Dream Big Darling earns honorable mention in wine video contest
Video highlights 14 women in the wine industry
– Dream Big Darling, a Paso Robles-based nonprofit supporting emerging women in the wine industry, has received an Honorable Mention in the 2024 Wine Spectator Video Contest. The organization’s video, “Wine is for Everyone,” was selected from a competitive field in the 18th annual contest. The video highlights 14 women in the wine industry and explores the personal significance of wine in their lives and careers.
The video, which features tastemakers from diverse backgrounds and regions, showcases the impact of wine on intimate moments, multi-generational family traditions, and professional achievements. The women share stories from Hawaii to the vineyards of Paso Robles, demonstrating how wine serves as a cultural bridge and a unifying force.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be recognized with this mention in this year’s Wine Spectator Video Awards,” said Amanda Wittstrom Higgins, founder of Dream Big Darling. “Our mission was to shine a light on the diverse faces, cultures, and roles within the wine industry and illustrate the incredible and far-reaching impact it can have, particularly for the next generation of women.”
The video features several notable women from the Dream Big Darling community, including:
- Ariana Tsuchiya, director of beverage, G. Lion Hawaii
- Amanda Wittstrom Higgins, founder and president, Dream Big Darling, principal, Full Cup Solutions
- Kim Kachmar, founder and content creator, Together with Wine
- Justin Trabue, owner, Ward Four Wines
- Nancy Gonzalez, owner, Ulloa Cellars
- Lacie Johns, marketing manager, Solterra Strategies
- Jenny Heinzen, broker, Vineyard Professional Real Estate
- Paige Comrie, digital storyteller and social media strategist, Wine with Paige
- Audra Cooper, director of grape brokerage and partner, Turrentine Brokerage
- Ivey Reynolds, owner, Ivey Reynolds Consulting
- Chloe Asseo-Fabre, general manager, L’Aventure Winery
- Abby Lopez, director of warehouse and inventory, Hope Family Wines
- Jéssica Bonaretto Rocha, regional sales manager, Faber-Castell Brazil
- Yellymary “Mary” Montaiva, proprietor and sommelier, Wine Collective NC
The video was produced by Wittstrom Higgins and edited by Kim Kachmar of Together with Wine. The project aimed to educate, inspire, and connect the community by celebrating the diverse paths women take in the wine industry.
“Our goal at Dream Big is to not only educate and connect our community but to inspire,” Wittstrom Higgins said. “We hope our friends in the industry, as well as consumers, will share our video and help promote the connection that wine brings to people across the globe.”
For more information about Dream Big Darling, visit www.dreambigdarling.org.
