Imbibe 75: Remy Drabkin

Remy Drabkin, who identifies as queer, co-founded Wine Country Pride, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Although out since age 16, she says she closeted herself in and around the wine industry. After hearing similar stories from others, she founded Wine Country Pride in 2020 to lift more queer voices. As the world came out of its pandemic haze, meet-ups, in-person events, and even a festival in McMinnville, Oregon, enhanced the programming and mission of the organization. The nonprofit took another big step with the inaugural Queer Wine Fest last June at Remy Wines, which featured 16 wineries from California, Washington, and Oregon. “It’s the difference between being put on display and having a platform for your voice,” Drabkin says of the day.

Photo by Zachary Goff | Article by Shana Clarke
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Savoring Oregon’s Wine Country, No Driving Required

Elaine Glusac offers a sweeping tour of McMinnville, featuring Mayor Remy and Remy Wines prominently.

“As we pedaled past farm fields, orchards and the occasional winery on lightly trafficked two-lane roads, stopping to forage for wild blackberries, Ms. Drabkin described growing up with the children of the founding winemakers of the region, now next-generation vintners. She also explained her interest in the plummy lagrein grape variety from Northern Italy that she grows at her vineyard, which may be more resilient in a warming climate.”

Photo by George Barberis | Article by Elaine Glusac
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How Equity Work Shaped Mayor Remy Drabkin’s Politics-and Wine

Growing up in McMinnville, Remy Drabkin was surrounded by wine. Her parents brought her to cellars and vineyards, and she found herself drawn to the community. At eight, she made a formal announcement: She would become a winemaker.

And that’s exactly what happened. Drabkin traveled around the world making wine, returning to her hometown to open Remy Wines — one of the few Willamette Valley wineries specializing in Italian varietals. But Drabkin has done far more than make wine. She co-founded the non-profit Wine Country Pride, as well as Queer Wine Fest. She served on McMinnville City Council before becoming city council president; then, when Mayor Scott A. Hill resigned in May, the Council unanimously declared Drabkin interim mayor. She was elected mayor officially this month, the city’s first female and first openly queer mayor.

Photo by Zachary Goff | Article by Brooke Jackson-Glidden
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The World’s First Queer Wine Festival is Happening in Oregon Later This Month

Tori Latham writes about the World’s First Queer Wine Festival for Robb Report.

“The festivities are being hosted by Remy Wines, a Willamette Valley winery founded in 2006 by Remy Drabkin, a lesbian winemaker and the co-founder of the nonprofit Wine Country Pride. In addition to these roles, in April she was appointed the interim mayor of McMinnville, Oregon, becoming the first woman and queer-identifying person to hold the position.”

Photo by Zachary Goff | Article by Tori Latham
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Inside the World’s First Queer Wine Festival

Kate Dingwall writes about her joyous experience at the inaugural Queer Wine Fest.

“On a sunny Oregon afternoon, 17 different wineries set up their wares at Remy Wines in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. They were there to pour but also to celebrate. Instead of silence as oenophiles contemplate the characteristics of each wine, there was a concert from Camp Crush — a new-age pop duo produced by Doja Cat’s go-to Rian Lewis — that set the mood. Business casual clothes were scrapped as the rainbow was the preferred dress code, be it neon-hued sunglasses or generally jovial prints. While wine tastings can tend to feel stuffy, this was anything but. It was spirited, special and highly celebratory.

Welcome to Queer Wine Fest.”

Photo by Aly Winstead Photography | Article by Kate Dingwall
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