Celebrate Pride with Every Sip

Every month is Pride month, but June is officially LGBT Pride Month, dedicated to the celebration of the LGBT community. As a wine lover, you can celebrate LGBT Pride by visiting these LGBT-owned wineries or sip wines made by these LGBT winemakers. Happy Pride! Here are our suggestions.

Camins 2 Dreams (Lompoc, CA)

Wife duo Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribo run Camins 2 Dreams in Lompoc, Santa Barbara. Camins or “camino” means path in Spanish, and this venture is the path to their dreams. Mireia hails from Catalunya, Spain, where she studied Chemistry and Enology. She came to the US as a harvest intern, where she met Tara and Camins 2 Dreams was born in 2017. The grapes are sourced exclusively from the Sta Rita Hills, a cooler climate area in Santa Barbara. Tastings in their tasting room at the Lompoc Wine Ghetto are $20/person for five pours. The tasting fee is waived with a 3-bottle purchase. When visiting, don’t forget to try their “Pride Wine” Red Blend, available for purchase at $34/bottle. Make a reservation.

Iris Vineyards (Springfield, OR)

In the southern Willamette Valley, Iris Vineyards produces award-winning wines from its estate, Chalice Vineyard, and from other grapes sourced locally. Its focus is on Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and some Chardonnay from cool-climate sites. The wines are “classic“ Willamette Valley in style and not extractive; easy drinking and lower alcohol are their hallmarks in the glass. LGBT winemaker Aaron Lieberman finds himself at home in the winery but once found home in Guatemala, where he spent three years in the Peace Corps working with subsistence farmers. Celebrate Pride month at Springfield’s first wine bar, featuring Iris wines (glasses, flights, or bottles), wine-based cocktails, and cheese and charcuterie boards. Make a reservation.

Gentleman Farmer (Napa, CA)

Gentleman Farmer Wines is the brainchild of Jeff Durham and Joey Wolosz, partners in business and husbands in life. The wines are focused on Bordeaux reds, Chardonnay from Napa-sourced grapes, and Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. The Gentleman Farmer Bungalow is a reimagined 1926 California Craftsman bungalow in downtown Napa, where Jeff and Joey host private experiences of food, wine, hospitality, music, and even a bit of magic. They offer unique wine and food pairing experiences for breakfast, lunch, and dinner where everything is made from scratch from start to finish. Prices range from $125-$450 per person. Be sure to try their limited-production Napa Valley Pride Red wine, a blend of Napa Valley Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. 10% of sales go to support LGTBQ+ youth organizations. Make a reservation.

Gary Farrell Winery (Sonoma, CA)

Gary Farrell had been making wine in the Russian River Valley even before the American Viticultural Area (AVA) was officially designated. The brand has now been crafting high-quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Russian River AVA for over 40 years. Theresa Heredia, who identifies as LGBT and Latina, has been involved in Gary Farrell’s winemaking for over a decade and most recently shifted her role to Consulting Winemaker, as she started her own winemaking consulting firm with Heredia Wine Consulting. Tasting experiences start at $55 per person and can include a wine tasting and even a winery tour. Make a reservation.