5 Women-Led Wine Brands With Purpose

In 2014, I co-founded Conscious Company Media, the first multimedia organization in the country that specifically focuses on purpose-driven business. As the publisher of Conscious Company Magazine and host of the World-Changing Women Podcast, I’ve literally interviewed and shared the stories of hundreds of the most prominent leaders in the conscious-business space. In 2017, I created the World-Changing Women’s Summit, an intimate gathering of mission-driven female*** entrepreneurs to talk all-things-conscious-business (we’re talking the good, bad, and the ugly), and had the privilege of choosing which incredible women graced our stage to tell their stories.  

All this to say: I know a thing or two about recognizing incredible female social entrepreneurs whose companies move the needle toward an economy, society, and planet that can better serve us all (not just the one-percenters) — and if you’re looking for some good news these days, let me tell you: there are a lot of inspiring entrepreneurs and leaders out there, and many of them are women and people of color.

In the age of COVID-19, it’s more important now than ever before to support social enterprises, purpose-driven entrepreneurs, and businesses that are founded and led by — as well as serve and support — under-represented and marginalized groups of people. Disrupting a traditionally male-dominant industry, these women-led wineries pair well with social impact.

1. A to Z Wineworks

A to Z Wineworks was founded in 2002 by Oregon wine industry veterans Deb Hatcher (Eyrie), Bill Hatcher (Domaine Drouhin Oregon), Sam Tannahill (Archery Summit), and Cheryl Francis (Chehalem). The two couples worked in the Hatchers’ kitchen to build the original blend honored by Food & Wine magazine as the “Best American Pinot Noir Under $20.” In May 2014, A to Z Wineworks certified as a B Corp and was named as a Best for the World company five years in a row. The company is led by president and CEO Amy Prosenjak.

2. Hall Wines and Walt Wines

Kathryn Walt Hall is an attorney with a career of addressing social issues in various capacities. She is also the owner of Hall Wines and Walt Wines, wineries that focus on sustainable, eco-friendly practices. Kathryn’s viticulture, St. Helena winery, tasting room, and production facility have all received LEED Gold certifications — and the St. Helena winery was the first winery in California to receive this distinction. In 2017 the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance certified Kathryn’s three estate vineyards. In the same year, members of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance elected Kathryn to be a member of its Board of Directors.

3. Corison Winery

In 1987, Cathy Corison founded Corison Winery, a small family farm in the heart of Napa Valley that produces artisanal Cabernet Sauvignons sourced from three benchland vineyards located between Rutherford and St. Helena. In 2020, for the third year in a row, Cathy is a finalist for the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Wine, Beer or Spirits Producer.

4. Gooseneck Vineyards

Founded by cousins Liana Buonanno and Paul Fede, Gooseneck Vineyards is a family-owned and family-run winery located in Rhode Island. Built on a “foundation of authenticity, quality, and passion,” Gooseneck, with Liana at the helm, scours the globe for quality varietals and offers a wide assortment of wines.

5. Casa Dumetz

Winemaker Sonja Magdevski is the owner of the Casa Dumetz winery, one of the leading boutique labels in natural wine, located in Los Alamos, California. Under the mission to “make world peace one bottle at a time,” Sonja hosts public forums in the Casa Dumetz tasting room to encourage the free discussion of ideas, politics, wine, and other topics that require imagining a better world. Sonja’s single-label brand The Feminist Party ($36) was created as a “reflection of how everything is better when we all work together.”