Women in Wine: Rosalind Manoogian, Fog Crest Vineyard

The Women in Wine series highlights trailblazing women making waves in the wine industry.

I got a chance to chat with Rosalind Manoogian, Owner of Fog Crest Vineyard, the only Black- and Woman-owned vineyard and winery in Sonoma.

What you can expect in this edition of Women in Wine:

• Rosalind Manoogian discusses the significance of being the only black-owned vineyard in Sonoma County, emphasizing the challenges and resilience required to establish herself in the industry.
• She reflects on her role as a trailblazer and her commitment to paving the way for others, driven by a desire to leave a legacy and inspire future generations.
• Rosalind elaborates on Fog Crest Vineyard’s winemaking style, focusing on Burgundian wines tailored to the unique terroir of the Russian River region, and highlights the growth and future prospects of the vineyard and winery.

Let’s dive into the conversation Manoogian for the Women in Wine Series!

Desiree: Hi, everyone. I’m here with Rosalyn Manoogian. She is the owner of Fog Crest Vineyard, the only black-owned vineyard in Sonoma County. Thanks so much for being here!

Rosalind Manoogian: Black-owned female. I own the dirt, I own the production, and I own the tasting room.

Desiree: Put some respect on her name! Okay! So tell me, what does it mean to you being the only Black-owned vineyard winery in Sonoma and how do you see yourself as a trailblazer in the industry?

That’s a good, that’s a really good question. So I, because I’ve always had my head down just working, it didn’t even occur to me that that was true. And to Janelle, my publicist said, do you know who you are? And I started thinking about it. I was like, yeah, that is true.

And I think it really represents the difficulty in being in this market and the fight that you have to have all the way through. And the fact that I’m actually been there as long as I have, gives me the opportunity to say, look, this can be done and you can do it better. And that’s what I’m doing.

I’m going to fight this battle. I’m working for legacy. I want people to see, I have two girls I want them to see, but more importantly, I want others to see we can get this done. We can!

Desiree: I love that. So tell me a little bit about your winemaking style. You’re in the Russian River. How does the climate there play a role in the style of wines that you make?

So all of our wines are Burgundian and that was from the beginning. Took the terroir, which is the soil, the growing conditions, and married it with the grapes and we grow what works best for the land that is there. We could go on about our soils, but ultimately what I would say to you it is one of the best places in the world to make ultra-premium Pinot Noir because of our terroir, our growing conditions, our growing time, the warmth, the season, it’s just a premium. So we want to honor that on a regular basis.

Desiree: So your first vintage was in ’05. Tell me what you are excited about moving forward for Fog Crest.

So ’05 was like, Oh my God, we made it through that. That’s so great. So, what’s interesting, the difference between, ’05 and now is that I’m in charge of all aspects of running the vineyard and the winery and they are two really two separate things.

So the vineyard really is more production. The winery is the actual “Let’s get everything out the door” and sold. And truthfully, it’s a lot easier to grow and make sure everything goes out the door and is sold. And so I’m focused on that, and making sure that we find our niche in the market. And that is more than a full-time job. It really is.

Desiree: What is your favorite hat to wear as the owner of a vineyard and winery?

I think I like, I like interacting with my customers. I love hearing their stories. I love being in the tasting room, which I’m getting to do less and less of. I may not remember your name, but I will remember your story.

I’ll remember your kids. I’ll remember why you came when the last time you were there. And then I’ll have to look on my iPad to figure out what your name is. But that is really the best thing that happens. I had, just on Wednesday, a couple came in and I remember they’d been there a couple of years before and they rejoined the wine club and told me about how they stopped the wine club because their youngest was going to the University of Kentucky out of state and they were freaking out, but now it’s okay.

And they rejoined, they bought a bag. They took some wine with them and I will know them when they come back in. So that’s just that, that is that connection you can’t do unless you actually own your space and have the ability to be in, in front of people. And that really is what this is, in my mind, what this should be about. It’s having the opportunity to make people happy.

Desiree: So where can people taste your wines? How can they learn more about Fog Crest?

So, our distribution is limited at this point, but you can order my wine from our website at any point in almost every state in this country, I can deliver. so fogcrestvineyard.com.

Go to the website and order the wine. You can call us if you go to the website, get the phone number, give us a call and we’ll make sure it happens.

Desiree: Thanks so much, Rosalind!

You’re very welcome. Thank you.

*The interview was transcribed and edited for length and clarity.

This blog post is part of the Women and Wine Series.

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