It’s true that every wine has a story, and most wines coming out of the famed Napa Valley region have narratives centered around place, family traditions, or winemaking themes. ONEHOPE, founded in 2007 and having donated more than $8 million to nonprofit organizations worldwide, hasn’t had a physical winery and tasting room — until now. Late summer brought the unveiling of the gorgeous Howard Backen-designed space on Highway 29 between Oakville and Rutherford, and it’s the top of the pyramid in terms of accessing ONEHOPE’s highest-end portfolio of wines, mostly pedigreed Cabernet Sauvignons.
ONEHOPE Winery in Napa was designed by Howard Backen as a gathering place for the philanthropic … [+]
Prior to the winery’s opening, wines were available for online purchase — and they still are — starting at the very affordable price point of $25 and sourced from vineyards throughout California. Each purchase contributes to non-profits that provide access to clean water, hunger relief, health research, and education. So, even with a small purchase, you’re able to make a difference. For more specifics, you can read ONEHOPE’s impact statement here, which documents the organizations supported and amounts donated, in the service of racial justice, access to nutritious food for children, COVID-19 relief, and LGBTQ rights.
Meanwhile, the new winery and tasting room space opens up a new level of quality and experiential depth, as well as bigger opportunities to contribute to the greater good. And winemaker Mari Wells Coyle gets to practice her considerable talent in crafting wines from some of Napa’s most heralded AVAs. CEO Jake Kloberdanz is the ambassador of the message that, together, we can change the world.
ONEHOPE winery offers elegant indoor and outdoor tasting spaces for members and guests.
While anyone can make an appointment to visit the winery for a tasting, it’s the 20/20 Collective that allows the greatest access, both to purchase wines and to enjoy food and wine experiences — not to mention to make your philanthropic dollars travel further. There’s a waiting list to join, but the idea is that visionary (hence the name) members invest annually at a certain level (starting at $2500), and they receive an allocation of wines each season, as well as a certain number of winery experiences. Certain Rutherford Estate wines are available only to members of the 20/20 Collective.
What’s different about this model is that your investment in great wine also comes with a guarantee that a portion of your investment will go toward supporting causes you value. And what’s really nice is that anyone can participate at any level, from online purchases of the more accessible wines to a $10,000 contribution per year. As you might imagine, celebrities and high-profile athletes are a part of this program.
ONEHOPE also offers virtual online tastings — an artifact of the early days of the pandemic that will likely stick around — that allows people from all over the world to participate in the conversation about wine, and about giving back. Tastings are both educational and entertaining.
This is an interesting new model for the wine industry, and for philanthropy, and one I think we’ll see growing and morphing in the coming years. Meanwhile, check out the wine offerings and the fun blog maintained by winemaker Coyle and other members of the team.