5-ish Questions with Isabella Morano of Isa Wines
Isabella Morano and her incredible team of folks over at Isa Wines are getting real about the hardships of making wine, making money and making the right moves.
1. Tell us a little about what you do.
I’ve worked in the Bay Area wine industry for 11+ years. I started in restaurants as a host and moved my way up to sommelier. While I was studying for the certified sommelier exam and working as a sommelier in a restaurant called Absinthe/at a wine retail shop called Arlequin, I decided to work harvests and learn how to make wine. Since my first harvest, I got the itch to really get into wine production and kept working harvests while working service jobs for a few years. In 2020, I focused solely on wine production and decided to start my business Isa Wines. I kept working service while making my wine for a few years and now I’m working on finding a job outside of the wine industry.
2. What are you hopeful for? How are you trying to leave the world a little better than you found it?
Oooooh that’s a tough one. I’m hopeful that we can foster a greater sense of community in our world. I want us to really focus on taking care of each other, our planet. The wine industry has given me so much in terms of community. I wouldn’t be nearly as successful as I am now without the many people who dedicated their time and energy into helping me. My main focus in my wine career is how to contribute to my community and be there for my friends. I also really enjoy collaborating with my friends and am aiming for that to be more of the focus. It brings me the most joy.
3. What challenges are you facing within your industry as a small biz owner/hospitality worker/wine and beverage human?
The biggest challenge I face is the financials of it all. I independently fund my business and have struggled since day one to stay afloat. Working in hospitality and making wine simultaneously has proven to be impossible, which is why I’m looking for work outside of the industry. Being a wine professional requires a high level of knowledge and offers little financial benefit.
4. What do you wish people knew about your work?
I wish people knew about the enormous sacrifices required to make wine. I feel insanely lucky that I’ve been able to follow this dream and start my own wine business. But the toll it’s taken on me personally and financially is huge. I believe wine should be affordable and accessible to everyone, and have taken a huge pay cut in order to keep my prices down. But at a certain point, it becomes a question of sacrificing myself and my health over making my wine as affordable as possible. It’s really exhausting. I also want people to know how much is required of people who make wine/run their own business. We are responsible for every step of the winemaking process as well as licensing our businesses, distributing the wine, marketing it, storing it, designing the labels, communicating with vendors, delivering the wine, it’s a never ending balance and the learning curve is STEEP.
5. What are you reading/listening to/watching right now?
I love this question. I’m reading the second book in a series called Mickey 7. It’s a sci-fi book that my friend recommended to me. I love fiction and am trying to read more things outside of my usual realm. I’m also reading a book called Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It. My best friend sent it to me and it’s really powerful. I’m obsessed with Troye Sivan’s new album Something To Give Each Other and am deep in The Tortured Poet’s Department. I just started the new season of The Bear but need to take a break because it gives me service nightmares. My comfort shows that I oscillate between are Sex and the City and Girls.
6. Who do you want to shout out?Â
First, I want to shout out my friends at ABV Ferments. They put on some amazing community-oriented events that bring me so much joy. The next one is July 16th in Brooklyn. I also want to shout out my partner, Claire. She provides so much support and love to me in times when I feel like I’m struggling to come up for air. [Ed note: Claire used to sling wine with us at Rebel! Hi, Claire!]
7. What's the most memorable thing you've eaten/drank/experienced recently?
My friend Jan made this incredible risotto the other night that I’m still dreaming about. We had a sweet dinner party with a bunch of friends who hadn’t met before and it went really well. I haven’t been drinking too much lately which makes me really appreciate it when I do. I’ve been on a huge Bardos cider kick for a while now and had their Winter Walker recently (my favorite). As for experiences, I’m in a really fun place in my life right now where I’m exploring different parts of my creative brain. I acted in/produced my first short film a few weeks ago. We’re in post production now and I can’t wait to finish it!
8. What motivates you to keep making wine and be part of the wine/agriculture community?
What a thoughtful question. Honestly, I’ve been finding it really hard to stay motivated lately. Owning and running my business has taken a lot out of me. There are so many intense moments of joy and so many moments that feel impossible. I’ve considered taking a year off of making wine in order to focus on my health and to recoup at least some of the money I’ve lost. But what keeps me going is the friends I’ve made in this community and how we all celebrate each other’s work. I wouldn’t be who I am today without my wine community. I feel so excited to create together and keep the spirit of winemaking alive. It feels Sisyphean at times but that energy keeps me going. No one makes wine alone.
