latina Winemakers

Celebrating Latinity in wine is within our mission. Elevating our stories and showcasing Latina women winemakers is an excellent opportunity to recognize the diverse contributions to the wine industry and support the unique creations of these talented individuals. It is essential to acknowledge the valuable perspectives and experiences of underrepresented communities in the wine industry and to promote their work. During the next few weeks, we will share more about these winemakers and experience the fruits of their labor. Meet the Winemaker: Paula Gonzalez from Pyros Wines, Argentina Paula Gonzalez, head winemaker at Pyros wines in Pedernal, San Juan, joined the winery in November 2019. Since then, she has brought her creativity and innovation to make wines that reflect the ultimate expression of the Pedernal Valley. Meet the Winemaker: Susana Balbo from Susana Balbo Wines, Argentina Susana Balbo, Argentina’s first female winemaker, has not only revolutionized the Argentinian wine scene but has also played a key role in improving the quality of Torrontés and making it become Argentina’s flagship white variety. She has carried the flag of Torrontés and put white wines of Argentina on the map, making her the White Wine Ambassador for the region. Meet the Winemaker: Lulu Martinez Ojeda, from Casa Jipi and Bruma Vinícola México Get to know Lourdes “Lulu” Martinez Ojeda, the trailblazing winemaker who hails from Mexico. With ten years of experience working in Bordeaux, France, Lulu brings a wealth of knowledge of Mexican terroir to the table. She is a Winemaker and Partner at Bruma Vinicola and Casa Jippi Wines and also works as a Winemaker Consultant at Palafox. After her stint in Bordeaux, Lulu’s first job was working for the French Mexican Wine House Henri-Lurton.

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Black History Month: amplifying the stories of Afro-Latinas in Wine and Spirits.

In 1976, Black History Month was formally established by President Gerald Ford, and we now celebrate it to highlight the contributions and heritage of African Americans in our nation. At Latinas Wine Club, we are proud to remember the accomplishments of African Americans in all fields of endeavor, including wine, during Black History Month. We enjoy sharing a few inspiring stories by fierce Latinas that also identify as BIPOC this month, starting with Amanda Victoria, CEO, and Co-Founder, of Siponey Spritz Co™, who our Founder Martha Cisneros had the pleasure to interview.  What inspired you to start “Siponey Spritz Co.™ ? Amanda: I launched Siponey Spritz Co.™ when I was 6 months pregnant, just prior to the pandemic, after 15 years in the alcohol industry, alongside my partner in life and business, Joey Mintz. As a Bronx-born, Puertorriqueña, Latina / woman of color, industry veteran, and new mother navigating the trials and tribulations of corporate to entrepreneurship over the last several years, I am on a mission to recover the environment by honoring honeybees and their role in our ecosystem, all while creating a fabulous canned cocktail to enjoy. We are the first-ever B Corp certified canned cocktail, a stamp of approval for our commitment to sustainability. We commit 2% of revenues annually to non-profit environmental organizations around the world and are dedicated to saving honeybees, one can at a time. Any advice for Latina Entrepreneurs ? Amanda: Siponey Spritz Co.™ is proudly Latina, Afro-Latina, and Jewish-owned by a team born and raised in NYC. Every day I strive to use my experiences as a CEO to be a voice for those who may not have a seat at the table, and to inspire others like my own daughter to follow their dreams.  Where can we find more information about Siponey Spritz Co ? Amanda:

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Food For Thought: I am a Latina. Please stop calling me “Spicy” -Ces Heredia

As a wine professional, I have been active at wine press events in New York for the past five years. As a Latina, I always find the look of a Chef, a server, or a host starting the conversation with, “ Are you Latina?” “Si Señorita,” “Spicy,”. Yes, this still happens and is the worst way to start a conversation. Ces Heredia wrote a piece about how we are still deduced to an outdated, incorrect stereotype of a Spicy Latina and wanted to share the valuable article to validate what we are stating. There are still a lot of stereotypes about Latinas. For instance, mass-produced wines think that Latinas only like sweet wines or prefer sweet cocktails. Moreover, marketing campaigns in the past had used an image of an outdated outfit of a Latina only interested in Spirits. At Latinas Wine Club, this stereotype of a Spicy Latina applies not only in the beverage and hospitality industry but to many spheres and moments. Even though we face these challenges with an empowered attitude, it is still very uncomfortable. As food for thought, we wanted to open the conversation and speak about our uncomfortable moments during wine industry events, day or night jobs, and beyond. If you have any experiences, we would love to know and amplify this situation. Speaking up is not always easy, but starting to speak up about what happened is the only way to let go. With wine education as the heart of our mission, we want to empower Latinas who love wine, wish to learn about the world of wine, or currently work in the wine industry. We are also responsible for bringing awareness that we, as a minority, still face many challenges while pursuing wine education or any education due to cultural clashes. Read more

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5 Organizations That Might Help to Advance your Wine Career
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5 Organizations That Might Help to Advance your Wine Career

