Celebrating Female Winemakers: Bryce Willingham of Ravage Wines
Bryce Willingham of Ravage Wines is helping to blaze the path for the next generation of female winemakers and we’re lucky enough to have been able to interview her and try her delicious wines!
Her Cabernet Sauvignon is our current favorite especially since it’s super smooth and comes in at around $8 a bottle!
Bryce Willingham of Ravage Wines
(1) How did you first get involved in winemaking?
I first got involved in winemaking during my studies at California State University. I was enrolled in the Viticulture and Enology program. During this time, I was offered a seasonal position at the Mission Bell Winery working with winemaker Oren Kaye. Oren became my mentor, and is now my dear friend. She was patient in teaching me more in that one season than I learned in a full year of school. It was through this job that my newly-found passion began to grow. I became hungry to learn everything I could about the art and science of winemaking.
(2) What is one thing you enjoy about being a winemaker?
There are so many things I love and enjoy about being a winemaker. However, if I had to choose only one I would say that I really enjoy the blending process. Taking advantage of the seemingly endless possibilities of combinations in order to create wines that redefine what’s expected is very rewarding. I pour my heart into creating Ravage Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blend, and have fun with the challenge of blending each new vintage into a bold yet easy drinking wine.
(3) How did the Ravage name come about?
Our wines are dark, bold and defiant, and ravage was a word that I felt resonated with that boundary-pushing passion.
(4) What is your favorite wine region?
While many people may be more familiar with Napa Valley and Sonoma County when it comes to wine regions in California, Lodi has recently come on the scene as an emerging wine region to pay attention to. I love watching the Lodi wine community grow and forming relationships with the grape farmers and other winemakers in the area. Also, there’s a high concentration of female winemakers in the Lodi area, and I take pride in knowing that I am a part of that network.
(5) Favorite food and wine pairing?
I just moved into a new house and love having friends over on the weekend to grill. I’m lucky because in Lodi, no matter the time of year, I’m able to get outside and fire up the grill. My favorite pairing with the Ravage 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a grilled steak marinated in a coffee BBQ sauce. The dark, rich flavors of the wine layered with luscious vanilla and mocha pair perfectly with the red meat and rich BBQ sauce. Check out their Instagram, @ravagewines, for more delicious wine and food pairing ideas!
We love that the Ravage wine labels represent the knight’s code of courage and camaraderie!
Pro tip: if you are interested in following this career path Bryce recommends the book “Women of the Vine“. We just added it to our cart on Amazon and are excited to learn more about the world of women who make, taste and enjoy wine!
Learn more about Ravage Wines and Bryce here.
Bryce pours herself into the wine she creates, which is obvious, as passion spills out while talking all things wine!
Cheers!
Emily
Thanks for sharing. Cheers to women making their mark in the world of wine making!