Today we have Ronda Fraley, owner of The Wine Party Co. on The Mag. The Wine Party Co., launching in June, is a digital platform where you can not only shop for wines but also take classes (such as Wine 101 - sign me up!) and Instagram-worthy wine party kits. Read more about Ronda and her company below!

Introduce yourself and your brand.

I'm Ronda, Founder of The Wine Party Co., a digital wine platform designed for women that offers wines that are highly-curated, experiences that are ready-to-host, wine classes, and an inclusive community so that they can experience wine with confidence and without judgement.

What inspired you to start The Wine Party Co.?

Working in Hospitality is all about creating experiences and gathering people to share those experiences. I realized that I wasn’t cultivating that for myself and instead felt burnt out and craving deeper, more meaningful connections. It was at that point that I stumbled across an article about the Blue Zones lifestyle. It reminded me to slow down and, as luck would have it, gather with friends for a glass of wine at 5 pm to unwind. This was something I could get excited about and this is what I want to empower other women to do.

So, I set out to create an at-home tasting experience when I started this company in 2018 but, after learning about how women actually want to experience wine, what we’re launching now is so much more. The Wine Party Co. is a place where you can shop for wines using words you know, gather your friends with ready-to-host experiences, learn about wine in a judgement-free zone, and finally explore the world of wine your way. It’s easy and convenient.

Who is this brand for?

I designed the platform with women in mind but it's open to anyone who wants to engage with wine but needs it served up in a more approachable format. Anyone who wants to find wines they love, connect with like-minded wine drinkers, and learn about wine but gets turned off by how confusing and pretentious the wine industry can be.

What are three of your favorite wines in the shop right now?

We are launching our wines by the bottle and wine club in June so I'm going through the process of curating them right now. I'm focused on curating organic or natural wines that taste amazing and come in at an approachable price point for every day... Not an easy ask but I've been blown away by the wines that I've found and I CANNOT wait to share them with my community in June!

What is one thing/aspect that makes your community so memorable?

Our community has a lot of fun and it's centered around a shared love of wine. What's not to love? The most memorable part about it though is the fact that this amazing group of women is so inclusive. There are no bad questions and there are no wrong answers. It's just a group of wine drinkers learning about their own preferences and sharing it with a community that supports that ideal.

Name at least three brands everyone needs to have on their charcuterie board.

I'm actually brand-agnostic on this topic but I firmly believe that every charcuterie board needs to have a soft cheese, hard cheese, and a dry-cured ham. My ideal line-up is Burratta, Parmesan, Prosciutto, and Speck.

Anything else you’d like to add?

We just launched our Wine Connoisseur e-course! It's a six week course that teaches the basics of wine and practical tips for how you can use what you learn to enjoy wine more. It's what we wish I knew about wine when I was starting out. From the key wines to know in each region to tasting challenges that put your new skills to use straight away.

And finally, where can we find you?

Website: www.thewinepartyco.com

Instagram/social: @thewinepartyco