The holiday season can be a bit dichotomous. We revel in the indulgence of food, drink, and shopping, while reminding ourselves to be grateful and to do what we can to give back.
What if there were a way to balance the two and succeed at both in one fell swoop?
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Welcome, 100 Percent Wines, a St. Louis-based wine company that donates all of their profits to people living and working with disabilities. Founder Scott Monette spent most of his career working in corporate America before realizing he wanted more from his work. He desired a purpose beyond just a job. Inspired by his own son’s circumstances, Monette strived to build a company that would ultimately help change the work environment and create job opportunities for otherwise productive individuals who happen to have some form of disability.
One look at the statistics and we can see the overwhelming need for an organization such as this. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, over 56 million Americans – that’s 19% of the working age population and one in five people, including 800,000 in Missouri alone – are currently living with a disability. Of this population, one in three is unemployed, while the majority of the others can only obtain part-time employment and earn up to 20% less than those without a disability.
Monette recognized that if you offer a great product for a good cause, people will buy it and support it. He then played to his passion for wine to thus reach this goal. True to the name, 100% of the profits from the wine sales are given directly to this mission. Along with sharing great wine with the world, he and his team are driven to create a conversation about the concerns surrounding this epidemic. Their belief is that through the enjoyment and pleasure of wine, they cannot only raise funds for an important cause, but can bring voice to an issue that is often overlooked. 100 Percent Wines partners with local charitable, non-profit organizations to fund events, establish meaningful jobs, and challenge stereotypes for those affected with disability in any form.
Stemming from her decades of experience, award-winning winemaker Karen Birmingham combines her passions for wine and the cause to produce elegant, fruit forward California wines from the Lodi region. She grows, harvests, and produces the grapes using Certified Green and Sustainable Farming Practices. 100 Percent currently has two offerings – one white and one red. The 2013 Sauvignon Blanc is a stainless steel aged white full of aromatic and fresh acidity. Tropical and citrus notes mingle on the palate in vibrant fashion before unfolding into a long and luscious finish. As for the red, Birmingham blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Malbec for a bold and robust wine. Ripe red berries take over taste buds before revealing the wine’s soft tannins and silky texture.
As succinctly put in the company’s motto – “Drink Wine. Help People.” – purchasing, drinking, and/or gifting these wines is not only providing a sublime sensory experience, but it will also help to provide tools, jobs, and activities to build confidence, independence, and purpose for those in need.
Average retail price: $17.99
Currently available online here and:
At retail: Straub’s, Garland Wines, St. Louis Wine Market, The Smokehouse Market
At the following restaurants: The Libertine, The Wolf
Angela Ortmann (@STLwinegirl) is a food and drink professional, co-founder of Cork Dorks with Forks, and an equal opportunity imbiber.
