Annette Bergevin

Meet Annette Bergevin

General Manager & Founding Partner Bergevin Lane Vineyards

June is Pride Month. Join us as we bring you this special series on the Grapevine, celebrating this community of Washington wine industry professionals, while learning what the culture of wine and Pride means to them.

Suman Kumar: As AWWaWine celebrates openly gay members of our Washington Wine industry during PRIDE Month, one area that I find which remains relatively unrepresented is the queer community. LGBTQIA+ wine professionals as a result, have their stories typically go untold. How do you build the momentum to change this for yourself or for your business?

Annette Bergevin: I believe we build momentum by consistently sharing our stories through positive interactions with our customers. We also tell our story as we work with our distributors in various markets across the country that they can share with their customers. We along with our wine partners should continue to share social media stories highlighting our community and attend LGBTQIA+ wine focused events not only during pride month but throughout the year.

SK: How long have you been in your current role?

AB: 20 years.

SK: The language of wine has been largely built upon binaries that meet at intersections of gender. In recent times, "non-binary" has become synonymous with gender identity as a spectrum. Structured wines are commonly described as masculine. Conversely, delicate and elegant wines, feminine. What in your opinion does it mean to define wine in this way?

AB: This is a loaded question for sure! If we take into account the year someone was born we will likely see various reactions to this question. In our early days at the winery we along with both our female and male winemakers have used these terms. As we've matured in this business I think times have changed and we've become more sensitive to not defining wine using gender. I remember when "throw like a girl" was derogatory and unfortunately some people still use it this way. Today however, I love the badass women who have changed this to be a positive and who are roll models for our younger folks who make "throwing like a girl" pretty impressive. So, back to wine, when using gender to define a wine I would say, "it's complicated."

SK: What challenges do you believe are unique to the LGTBQIA+ community in the wine industry?

AB: I would like to believe that our wine stands on it's own merits. The fact that we are a LGTBQIA+ managed winery is part of our story but it does not affect the taste of the wine. When we first opened our winery back in 2002 we had someone who said, "I won't drink their gay wine." Last time I checked our wine had not come out as anything other than the varietal it was and the vintage it represented. We have sold our wine internationally and domestically. Being a smaller winery with not super deep pockets has been a bigger barrier to getting into more markets than who we love. My hope is always that professional wine buyers are buying based on the quality of the wine in front of them and are not blocking wine purchases based on personal prejudice or beliefs. I hope our wine lovers continue to support those folks who foster inclusivity along with providing an excellent product!

SK: What are some ways the wine industry can show up for the LGTBQIA+ community to foster more inclusivity ?

AB: We have so many amazing stories in the wine world and so many awesome people. I think we all need to ensure we are communicating our stories and that the wine industry does a better job of including these stories throughout the year versus just one month out of the year.

SK: Is your partner also a part of your business? How is it like working together? How do you find ways to support one another?

AB: My wife is not part of the wine business however she does say "she works for wine!" I tend to rope her into many of our events becasue: a) I need the extra help, and b) I love having her there! She's a huge supporter and takes care of our fur babies and holds down the home front during harvest when I'm working long hours, seven days a week.

SK: What is your favorite thing to do together when your not in the vineyard or winery?

AB: Cooking outdoors, hiking to lakes or rivers, spending time on the water, having a glass of wine together at the end of the day and spending time with friends and family!

SK: What are some things that have surprised you in your current role?

AB: I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy meeting people in all facets of the wine world. From everyday wine lovers to wine buyers, wine seems to be a fantastic way to connect with folks.

SK: Tell me about your favorite wine, without telling me about the wine?

AB: My favorite wine is typically the glass I am choosing to enjoy at the moment. I will have thought about how the wine in my glass will compliment my current situation whether it's hanging out outside or sitting down to dinner or even while enjoying a movie. It will be something that adds to the occasion and will tempt me to stop for a moment to think about what it is I am enjoying!

SK: What are some ways we can deepen connection with people who don’t necessarily share the same views as us?

AB: I feel it is really important to find similarities and common interests with people. Once we find our common likes it is easier to talk about the harder issues. I think we need to keep the tough conversations going but try to conduct them in ways that are not violent, harmful or disrespectful.