February 2021: A Note from Hope Katz Gibbs, publisher, Inkandescent Women magazine — I am always blown away by women who are rocking their industry with honor, courage and are on a mission to make others feel joy. So when my friend Jim Morris, VP of Charles Krug Winery in Napa and my co-host on our new Women Who Make Us Wine show, introduced me to the women who run Breathless Wines, I knew I was in the presence of greatness.

It is a pleasure to introduce you to three sisters born and raised in Healdsburg, CA — Sharon Cohn, Cynthia Faust, and Rebecca Faust, who founded Breathless Wines in 2012 — and their masterful winemaker Penelope Gadd-Coster.

“We started this winery to honor our mother, Martha, who taught us to live large and dream big,” explains Sharon, who with Penny is our first guest on Jan. 31, 2021, for brunch, 11 am PST, on our Facebook Live show. 

A family affair

“Our goal was to erect a living homage to Mom and to celebrate life—so bubbles seemed the obvious focus,” she adds, explains that all Breathless wine is hand-crafted from North Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the centuries-old French méthode champenoise, are receiving steady accolades. The 100% Chardonnay Russian River Valley McMinn Vineyard Blanc de Blancs exudes Bartlett pear, orange flower, and crispy apple amid tiny, creamy bubbles. Pommard Clone Blanc de Noir (100% Pinot Noir) exhibits black cherry, a pinch of pepper, and elegant depth with a lighter than expected color—to note a few.

In the beginning

Sharon explains that the idea to create Breathless came soon after her sister Rebecca launched a custom crush facility for sparkling called Rack and Riddle. They had brought on Penny to craft the wine.

“A breathless moment can be any moment in time if you want to make it that,” explains Sharon, noting that she and her sisters want life to be savored and enjoyed.

“We feel that a glass of bubbles makes it truly feel like a celebration. Bubbles creation takes longer than all wines, so it is a special occasion to pop open a bottle (or saber, our favorite way). Every glass shared with friends and family is meant to remind us to create more of those special moments in our lives.”

For Penny, the key to making delicious wine is to let the grapes express themselves in the best way possible.

“After all, those grapes worked hard to be made into wine! The philosophy for the wines is to bring together the elegance of Champagne with the fruit of California. They should be food-friendly and can be drunk with any part of a meal, and should not just be for celebrations. After all, every day is a celebration.”

She adds that when making bubbles, the Pinot Noir grape is a big component of the blends for Rose, Brut, and Blanc de Noir. “I follow that tradition. Since it is a red grape, it is sometimes the forgotten component. Pinot Noir brings what the area brings to that grape—and that can mean berry fruit, earthiness, and spice to bubblies. It helps to bring complexities to all of the wines it blends into.”

As for food and wine pairings, Penny says that Breathless’ Blanc de Blanc is her favorite with oysters, but the Brut is also great.

“Any fish or shellfish with either one, along with pork, roasted chicken …turkey. With the Blanc de Noir, try duck or lamb, salty cheese, or holiday ham.  The Rosé does well with ham, fruit desserts, nuts, salty cheeses, and my favorite—pizza. Seriously, the color makes you happy. Last of all, the Moscato: my favorite dishes with this are curries, but it is also fun with desserts, especially apple desserts. This is what I am going to have with pumpkin pie.”

Click here to check out recipes for wine/food pairings sure to bring bliss to any meal! 

At the heart of the company, though, is the love shared by Sharon’s Mom.

“My Mom’s influence can be felt in every aspect of the business,” adds Sharon.

“She woke up every day with enthusiasm for the three of us to make the day the best it could be, as we were growing up and even going through the trials and tribulations of her bought with lung cancer,” she explains.

“Mom always encouraged us to follow our dreams, even me at age 17 telling her I was joining the US Air Force. She had to sign for me since I was not yet 18, and she told me no matter what I was assigned, to do the best job I was capable of. Those words stuck with me through life. I believe that’s one of the most important aspects of our company, the part that makes Breathless Wines so special.”

Be inspired!

• Click here to learn more about Breathless Wines.
• Learn more about What’s Next for Sharon Cohn here.
• Check out our Q&A with winemaker Penny Gadd-Coster.
• And be sure to watch our interview on Facebook Live on Sunday, January 31 at 11 am PST for the Women Who Make Us Wine show! 

This interview first appeared in the Wine & Whisky blog.