SOME OF THE MOST TALENTED WINEMAKERS IN THE COUNTRY ARE TEACHING US HOW TO GIVE AND RECEIVE LOVE BY MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT
By Erin Ortiz
Few things unite the world like wine. It transcends language, geography, and cultural differences. And when it can make a positive impact on society, it’s just perfect. The three following wineries are on a mission to ensure that when you drink well, you’re also doing good.
One Hope Winery
One Hope Winery, located in Napa Valley, embodies universal love. It is a for-profit winery with a purpose, founded in 2007 by former E.J. Gallo sales representative, Jake Kloberdan, after his good friend was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Since then, he and the seven other founding members have raised over $9 million for various charities. For every bottle purchased from this direct-to-consumer brand, 10 percent is donated to a charity of the consumer’s choice. Each bottle cost starts at only $25 a bottle, so that it’s accessible to more people to raise even more for charity.
Longevity Wines
Longevity Wines not only delivers delicious wine but also serves as a shining example of being mission driven. Phil Long, President of the Association of African American Vintners, knows about wisely investing his time and passion. In addition to his work with this group, he founded Longevity Wines with his late wife, Debra. The couple planted a vineyard and created their first Syrah in their garage in 2002.
The Longs saw the viability of the brand some years later and moved their project forward as a team by 2008. It took ten years before they were named Livermore Valley’s Best Winery of the Year. Debra saw the project come together before losing her battle with pancreatic cancer in 2019. But their love for one another has been bottled in an award-winning Pinot Blanc retails for an average retail price of $26.
Remy Wines
Remy Drabkin produces great wine in the Willamette Valley. She knew what her calling was by age eight, and established Remy Wines in 2006, focusing on Italian varieties on the 12-hectare property. In 2020, she created Wine Country Pride, a queer-centric events organization that has since donated “over $30,000 to provide scholarships to LGBTQ+ youth and support local organizations that advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.” In 2022, she established the world’s first queer wine fest to further amplify queer voices in the wine community. If you are looking to explore what love looks like with this trailblazing Oregon winery, the Three Wives Remy’s Red is practically a steal at $25 a bottle.
Give the gift of love to yourself and love to others. Everything tastes just a little bit better when the secret ingredient is love. Love isn’t just about hearts and flowers. It is an energy and kindness that spreads as you put it into the world or a bottle.