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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!
Empower

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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Empower

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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Empower

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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Empower

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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Conscientious Consumption
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Your Wine as Conscientious Consumption

2020 proved to be the year of profound and lasting changes to all aspects of our economy, not just our beloved wine industry. And many changes that were already taking place were only accelerated by the pandemic. E-commerce grew at breakneck speed as retail outlets in all economic sectors drastically reduced capacity or shut down altogether. But it’s not just the method by which we are purchasing our wine or other goods that has transformed. Our values have also evolved in the recent years with an apparent acceleration since the virus took hold What is Conscientious Consumption? We have experienced a shift in our buying priorities in the last two decades as we choose to buy things that we feel are better for our bodies, communities, and the planet. What some experts have called “conscientious consumption” has grown as a value, as concerns about climate change, social justice, and economic equity become prevalent and urgent. Our desire to “do good” when we spend our money has butted up against traditional conspicuous consumption behaviors. And during the pandemic it’s naturally inappropriate and irresponsible to spend in flashy or vacuous ways as so many struggle during this time. In a recent article, Forbes predicted this restraint will continue well into 2021 and may result in an end to “social-status signaling” especially for luxury goods. What can wine and spirits do to address these habits? The wine industry had been lagging in its ability to communicate with emerging segments of wine consumers and address changes in wine lover priorities even before COVID changed our lives. And minority populations have largely been ignored by the industry despite the fact that our combined community represents a third of the wine-buying population, according to Nielsen and other analysts. Impacts of the pandemic brought this disconnect into

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How to Help During the Pandemic into 2021
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How to Help During the Pandemic into 2021

We wear our masks. We physically-distance ourselves. We wash our hands. We are all trying to do our part to help mitigate the effects of this pandemic. And yes, we are fatigued by all this. But our community is generous and we know there are others struggling more than us. So as we head into the early, critical months of 2021, here are some ways we can continue to help during the pandemic. Use Your Voice to Advocate for Organizations that Need Our Help Our social networks are growing larger every day.  It costs nothing to share information with friends or family and helping to spread the word on organizations that need our support is a powerful initiative. If you know of a charity that needs help, like and share their contact information. Even joining a letter-writing campaign can help.  Did you know Congress just passed legislation allowing the creation of a Latin American History museum?  A major victory that was 25 years in the making, this initiative owed much of its success to the Latinx community writing old-fashioned emails and snail mail letters to members of Congress. Sponsor or Support Organizations Engaged in Broader Dialogue Many of the challenges our community faced before the pandemic became even more dire once we began to quarantine. Sometimes these challenges seem overwhelming for one individual to address.  But individuals working as groups and organizations working as coalitions, can find solutions for the world’s toughest problems. The Latinas Wine Club helped sponsor the Cumbre Mundial de Mujeres (World Women’s Summit) last Fall to help address the challenges women face in the 21st Century and especially during the pandemic. The summit gathered leaders in international business, government, and NGO arena to develop policy to combat obstacles for the progress of women around the world.

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Raise Your Voices and Your Glasses Amigas
Empower

Raise Your Voices and Your Glasses, Amigas!

The next time you reach for a glass of wine, consider this: the wine in your glass, the label on your bottle, the reviews written about the wine, and the shop where you purchased your wine mostly likely did not involve a single person of color. And as a person of color enjoying that wine, YOU were not factored into the wine equation. You were basically ignored. But not anymore, amiga. NOT anymore. The wine industry continues to exclude people of color despite the fact that both African American and Latinx consumers represent a combined $3 trillion in buying power and are the fasting growing demographic sectors in our economy. In fact, according to reports from Nielson, people of color represent one-third of the legal wine-drinking population of our country and we are growing. To dismiss us is economically foolish and morally irresponsible. But not anymore, amiga. NOT anymore. Here’s how are we are making a difference at the Latinas Wine Club: We are going to educate ourselves.Wine education is empowering and creates a community of evangelists who want to engage, share, and experience this venerated beverage together. We are going to learn about the story behind the bottle, the diversity of wine regions, and the challenges and opportunities of the wine industry. We are going to be able to express what WE want to enjoy, not what others tell us to. We are going to encourage and support each other in our wine journeys.Having been excluded ourselves, inclusivity and approachability is critical to our mission. The path to becoming a wine professional is challenging, circuitous, and costly—even more so for those coming from economically-disadvantaged or non-traditional backgrounds. We know first-hand—we are moms, we are Latinas. And the Latinas Wine Club is a community to support you. We are going

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