Verde Valley Sanctuary to benefit from Arizona Women’s Wine Project

From left to right: Bree Nation, Gayle Glomski, Lauren Maldonado. The wine label, Vin De Filles, (French for ‘Girls’ Wine’), came naturally and received full support from PSC’s owners, vineyard manager and winemaker allowing the ladies to use PSC’s grapes, production facility, event spaces and tasting room. (Jenelle Bonifield/Courtesy)

Vin de Filles is an Arizona Women’s Project supported by Page Springs Cellars (PSC), located at the foothills of Sedona. This project was founded during a grape harvest in 2019 by Gayle Glomski, who works at Page Springs Cellars.

Page Springs Cellars harvesting crews were committed to picking grapes, so she gathered a crew to run her pick. The pick was moving quickly and efficiently with lots of fun energy. Gayle noticed that the crew was 99% women, all embracing grueling physical labor and loving every moment.

This “ah ha” moment created the momentum to recognize and support the women behind wine production, which is a male dominated industry.

The idea of a female-produced wine was proposed to Bree Nation, PSC’s Cellar Master and co-owner of The Oddity Wine Collective as well as Lauren Maldonado, co-owner of Art of Wine in Sedona. The three women collaborated on a mission statement for the project:

“A wine produced by women to highlight the vitality and feminine strength within the world of wine.”

Bree suggested to extend the project beyond helping women in the wine community to include helping women in the Verde Valley. After much research, The Verde Valley Sanctuary, a local nonprofit organization that provides shelter and support for women who have survived domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking was chosen.

The wine label, Vin De Filles, (French for ‘Girls’ Wine’), came naturally and received full support from PSC’s owners, vineyard manager and winemaker allowing the ladies to use PSC’s grapes, production facility, event spaces and tasting room.

The group of women volunteers range between the ages of 11 and 68. They nurtured two different grape varieties, Malvasia and Syrah since the beginning of the 2020 winegrowing season for their pied-de-cuve co-ferment.

Jenelle Bonifield, a professional female photographer photo-documented the journey: pruning, shoot thinning, suckering, leaf pulling, hedging, netting, harvesting, pressing and bottling. Lauren designed the label showing homage to Page Springs Cellars and adding a feminine twist.

The project’s net profits will be donated to The Verde Valley Sanctuary for their housing expansion project which will increase their capacity and provide the women of the shelter private accommodations for their families and pets.

The release party will be hosted outdoors at Page Springs Cellars, 1500 N. Page Springs Road, Cornville. It will include a five-course dinner with each food course prepared by a highly recognized Arizona female chef.

Each food course will be paired with a female affiliated wine. Artwork and jewelry created by local Arizona women will be included in a silent auction to raise additional money for the expansion project.

The release party is scheduled on Sunday, Oct. 17, and Monday Oct. 18. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Aug. 23, visit shop.pagespringscellars.com/Shop/Wines.

To become a sponsor for the release party or for more information about the event, please contact Gayle Glomski gayle@pagespringscellars.com or 928-639-3004, ext. 226.

If you would like to make a direct donation to Verde Valley Sanctuary’s expansion project, please contact Tracey McConnell, development director, at development@verdevalleysanctuary.org, 928-925-4020, or visit their website, verdevalleysanctuary.org.