The steps between being a server and escalating the ladder to become a beverage director sometimes are not just having excellent service and hospitality skills and the know-how. Yet more than the how, the knowledge is imperative and doesn’t entirely come from the day-to-day floor experience. Therefore investing in your wine career and getting knowledge of specific regions is essential. There are some courses of wine and spirits well known in our niche, but the tuition sometimes exceeds our financial possibilities. In other words, the Wine courses are often out of our budget. You can learn from many free resources, but if you want to certify your knowledge and advance your career, you need to get that knowledge certified and have credibility. We have found 5 organizations that might help advance your Wine Career by providing scholarships to complete these wine and spirits classes. Our advice will be to constantly apply to their available opportunities as they have different programs throughout the year.  You might find it interesting that our Founder, Martha Cisneros, was looking for opportunities to advance her career in wine. So with little hope, she applied one late night to the Introduction Sommelier Course Scholarship through the Court of Master Sommeliers of America, and she got it. Court Master Sommeliers of the Americas  Court of Master Sommeliers offers the Americas Introductory Sommelier Course and Examination Scholarship. The scholarship is open to any student, restaurant, hospitality, or beverage education professional within the US identifying as BIPOC+ and over the age of 21.  For more information on how to apply, check https://www.mastersommeliers.org/press/court-master-sommeliers-americas-launches-online-introductory-sommelier-course-and-exam AHIVOY Oregon Pacific Northwest is home to one of the fastest-growing wine regions in the USA: Oregon. Currently, many wineries are employing and hosting internship opportunities. AHIVOY is a non-profit organization that aims to strengthen the Oregon

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Combat Zoom Fatigue with Wine

More than a year after the pandemic, there is not one of us who hasn’t experienced some level of fatigue resulting from our virtual lives. Studies have shown our increased screen time can lead to stress, anxiety, and exhaustion. But as we acknowledge that our virtual life is here to stay in some form, let’s resolve to find ways to enhance our e-existence. And our fatigue is much more bearable—actually entertaining—when we are doing so over wine. As April is Stress Awareness Month, let’s discuss responsible ways to use virtual vino to combat our zoom fatigue! Connect with friends It’s one thing to be on zoom meetings all day with work colleagues. The stress of having to be intensely focused and hyper-attentive on job-related issues can be exhausting. More casual and therapeutic, connecting with friends over a glass of wine can be a completely different experience. Pick a theme for your happy hour to make it even more fun—why not share a rose, compare sparkling wines, or take a virtual eno-journey through Italy? How about discussing your favorite food and wine pairings? Or why not simply open a bottle you’ve had for some time and share with your friends the story surrounding it. Use that same zoom format to de-stress with friends and you’ll feel much better. Join a virtual wine education class We’ve had over a year to improve virtual educational content, whether it’s for work, school, or otherwise. Virtual wine education has exploded on the internet albeit with varying levels of quality. When it comes to virtual wine classes, content matters and so does personality. Engaging instructors, interactive material, and practical information increase your chances you’ll get more out of your online wine school. It’s a bonus if you are able to taste the same wines along with

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Women “Firsts” in the Wine World

As we continue to celebrate the achievements of women during Women’s History Month, we are proud to feature women pioneers in the world of wine. But just who are these female firsts in wine? First Women Winemaker in California It was in the 1960’s when the wine industry in the U.S. truly came into its own. But viticulture and winemaking were critical to California’s economy before Prohibition in 1920. Hannah Weinberger is credited with being the first female winemaker in the 1880’s, a role she assumed after her husband was shot dead in 1882. As a result of this tragedy she managed the operations of his winery, as well as taking on his role of director of the Bank of St. Helena. She also become the only California female vintner to win a silver medal in the wine competitions of the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. Weinberger managed their 35 acre property, which today is part of William Cole Vineyards—until Prohibition forced its closure. First Modern-Era Winemaker in California Fifty years after Weinberger was forced to end her role, Hannah Graf earned became the first woman to earn an enology degree from the University of California, Davis in 1965. She is considered a pioneer as the first women winemaker of California’s modern era—the era after California and the rest of the U.S. recovered after Prohibition. With very few mentors, Graf had a more analytical vision regarding wine—her love of science no doubt impacting her approach to her career. Starting as an assistant winemaker and enologist in California’s Central Valley-located Gibson Wine Company, she became head winemaker at Sonoma’s historic Simi Winery in 1973. She was mentored by Andre Tchelistcheff, and had few female peers. After her she left Simi in 1979 she launched her own consulting service, Vinquiry, which provided

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Happy Women’s History Month!
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Happy Women’s History Month!

