We were proud to support the recent Dream Big Dinner, Auction & Concert, which took place at our Oyster Ridge event venue on the historic Santa Margarita Ranch.

This inaugural event was a huge success, raising more than $100,000 for Dream Big Darling—a new nonprofit whose mission is to foster the success of women in the wine and spirits industry through mentorship, education, life enhancement and professional retreats.

Female industry leaders from Alta Colina Vineyard and Winery, Ancient Peaks Winery, Clesi Wines, DAOU Vineyards & Winery, Epoch Estate Wines, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines and Ranchero Cellars helped host this epic night of wine, food and camaraderie, which included a menu inspired by Julia Child.

“It was truly inspiring to see the community come together in such a big and powerful way to support the growth and development of the future leaders of our industry,” says Maeve Pesquera, senior vice president of DAOU Vineyards & Winery and one of the evening’s featured speakers.

The event was attended by 175 guests and was punctuated with a lively auction featuring a remarkable roster of auction items, including two Kawasaki Mule Pro-FXT Ranch Edition offroad vehicles and a three-night Hawaiian vacation for two featuring a wine dinner with famed sommelier Chuck Furuya in Waikiki.

Proceeds from the auction will fund Dream Big Darling’s 2019 professional events and inaugural annual retreat next fall.

“We want to make a difference in the lives of women who are aspiring toward long-term careers in our industry,” says Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins, our VP of operations and the founder of Dream Big Darling.

The annual retreat will feature keynote speakers, networking opportunities and professional development workshops for women aspiring to advance their careers in the wine and spirits industry. Dream Big Darling is also offering five all-access scholarships to Wine Speak 2019, a premier industry summit happening on January 7-10 in the Paso Robles wine country.Prospective Dream Big Darling Retreat and Wine Speak applicants can apply at DreamBigDarling.org.

Pictured here: Dream Big Darling leadership and advisers