Equality Vines
Guerneville wine brand serves a side of activism with every glass
When traveling through the Sonoma County town of Guerneville, one may notice that there’s something more than pink triangle LGTBQ+ pride flags and “In this house...” signs that announce local residents’ and businesses’ consciousness around issues of equality. Long sought out for its location along the Russian River, the picturesque locale also has a history as an enclave that beckons visitors who seek more than just virtue signaling around inclusivity, gender equality and LGTBQ+ rights.
Guerneville plays host to many LGTBQ+ welcoming events, including the iconic Lazy Bear Week and Polar Bear Weekend, and is home to the Russian River chapter of Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a performance and charitable organization that uses drag coupled with religious imagery to satirically bring attention to sexual intolerance and gender identity issues.
“It’s a community that’s steeped in rich culture and history. We have a Bohemian culture. We’ve [also] got people from the tech world that are coming up. Somehow all these disparate parts of society all make it work in this beautiful little community,” says Matt Grove, co-founder of Equality Vines, a wine brand and tasting room located on Guerneville’s Main Street. According to its website, Equality Vines is the world’s first cause wine portfolio dedicated to equality for all people.
“I like to tell people Guerneville found me. It’s a unique place,” says Grove. He also says that he is still learning and growing from the experiences the town has given him. Part of that growth has been making Guerneville the home of Equality Vines, which Grove co-founded with Jim Obergefell in 2017. Grove and Obergefell came together to launch Equality Vines with the intention of making an impact through their shared love for vinted grapes. Equality Vines has been pairing their wines with a side of activism ever since.
You may recognize the name Obergefell—Jim Obergefell was the plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges, a landmark case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in a 5–4 decision, that same-sex couples have the Constitutional right to marry—in all 50 states and other locales under the jurisdiction of the United States.
Obergefell also co-authored the book Love Wins: Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage Equality, about the journey to the decision. Equality Vines’ signature wine is named “Love Wins” in honor of the case.
In addition to Love Wins, Grove and Obergefell have sought out branding partnerships where they see the opportunity to make an impact by donating a portion of wine sales. “We determine which organization or cause we’re going to support and then we create a whole concept around that,” says Grove. This includes approaching an aligned winemaker or winery to partner with them to produce a very limited signature release—usually around 200 cases.
Iron Horse Vineyards’ winemaker Joy Sterling was the crafter of four vintages of Equality Vines’ Love Wins wines—2008, two in 2013 and another in 2014.
In 2018, Equality Vines produced a Wines Without Borders series. Part of that series, The Migrant, a Spanish-style red blend, was created by first-generation Mexican winemaker Edgar Torres of Bodega de Edgar. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this wine is donated to Must Charities, an umbrella organization that supports, among other causes, the providing of mentors and college scholarships to the children of winery and vineyard workers.
Proceeds of Equality Vines’ 2019 Rosé the Riveter label supported the YMCA, the oldest women’s organization in the nation whose mission is to empower and advance the economic development of women and girls. The brand’s The Activist 2020 red blend is a mix of Grenache, Zinfandel, Cinsault and Carignan from Burnett Vineyards, a 101-year-old vineyard in Dry Creek Valley. Proceeds from sale of this wine support the Looking Out Foundation, founded by musicians Brandi Carlile and Tim and Phil Hanseroth.
Melissa Kuhn of Taft Street Winery is the winemaker behind Equality Vines’ “Get Your Own Damn Coffee” 2021 Chardonnay, a wine that is very close to Grove’s heart. This wine was inspired by the story of Grove’s aunt, Dr. Marilyn Schultz, a broadcast journalist in the 1970s who led over 700 women in bringing the groundbreaking case Schultz v. NBC News, one of the earliest class action lawsuits seeking equal opportunity and pay in the workplace. The Chardonnay celebrating the rallying cry of the movement is just as zesty as its name, with tasting notes of allspice, hints of lime and ginger.
Equality Vines is a fine example of individuals coming together as part of a larger community, each doing their part for the collective good. In this case, with a little help from wine.
