NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA |July 3, 2025: The Napa-Sonoma Chapter of Women for WineSense (WWS), the premier national organization advancing and connecting wine professionals and enthusiasts, is thrilled to announce the 35th Anniversary Summer Soirée, a milestone celebration on Sunday, July 13, 2025, from 4:30 to 7:00 PM. Held at the acclaimed Tres Sabores Winery in the heart of Napa Valley, this celebratory event will blend wines, storytelling, and style into a vibrant expression of WWS’s enduring mission and spirit.
This gathering honors the founding chapter, commemorating 35 continuous years of connection, mentorship, and leadership across the wine industry, and invites all attendees to be part of writing the next chapter.
Women For WineSense was founded in Napa-Sonoma in 1990 to counter the anti-alcohol narrative taking hold at that time. Since then, it has grown in size and purpose to twelve active chapters across the USA. Overall, it is a community of wine professionals and enthusiasts, welcoming everyone, committed to professional growth and fostering the knowledge and appreciation of wine and its cultural and historical significance.
Wines from many acclaimed members will be complemented by gourmet seasonal fare, thoughtfully prepared to enhance the tasting experience and reflect the flavors of summer in Napa Valley. To top it off, guests will enjoy a celebratory anniversary cake—a sweet tribute to 35 years of community, connection, our volunteers and accomplishments.
Beyond the celebration, the Soirée is also a space for connection and inspiration. As it looks forward to the next 35 years, the event will reaffirm the values that have always set the founding chapter of WWS apart—collaboration, encouragement, and our signature “good chi”—while inviting new voices to carry the mission forward with purpose and pride.
A Tribute to Trailblazers and Community
The 35th Anniversary Summer Soirée features a Trailblazers Panel, which will offer a rare and intimate look at the origins of Women for WineSense in the early 1990s, as founding members and longtime leaders share the challenges they faced, the vision they pursued, and the community they built. Panelists will also pour select library vintages from their collections, adding flavor and history to the stories behind the wines—and the women who made them.
The Trailblazers Panel will feature:
- Sandi Belcher, owner and winemaker, Arns Winery
- Cathy Corison, owner and winemaker, Corison Winery
- Julie Johnson, owner and winemaker, Tres Sabores
- Michaela Rodeno, winegrower, Villa Ragazzi Vineyards and Winery
Event Details
Event: Women for WineSense Napa | Sonoma’s 35th Anniversary Summer Soirée
Date & Time: Sunday, July 13, 2025 | 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: Tres Sabores Winery | Napa Valley, CA
RSVP: Register here
Admission
- WWS Napa | Sonoma Chapter Members: Free
- WWS Members from Other Chapters: $20
- Guests: $40 (Public – men and women – warmly welcome; guests encouraged to join WWS!)
Women For WineSense is grateful for the support of its generous sponsors for the 35th Anniversary Summer Soirée, whose involvement supports the ongoing success and impact of Women For WineSense Napa-Sonoma Chapter.
Sponsors include presenting sponsor DP&F Law, and additional sponsors, Art Nouveau Wines, Idell Family Vineyards, Lost Valley Ranch Winery, community sponsor Napa Valley College, and media sponsor WineBusiness Monthly.
Sponsorship packages are still available. Please email director of marketing, Erin Kirschenmann, at erin@winebusiness.com for more information.
Celebrating Wine, Professional Roundtables and Education
At the heart of the Summer Soirée is a celebration of local volunteer leaders and members who have shaped Women for WineSense into the continuous thriving, inclusive community it is today.
“We are so proud to celebrate both the legacy and bright future of Women for WineSense in the very place it was born,” said Julie Lumgair, President of the Napa-Sonoma Chapter. “This event is not just a celebration—it’s a call to action for our members and guests to shape the future of wine with the same passion and purpose our founders brought to life 35 years ago. And of course, we’ll do it with great wine, heartfelt stories, and fun.”
One of the hallmarks of the founding Napa-Sonoma chapter is its decades of vibrant professional roundtables, designed to foster education, mentorship, and meaningful connection within the wine industry. Prompting open dialogue among professionals from multiple roles, each of the unique roundtables offer a rare space where industry peers share insights, ask questions, and learn from each other in a collaborative, non-competitive environment. These roundtables combined with additional full chapter events provide meaningful connections and enjoyment.
The longest continuously running roundtable is the Winemaking & Viticulture Roundtable, a gathering of over 100 viticulture and winemaking professionals, including winemakers, vineyard managers, cellar leads, enologists, viticulturists and hands-on owners —each bringing unique perspectives and experiences to the table. Programming is thoughtfully curated to reflect the evolving needs of leaders. Ana Diogo-Draper, long time WWS member of the Winemaking & Viticulture Planning Committee noted “our success comes from building a very warm, supportive network and our focus on C-suite professional skills and fresh insights that women winemakers and viticultural professionals need but aren’t always easy to get in their daily work environment.”
HR Roundtable Co-Chair, Amy Jullien, commented “In this milestone 35th year, the Napa-Sonoma chapter celebrates over 20 years of impact from the Human Resources Roundtable, a vital forum for exploring workplace culture, talent development, and leadership strategies.”
Additionally, the chapter has expanded with a new version of its long-standing Finance Roundtable, created in partnership with Allen Wine Group, to support professional women and men navigating the complexities of winery finance, accounting, and business strategy.
These roundtables expand the organization’s commitment to delivering relevant, specialized programming that meets the evolving needs of its members and serving the broader wine community.
Future Events Planned for 35th Anniversary Year
- July 16: Open to Everyone: Special Edition HR Roundtable with Immigration Expert | “ICE: How to Handle Workplace Inspections”
- August 7: Napa | Sonoma: “Winery Presidents Panel – Leading with Insight, Action, Inspiration & Connection“
- November 8: Napa Sonoma: Save the Date! “35th Anniversary Post Harvest Celebration“
- December 10: N-S All Chapter: Holiday Celebration
About Women for WineSense
Women For WineSense is a national 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization founded in 1990 with 12 vibrant chapters across the U.S. It is a community of wine professionals and enthusiasts, welcoming everyone, committed to professional growth and fostering the knowledge and appreciation of wine and its cultural and historical significance.
WWS provides wine professionals and enthusiasts alike with opportunities to grow through events, roundtables, scholarships, and mentorship for all interested in learning and fostering relationships at various levels with the promotion of the mindful enjoyment of wine at our core.
Our members are women and men who are winery owners, wine enthusiasts, winemakers, wine marketers, sommeliers, distributors, wholesalers and importers, credentialed consumers, and people who just love wine…and more.
For more information, and to become a member, visit womenforwinesense.org
About Tres Sabores Winery
Tres Sabores (“three tastes”) was founded in 1999 by winemaker and owner, Julie Johnson, to explore the ‘three savory flavors’ in every glass of wine: the taste of the vine, the terroir, and the good company around the table. The property is filled with growing history as olives and vines were planted here over a century ago. Today, the farm is a certified organic (CCOF) grower of Cabernet, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Petit Verdot, pomegranates, Meyer lemons, and Olives. We also raise Guinea fowl and sheep who serve not only as lawn mowers and the mobile fertilization team for the ranch but also ‘go to market’ and are served in some of the finest farm to table restaurants in the Bay Area.
For more information, visit www.tressabores.com