What began as a mere week in 1982 is now a full month proclaimed by the president to celebrate the contributions women have made to our country and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of our history. Of course we at Latinas Wine Club celebrate women all year long, but we are going to seize this time to honor our vital role in American history. Wine and Public Policy are a Great Pairing Last week we kicked off Women’s history month early with our panel on women leaders in the wine industry and in public service. We were honored to host Amy Bess Cook, founder of Women-Owned Wineries (WOW), a national wine club featuring women-owned wineries and brands, and Cheryl Williams, Vice President of the Women’s Congressional Policy Institute (WCPI), the leading non-profit women’s policy organization supporting women in Congress. Both leaders in their respective areas, they shared with us just how far women have come, as well as how we can continue to move forward to address institutional inequities. During this empowering and inspiring discussion, we learned just how critical it is to continue to increase our numbers in leadership roles and the importance of serving as role models to younger women. Normalizing the role of women in leadership is key to our future success at What resources are available to support women in wine and public service? Amy Bess, who was also awarded Imbibe Magazine’s Person of the Year for her efforts to empower and support women in the wine industry, and Cheryl, who is helping to shape the next generation of women leaders, provided numerous resources to members wanting to support women’s advancement in wine and public service. For wine-related initiatives wine visit Women of the Vine and Spirits, the Roots Fund, Celebrating

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Women in the Wine Industry: Where are we Now?

At this time last year we were on the brink of the pandemic shutdown and Women’s Month—which officially begins in March– became almost an afterthought for many of us. Of course, women—and especially women of color—have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic making us think things haven’t really improved much for our gender these last few years. And last Fall’s news of sexual harassment and mistreatment of women in the wine world’s most hallowed circles also make us wonder what inroads we are truly making in gender equality. The pandemic effect on women According to the most recent Census Bureau data from 2018, women of all races earned, on average, 20% less than men. This wage gap is much larger for women of color with Black and Hispanic women making 38% and 46% less respectively than their male counterparts. And in 2018, female entrepreneurs received just 2.2% of all venture capital resources available in the U.S. But the pandemic has underscored generations of inequitable social policy—it has been estimated that the risk of mothers leaving the work force in order to assume caretaking responsibilities amounts to $64.5 billion per year in lost wages and economic activity. And while we hope there aren’t lasting effects on women as the economy recovers, one study found that women who took just one year out of the workforce had annual earnings that were 39% lower that those of women who did not. Where can we go from here? Despite these dismal data points we remain encouraged by the continued focus of policymakers and leaders in our industry who remain dedicated to addressing these inequities and empowering women to seek entrepreneurship. We also know that despite the fact that winery ownership and winemakers are still overwhelmingly male, the number of women in these roles has

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Finding Balance Through Community

Amigas, we are approaching the year anniversary of enduring this pandemic. A recent American Psychological Association (APA)  study found that prolonged stress persists at elevated levels for most Americans. More than ever our mental and physical wellbeing need to be a priority. As wine lovers, many of us have taken to learning about new regions and wine styles as a way to exercise our mind, find meaningful distraction, and prepare for in-person journeys to these beautiful areas. Let’s explore other ways to achieve mental balance during the last few months of this turbulent time. How can I achieve mental wellbeing during this pandemic? According to the APA there are several proven ways to manage stress: • Take a break from news, social media, or even friends that are affecting you in negative or unhealthy ways; • Try the “three good things” practice of reflecting on three positive things that happened during your day to help decrease anxiety, combat depression, and build mental resiliency; • Insist on 15-30 minute increments of self-care throughout the day such as talking a walk, connecting with a friend, or enjoying a humorous show; • Stay connected to friends and family whether virtual or in-person so you can support on another; and • Try to keep things into perspective to reduce negative views on daily events. Connecting with Wine Enthusiasts as Self-Care As experts have found, connecting with friends is a proven way to manage stress. Many of you have chosen to join your fellow Latinas here in our community as a way to engage and achieve this wellbeing. We are humbled that our community can serve this purpose—whether it be through joining one of our wine classes, expanding your wine knowledge through our #WINESCHOOL curriculum, or simply hopping on our IG Lives so we can

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Normalize Blacks in Wine

Amigas, we are honored to celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans during Black History Month. It is one of the most important cultural heritage months on the calendar and a time to remember the continued struggle for racial equality in our country. While we know this celebration cannot possibly eradicate 400 years of systemic racism, we stand with those that are committed to undoing racism, advocating for justice, and combating inequality in our society. Some Progress Made, But Much More Needs to Be Done As in all sectors of our economy, people of color are vastly underrepresented in the wine industry. While improvements have been made since the outcry for justice following the murder of George Floyd last summer, there is still so much to be done. People of color comprise one-third of the drinking population and are the fastest growing demographic in our economy, yet there is no where near that kind of representation in the industry. Some wine companies have pledged to support black wine professionals, create diversity and inclusivity programs, and invest in black-owned labels but we need to continue to push for more. This can’t be just a passing trend. What You Can do to support Blacks in Wine As wine lovers and professionals, don’t let this Black History Month pass without trying to make a lasting commitment. Here are some concrete ways you can raise your glass for good: buy wine from black winemaker or proprietors; employ more black wine professionals; source more wine from winemakers of color; engage with and educate wine lovers of color; and hold your retailers accountable for making more wine from people of color more readily available. In total, these actions will help normalize Blacks in wine and not relegate their contributions—or wines—to niche areas of our industry—or

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Latinas Wine Club Inc.

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