SPONSORED BY COFFEE BY DESIGN.
DETAILS: The wine industry, both in production and distribution, has long been a male-dominated industry. This has slowly been changing over the last few decades. This panel is made up of women who have push the boundaries and found ways to create their own places in the world of wine. As more and more women take up positions of respect and authority in the wine industry it is changing the business of wine and how wine is consumed. Come and hear the background stories and thoughts from these women who have been at the forefront of making this change happen, who have pushed the boundaries, and found ways to create their own places in the world of wine.
Join us on Monday, June 13, from at the Falmouth Country Club to kick-off Portland Wine Week with an insightful discussion on what it’s like being a woman in the wine industry and how these women claimed their spot in this evolving industry.
COST: $15 per person
Special note:
Each year at this event we pour a sparkling wine from the portfolio of one of the panelists to have a toast to kick off Portland Wine Week. We are so pleased to announce that we will be pouring the delicious Ukrainian Traditional method sparkling wine for this occasion. This has put a whole new excitement and greater purpose into this event. It is now a fundraiser for World Central Kitchen to aid their efforts of feeding the fleeing people of Ukraine. If you go to the event page, you'll notice that there are two ticket prices:
$15 ticket price to attend
A donation in $25 increments to World Central Kitchen
These are two mutually exclusive "tickets". You do not need to donate to purchase a ticket to attend, and you do not need to attend to donate. But there are benefits to doing both because Gayle is donating a Magnum (1.5 Liter) of Artwinery's Soloking sparkling wine to present to the person donating the most and in attendance.
RESERVE: Click here to purchase tickets and/or donate
MODERATOR:
Erica Archer
Sommelier/Owner of Wine Wise, Portland, ME + Founder of Portland Wine Week
PANELISTS:
Gayle Corrigan
Owner, Saperavi USA - Importer of Ukrainian and Georgian Wines, Pawtucket, RI
Cha McCoy
Cha Squared Experiences, Harlem, NY
Penny Murray
Export Manager, Planeta Winery, Mt. Etna, Sicily
Michele D’Aprix
Winemaker, MDX Wines Côtes du Castillon, France
Dyane Lacerda
Sales at Wicked Wines, Maine
Maeghan Fortier
Millennial Imports, Portland, ME
BIOS:
Moderator:
Erica Archer
Sommelier/Owner at Wine Wise, Founder of Portland Wine Week, Wine Consultant at Falmouth Country Club.Erica grew up in Portland, Maine and is has an undergraduate degree in International Studies from University of Sourthn Maine and a Masters in Business from the UNH Whittemore School of Business. After which she began her wine training at the Culinary Institute of America’s wine program in St. Helena-Napa Valley. She used her vacation time to fly out and take wine classes and then ultimately to sit for their exams. After that program, she continued her studies with WSET and “the Court”. She funded Wine Wise as a side-hustle in 2010 and became fully committed to it in 2012. She founded Portland Wine Week in 2018. Join her on land and at sea in the iconic Portland, Maine, and abroad on small-group trips to renowned wine regions of the world.
Featured Panelists:
Michele D’Aprix
Winemaker/Owner MDX Wines Côtes du Castillon, France. Originally from upstate New York, Michele D’Aprix worked as a bartender in Boston while studying Organic Chemistry at UMass. Her ability to multi-task was finely honed behind the bar. Those years in service (along with her extremely limited lab skills) landed Michele her first winery gig at Dry Creek Vineyard in California. She loved the job so much that she decided to enroll in UC Davis’s Fermentation Science program (earning her 2nd degree), this time in Viticulture & Enology. In search of more experience, Michele found work at wineries in the Rhone Valley and South Africa, finally arriving in Bordeaux, where she trained with the accomplished and highly-regarded vigneron Stéphane Derenocourt. Fully-immersed at this point, Michele studied his methodology in both the vineyard and cellar, combining the fine art of organic farming and minimal intervention winemaking. Ready to add her own touch after few years, Michele became the winemaker at a small property in the Montagne-St Emilion A.O.C. where she developed a solo project, calling it "Pentimento.” At the start of it, and to this day (much to her surprise), she is the only American woman making her own wine in the region of Bordeaux. She now splits her winemaking efforts between Bordeaux, Costières de Nîmes (France) and Montsant (Spain), where she has multiple projects. Michele’s home is still in the U.S., and she spends a large amount of her State-side time traveling to visit customers.
