NAPA, CA – February 7, 2023 – Maryam + Company, a collaborative consulting firm that develops brand extension programs and educational experiences for purpose-driven clients that love food and wine, today announced the second installment of Field Blends, an immersive food and wine travel experience rooted in conversations that explore emergent and evolving movements in wine and agriculture.
From June 5-9, 2023, 14 wine lovers, wine professionals, and scholarship recipients are invited to explore the Finger Lakes Region of New York with Field Blends Wine Travel, led by Maryam Ahmed and community partner Maiah Johnson Dunn. Rapidly growing in popularity, the area boasts award-winning wineries and multiple agricultural industries leading the way in sustainability practices.
“I’ve never seen a trip like this in our region,” says Meaghan Frank, Vice President of Dr. Konstantin Frank, a winery that pioneered the vinifera movement in the Eastern United States. “This is truly trailblazing.”
Finger Lakes stood out as one for Field Blends to explore: “The cool continental climate makes it very different from the rest of the U.S. and ideal for grape varieties such as Riesling and Cabernet Franc. The depth of the lakes makes for wines with high, vibrant acidity and a zesty fruitiness that are like neither European nor Californian equivalents,” says Katie Canfield of O’Donnell Lane, a Field Blends scholarship sponsor. “As the soils and terroir of the Finger Lakes are explored further, the region is going to gain an even more exciting identity for white, red, rosé, and sparkling wines. Finger Lakes is a region to watch.”
Field Blends seeks to close the knowledge gap between consumer and maker—an important next step in a region’s evolution. The all-inclusive experience includes hands-on and immersive sessions, locally procured meals, lakefront accommodations at The Plum Point Lodge, transportation between destinations, and private access to wines, chefs, farmers, and vintners that will surprise and delight guests.
“We offer an offbeat epicurean adventure unlike any other, expertly curated for the curious and conscious traveler,” says Maryam Ahmed, owner of Maryam + Company and founder of Field Blends. “On these trips, opening up a bottle means opening up conversations about what’s emerging in wine and agriculture, what’s evolving, and what’s always been in the regions but rarely gets airtime. We are very excited to bring this initiative to a fascinating, but often overlooked, region like the Finger Lakes.”
In June of 2022, Maryam + Company led a group of wine professionals and wine lovers to Walla Walla, Washington. “Maryam’s ability to build community through diversity is noteworthy. I saw this in action during Field Blends: Walla Walla in 2022. I was struck by the magic of the trip—the wines tasted, the land explored, and the lifelong friends gained,” says Maiah Johnson Dunn, writer and beverage education manager for New York Kitchen and community partner for Field Blends: Finger Lakes.
Field Blends Scholarships
Are you interested in growing your community, tasting incredible wine, and finding inspiration with local and diverse winemakers, farmers, chefs, and entrepreneurs?
After a successful experience in Walla Walla last year, the program has been renewed, and scholarships for the program are open to individuals from underrepresented communities including, but not limited to: Black, Indigenous, Latinx, people of color, persons from racially diverse or intersectional communities, persons with disabilities, and persons from LGBTQ+ communities. Field Blends: Finger Lakes scholarship partners include the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance, Finger Lakes Wine Country, and O’Donnell Lane.
“The Seneca Lake Wine Trail is dedicated to championing diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusivity in the wine industry. We are eager to partner with Field Blends: Finger Lakes and are proud to sponsor a spot for what we know will be a very deserving individual. We can’t wait to welcome the Field Blends experience to the Finger Lakes in style!” says Brittany Gibson, Executive Director of The Seneca Lake Wine Trail.
The scholarship applications for Field Blends Wine Travel’s Finger Lakes trip opened on January 23, 2023 and will close February 17, 2023. Field Blends Scholarships empower individuals from underrepresented communities to pursue a career in the wine industry through community-building, inquiry, and exploration. If you are already employed or actively seeking employment in the wine industry and meet the requirements for our scholarship, please apply. The scholarship covers travel, accommodations, and all programming.
Visit maryamandcompany.com/fieldblends/finger-lakes to learn more. All-inclusive single traveler tickets start at $3,200, with discounts available for duo travelers.
About Maryam Ahmed
Led by Maryam Ahmed, Maryam + Company is a creative consulting firm committed to advancing impact goals for food and wine clients through educational and strategic programs. Client partnerships include community-focused non-profits, emerging businesses, regional development initiatives, and large companies developing new portfolios.
Maryam + Company acts as an ecosystem, weaving together Ahmed’s expertise in strategic program development, her expansive community network, and her passion for bridging meaningful connections to boost revenue, improve retention, and strengthen brand reputation for clients.
About Field Blends
Maryam + Company also produces Field Blends, the immersive food and wine travel experience rooted in conversations that explore emergent and evolving movements in wine and agriculture, and the Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum, which helps connect inclusive initiatives in the wine industry to foster collaborative efforts and problem-solving among advocates and leaders.
Field Blends combines Maryam’s programming talent with her passion for connecting socially conscious consumers to industry pioneers. The long-standing tradition of making field blends involves harvesting and co-fermenting different grape varietals grown together in the same field or vineyard. This often results in unexpected and intriguing blends, yielding a one-of-a-kind wine experience. That’s precisely what you’ll get with Field Blends—unique tastings and local provisions with educational experiences and critical discourse. You’ll hear from regional changemakers shifting the narrative on wine – or at the very least, challenging the dominant narrative.
