Sip and Sabor Festival: Elevating diverse voices in wine

The Sip and Sabor Festival will offer a cultural and collaborative experience, bringing together experts and enthusiasts to explore the evolving world of wine and spirits while centering the contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities to the industry. Supplied photo /Photo by Stephanie Meyers

What began as a podcast conversation among three trailblazing women evolved into the inaugural Sip and Sabor Festival – a groundbreaking two-day event celebrating the profound influence of the Hispanic and Latino community on the hospitality and beverage spaces.

This one-of-a-kind festival marks a historic first for the wine industry.

When Lydia Richards, Maria Calvert, and host of The Big Sip Podcast, Gabriela Fernández, chatted about what it means and feels like to be executives and women of color in the industry, they felt connected – a feeling they long yearned for about three years ago, when they first met.

Individually, the three were already established leaders in the food, beverage, and hospitality industries, advocating for diversity and inclusion.

Richards, originally from Panama, founded her wine education consulting firm, Vino Concierge, in 2017 and was featured in 40 Under 40 by Wine Enthusiast.

Calvert, a former vice president of Global Communications on Wall Street, decided to “follow her palate” and transitioned to the wine industry after leading PR campaigns for global food and beverage brands. She was born in Ecuador but grew up in Queens, NY.

Fernández, a Napa native, is a marketing and events manager for the Duckhorn Portfolio, which sells wines across five continents. She’s also the producer and on-air host for MegaMix, Napa Valley’s first all-Spanish radio station.

Gabriela Fernández helped launch the U.S. market for Spain’s Felix Solis Avantis, one of the world’s
largest wine producers. Submitted photo /Photo by Rocio Rivera

So, it only made sense for the trio to team up.

The first-generation Latinas, who were each living in different states (and still do), joined arms and co-founded Hispanics in Wine & Spirits. It is a nonprofit supporting education and career growth for Hispanic and Latino beverage professionals in the U.S. and worldwide.

“It felt like magic between us,” said Fernández, Napa’s first Latina radio host. “We often feel isolated, so when we meet others with similar backgrounds, we stick together, exchanging questions like, ‘How did you get into the industry?’ ‘Where are you from?’ or simply, ‘How are you?’”

The nonprofit Sip and Sabor Festival is “produced by Latinos for Latinos,” but anyone is invited to attend, Fernández said.

Panelists will include Rogelio Garcia, Michelin star top chef; Earlecia Richelle Gibb, CEO of studioER; Irma Robinson, cofounder of local Mexican and Californian-inspired restaurant Southside; and Lynnette Marrero, cofounder of Jennifer Lopez’s Delola Spritz, which are cocktails that are gluten-free and lower in calories.

Amid an 8% decline in wine sales this year alone, as reported by Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America’s SipSource, and a shift among younger consumers toward reduced alcohol consumption, the event’s breakout sessions will dive into the intersection of wellness and alcohol.

“The wine industry as a whole is somewhat ignoring the startling consumption trends,” Fernández said. “We are in a pivotal moment to evolve and not become stale and outdated.”

For example, when milk alternatives first entered the market, it’s easy to imagine the traditional dairy industry feeling threatened or even intimidated, Fernández explained. But over time, she said, “both sectors found ways to coexist harmoniously, catering to different consumer needs and preferences.”

The wine industry could take a page from this playbook, she added.

Other topics of discussion include “Empowering the Next Generation,” “State of Wine and Spirits Education,” and the all-women panel “Powerhouse Pioneras (Pioneers).”

“As a woman, you’re second-guessed – add being a brown woman, and it gets even more complex,” Fernández said. “Thirty years ago, no one was talking about this; we are.”

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