Penny Murray
Export Manager - Planeta, Mt Etna, Sicily. Penelope (Penny) Alexandra Murray, born and raised in England, left her country in 1988 with the aim of travelling and learning about foreign cultures. She initially sold artwork throughout Italy, then, motivated by her strong interest in different aspects of the wine trade, she entered into the world of wine. She consulted in the areas of export and public relations for various companies, then joined Castello del Terriccio Winery, Castellina M.ma – Pisa, where she stayed for 5 years. Today, Penny is Export Manager for Sicily’s acclaimed Planeta wines, a collection of boutique wineries that represent a journey through Sicily, showcasing the island’s diverse terroir.
Gayle Corrigan
Saperavi - Importer of Ukrainian and Georgian Wines, With a MBA in accounting from Boston University, Gayle has held various roles as CFO, VP, director, and chief of staff of corporations in the US and Russia, as well as several municipalities around the state of Rhode Island, most recently directing her own staffing and consulting business. Her journey into the world of wine was inspired by an experience on a summer abroad program in 1989. While studying Russian language in the USSR, Gayle was invited to a feast prepared by gracious students from what was then the Soviet Republic of Georgia, now the country of Georgia. These friendly Georgians prepared heaps of delectable foods and served wines unlike anything she had ever tasted. More incredible, these wines were homemade, and they relayed the fact that most people in Georgia make their own wine. The generosity of spirit of these Georgians and their extraordinary wine, was never forgotten.
During many stints living and working in Russia, Gayle met colleagues with family in Georgia, and became reacquainted with the culture. Looking for a new venture, she met with Georgians eager to export wine to America. Through extensive travel and education, Gayle’s goal is to introduce Georgian and Ukrainian wines to American palates.
Cha McCoy
Cha is a certified sommelier, public speaker, founder and business owner of Cha Squared Experiences, a beverage consulting company focused on events, tourism, and education. She has been recognized by the Wine Enthusiast Magazine as “Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers” and Wine & Spirits Magazine “Rising Black Voices in Wine”. McCoy’s list of clients includes James Beard Foundation, Facebook, NBC. With roles as Beverage Director for Charleston Wine + Food Festival and Cherry Bombe Magazine’s first Beverage Director & Editor. Her work has been celebrated for making wine more accessible, through initiatives like the signature wine dinner series, The Communion. And educating new wine drinkers as an adjunct professor teaching wine history and appreciation at Syracuse University, her alma mater.
Dyane Lacerda
Southern Maine Wine Sales Rep Extrordinaire of Wicked Wines in Brewer Maine. Born in the Azores, on the island of Faial, Dyane has been selling wine in Maine for 10 years. Her current position is a sales rep and portfolio manager for Wicked Wines. She found her place in the industry through a natural progression of exploring craft beer, fine dining, and biodynamic wines. What started as a thirst for tasting new things became a desire to learn more about how these things came to be - particularly through geography, history, and cultural traditions. She is inspired by those who express the land through the wines they produce, and her ambition is to support the work of these artisans.
Maeghan Fortier
Maeghan is the owner of Millennial Imports, in s, Portland, Maine, which has been importing wines from Europe since 2018. Born and raised in Maine, Maeghan has a background in athletic training – passion created by a desire to help people feel good about themselves and enjoy life to the fullest. Over a glass of wine in Lisbon, Portugal, she realized that sharing the wines she had discovered on her travels was another way to pursue the same goals. Millennial Imports focuses on sustainably produced wines that offer high quality at a good value. Maeghan’s wines are a way to make the everyday a little less ordinary.
GET YOUR TICKETS TO ALL OPENING DAY EVENTS AT FALMOUTH COUNTRY CLUB:
Portland Wine Week is Presented by Wine Wise.
Transportation between Portland and falmouth country club:
On Opening Day (6/13) Transportation Sponsor Maine Limousine Service will provide complimentary transportation between the Press Hotel in Portland and Falmouth Country Club on their beautiful executive sprinter (before dinner) and shuttle bus (photos below) for after dinner. Seating is limited. Get your event tickets and reserve your Maine Limousine chauffeured transportation by emailing kim@mainelimo.com.
