To spotlight the vibrant spirit of our community, WeRise is thrilled to welcome Nelly Some of Mvinyo Winery. A Kenyan-born entrepreneur and culinary force, Nelly is blending African flavors and Washington terroir to craft wines that pair beautifully with African cuisine, like her bold Gogo Merlot and refreshing Rafiki Rosé. From caregiving to wine-making, Nelly’s journey is one of passion, perseverance, and purpose.

Meet Nelly and taste her wines at our upcoming African wine and food pop-up on August 16.

Welcome to Pride Month! To celebrate this June, we caught up with C.J. Augustine of August Forest in Walla, Walla, Washington. Learn how C.J. co-founded his winery with friend and business partner, Forest Rogers-Philips, and how together they build community through shared values of inclusivity, authenticity, and celebration of diverse identities in wine.

To celebrate AAPI Month, WeRise is proud to shine a spotlight on Samā Cellars, a boutique winery reimagining what it means to make wine with both precision and passion. At the helm is Chaitanya “Chaz” Bangur, a winemaker whose journey — from India to the Pacific Northwest, from biochemistry to barrels — embodies the beautiful intersection of science and art.

We’re springing into April, and to help celebrate Earth Month, we’re spotlighting Portland-based winery RAM Cellars and winemaker Vivianne Kennedy. Vivianne has carved out a unique space for RAM in the heart of Portland’s robust wine scene, and we recently caught up with her to learn more about how she started RAM Cellars and the intention and sustainability behind the wine.

March is Women’s History Month, and WeRise Wines is proud to amplify the voices of women in wine across the industry. This month, we’re honored to shine a light on co-founder and owner of Succession Wines, Erica Lindsay.  

As we usher in Black History Month, we’re thrilled to spotlight Nicole Kearney, founder and owner of Sip & Share Wines, a boutique winery born from a family tradition of winemaking and a passion for inclusivity.

We recently caught up with Jo Bader, co-founder and assistant winemaker of Spruce Hill Winery in Seattle, to learn more about the story behind their winemaking philosophy and how community and sustainability became the ethos of an exciting new winery in the Pacific Northwest.

Elentone co-founder Miguele (Miggy) de Quadros-Sherry shares how she and her husband, winemaker Chris Sherry, have brought the Traditional method of sparkling wine from the United Kingdom to Washington’s wine scene.  

Fortuity Cellars in the picturesque Yakima Valley symbolizes what happens when passion, opportunity, and community collide. Founded by Emily and Lee Fergestrom, Fortuity Cellars is more than just a winery; it’s the realization of a dream born from a shared love of wine, food, and meaningful experiences.

We recently sat down with Nicole Camp, owner and winemaker at LaShellé Wines, to learn more about transforming her winemaking hobby into passion in a bottle.

We recently sat down with Mari Womack, owner and winemaker at Damsel Cellars, to learn more about her nonlinear path to winemaking and how every life experience led to the expertise and skills she developed to strike out on her own.

We caught up with Saanj Winery to learn more about their inspiring story to realize their dream of creating a space where people can be themselves, a space where everyone could just be fun and vibrant, and one doesn’t need to have all the knowledge attributes toward wine to enjoy it.

We recently sat down with Footprint Wine founder and owner Ken Dillon to learn more about how the shop came to be and how its focus on sustainability—from the vine to the pour—revolutionizes how we think and savor wine.

From a coin toss to a booming business.

A movement around underrepresented voices in wine.