Women In Wine Volume I For Women’s History Month

Women in wine volume 1 for Women's History Month is a new feature for Wine Wednesday.  March is Women's History Month. In addition, today, (March 8th) is International Women's Day. I can't think of a better time to highlight female winemakers and owners who are doing cool things.

I've been introduced to so many amazing women in the wine business, it's hard to narrow down which ones to feature. Women are still widely under represented in the wine world. However, more and more of them are making a name for themselves. I thought it appropriate to kick things off with a wine brand that has a touching story. Breathless Wines is a California winery owned and operated by sisters Sharon Cohn, Rebecca Faust, and Cynthia Faust. The wine is made by their honorary 4th sister, Penny Gadd-Coster.

Labels resemble a vintage pin-up poster. The name breathless has many connotations. It's for all the moments in life that leave you breathless. In addition, it reminds us to never take a single breath for granted. Finally, the name is also in honor of their mother, who gave them breath. Sadly, she died of a rare disease that literally robber her of her breath. You see the pattern here.

These sparkling wines are methode Champenoise, meaning they are made the same way as wines in Champagne, France. I really like the blanc de blanc which is from chardonnay grapes and the brut, with flavors of apple and citrus, goes down way too easy. The ladies also make a lovely sparkling rose.

Finally, it is the moscato that surprised me the most. I don't typically like these wines because so  many of them are too sweet for my palate. However, I was reminded here that that is not always the case. This wine is tropical with a just a touch of residual sugar. It is good with spicy food. Try it if you find it

Here's an inside look at Naples Winter Wine Festival or NWWF for short. It's perfect timing for Wine Wednesday. I was fortunate enough to attend the world famous event Sunday.

But first...

It's one of the top charity wine auctions in the country and the most successful charity event in all of Southwest Florida. Tickets alone are $15,000 a couple to start. This year alone, the festival raised nearly $26 million. It is a new record.  The money raised goes to support underprivileged children in Collier County through education and medical initiatives, and more.

The festival is known to be over the top when it comes to auction items. Cars are always included. They are lined up on the lawn for would be bidders to get an up close and personal look. This year it was a beautiful white Bentley. The interior had splashes of purple.

The day begins on the lawn of the resort. The amount and the types of wines poured are insane. There are rare vintages, large formats (really big bottles), and selections you'll never find in local retailers. Checking out the giant tasting table is like going on a treasure hunt.

In addition, chef's fly in from around the country to prepare unique bites during the tasting. They also create elaborate meals at private dinners in the homes of the trustees. A drum line leads guests from the tasting tent into an even larger, air conditioned tent for the auction. The tables are covered in swag, snacks and more bottles of wine.

I love attending this festival. I always run into old friends, make new ones and get to share in the excitement of raising crazy money for the kids. Here is a short video from under the tasting tent, posted on my Instagram feed. More to come

In addition,  I posted photos of some of the cool shoes people wore. This is also a very fashionable event.  Click here and feast your eyes on the footwear fashions. Enjoy this inside look at the Naples Winter Wine Festival