All You Need is LOVE

LOVE Wine is a new collaboration that celebrates women in wine and art

by Claire Willians / photos courtesy J. Vineyards and Winery

This past February, J. Vineyards & Winery in Healdsburg, California, debuted LOVE Wine, a collaboration between the sparkling wine house and the art and design initiative grantLOVE (grantlove.com), created by artist and philanthropist Alexandra Grant, whose work explores issues around communication across languages, literary traditions, and cultures. Each new bottling of LOVE Wine will feature a unique label created in collaboration with a leading female-identified artist, turning every bottle into a canvas that celebrates artistic expression. This partnership seeks to amplify voices that are often marginalized while also transforming the act of enjoying wine into an experience that connects culture, creativity, and community.

The label for the inaugural bottling was designed by Genevieve Gaignard (genevievegaignard.com), a graduate of the Yale School of Art and New York-based interdisciplinary artist whose vibrant and thought-provoking work beautifully reflects the collaboration's mission. Each of the mediums Gaignard works with is a conduit for introspection. Her photographs are staged self-portraits presenting a spectrum of invented yet recognizable "selves," which undermine social hierarchies and beauty standards. Vintage wallpaper is a motif throughout her collage, sculpture, and installation work.

"Alexandra's mission with grantLOVE really aligns well with the values and causes we've been spending our time with at the J," said Nicole Hitchcock, J Vineyards' Estate Director and Head Winemaker, who oversees a majority-women management team, continuing a legacy of female leadership that began with founder Judy Jordan in 1986. She added, "Wine, like art, has the power to bring people together, spark conversation, and inspire change."

LOVE Wine's first release is a brut cuvée, crafted from exceptional cool-climate vineyards throughout California, including the Russian River Valley, Monterey County, and Mendocino County, and crushed at J Vineyards' Healdsburg winery. This sparkling wine is a testament to the winery's dedication to producing world-class wines while honoring its mission to make a difference in the broader community. LOVE Wine celebrates the artistry of California sparkling with a delightfully expressive palate balanced by bright touches of citrus on the pleasantly crisp, lingering finish.

LOVE Wine is available at J Vineyards' tasting room in Healdsburg and online at jwine.com.