Sonoma County has always been producing wine since around the mid-1800s. This month we talk with Gary Saperstein and Mark Vogler of Out in the Vineyard. Situated in the heart of wine country, Sonoma County California, Out in the Vineyard produces the annual event Gay Wine Weekend. Don't miss this Q&A on everyone's favorite topic, WINE!

Spending time Out in the Vineyard

We took a moment to catch up with Out in the Vineyard Founders Gary Saperstein and Mark Vogler to discuss wine, food, and their popular wine events. Here’s what they had to say about wine in Sonoma County and the LGBT Community.

GM: What made you start Out In The Vineyard?
OITV: We both love the wine country lifestyle – friends sharing great wine, food & outdoor living. We wanted to find a way to share this with the LGBT community, and let them know that gays don’t have to live in the gay ghettos of the world anymore. In addition, we both were getting a lot of inquiries from gay friends across the country asking for our recommendations of wine brands that support the LGBT community, what wineries, restaurants & hotels they could feel comfortable visiting with their husband, wives, partners, and dates. We found it curious that no one was marketing to the gay community. Rural Sonoma is incredibly gay friendly, not to mention it is a luxury travel destination, and we can be out in these beautiful places in the valley. We can be OUT in the vineyard. After a couple of years of emails and phone calls, we decided it was time to help the gay community discover wine country.

GM: Why isn’t the Wine Industry marketing to the LGBTQ community?
OITV: This is the $64,000 dollar question, which we still find incredibly curious. The Beer and Spirits industries figured out the value of the LGBT community 20 years ago, but wine STILL hasn’t committed with any real effort to reach out to the community...

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