Oceano
Where: Carneros, Sonoma County
Who: Melody Meckfessel is an accomplished software engineering executive that has been described by WIRED Magazine as “The Woman at the Heart of Everything Google Builds” and by Business Insider as “one of the most powerful women in tech”. (Yeah. Wow!)
Hailing from generations of ranchers, including the matriarchal namesake Jessie Doris Poundstone, Melody continued the family farming tradition with the founding of Poundstone Wines in 2007. In the vineyard and cellar, she collaborates with winemaking partner Bruce Devlin; her brother Bryan Mann and sister-in-law Cristen Mann help lead operations.
Why: You’re craving a classic Chardonnay with a bit of extra vibrance and inspiration.
Whitehall Lane
For more than four decades, Whitehall Lane Winery has graced Highway 29 on the outskirts of St. Helena. For half of those years, the winery has been run by the Leonardi family, which previously founded the iconic Napa Valley Wine Exchange. Today, Whitehall Lane operations are overseen by daughter Katie Leonardi, along with her brother Tom. With eight strategic vineyard holdings in the St. Helena, Rutherford, and Oak Knoll appellations, as well as across the county line in Sonoma, Whitehall Lane produces a wide range of wines from quality grapes. The winery is Certified Napa Green for its sustainability measures, and its dedication to quality has resulted in encore placements on Wine Spectator’s revered “Top 100 Wines” list.
Silver Coast Winery Sonoma RisingIt’s been two years since we launched Woman-Owned Wineries in the aftermath of a Sonoma County firestorm. Now, the area has been struck again. We in Sonoma County are a dedicated lot and we love our work! Show us you love it too by ordering bottles from the following list of wines from local female vintners. Many of the business owners here were directly impacted by wildfires.
We appreciate similar lists that have been circulated. Some have lacked gender representation, so we’re here to help strike a balance.
In addition to ordering directly from these wineries, please consider signing up for our next Woman-Owned Wineries wine club shipment, which will benefit Wine Empowered, the new nonprofit educational endeavor for women and minorities.
Thank you for your support!
Amy Bess Cook
Founder, Woman-Owned Wineries
Rusty Hook Winery Seagrape Cellars Holiday Roundup
Celebrating small businesses this weekend? Join the party.
Of more than 9,700 wineries in the United States, approximately 7,800 are categorized as “very small” (1,000 to 4,999 cases) or “limited production” (< 1,000 cases).* Most of the wine industry, then, is comprised of very small businesses. Yet the supply is controlled by a few major companies, so the wine you find on grocery store shelves is narrowed.
Good news: With a little hunting, you can still find the interesting stuff. Woman-Owned Wineries can help. Our holiday roundup lists wines produced in quantities of less than 500 cases, making them highly desired as gifts or holiday meal accompaniments. Did we mention each winery is owned and operated by incredible women entrepreneurs?
With few exceptions, we’ve tried to choose wines that a) might not already be on your radar and b) represent a range of geographic regions. Part of the purpose of Woman-Owned Wineries is to introduce unsung winemakers. With a directory that lists more than 550 woman-owned wineries across the country, we all have so much exploring to do….! Search our directory here>.
Meanwhile, here’s to a holiday season full of discovery and shared beauty.
La Cienega Vineyard