Recap: Bastille Day Event with Diana Snowden Seysses

September 20, 2022 by Team Batonnage

On July 14th, we had the honor to gather the Bâtonnage community at Bay Grape Napa and enjoy wine and conversation with Diana Snowden Seysess, enologist at Domaine Dujac in Burgundy, consultant at Domaine de Triennes in Provence; and winemaker at Snowden Vineyards (need we say more??). Diana and our founder, Stevie Stacionis, commemorated Bastille Day by discussing climate change, community versus patriarchy, and fighting for the future of our industry and our children. Missed the conversation and the wines? Right this way…

A Letter from Karen Magner: My Experience as a Bâtonnage Level One Mentee

July 08, 2021 by Katie Canfield

A letter from Karen Magner, a Level One mentee from the inaugural year of the Bâtonnage Mentorship Program, on her experience in the program. With the help of her mentors and the community she created within the program, she recently pivoted in her career and accepted a copywriting/digital marketing specialist position with YourWineStore. Connect with Karen on LinkedIn, check out her website PQ Wines, or follow her on Instagram!

An Interview with Felicia Patel: Co-Owner of Back Room Wines in Napa

June 19, 2020 by Katie Canfield

Felicia Patel is co-owner and -operator of Back Room Wines, one of Napa’s top independent wine retailers, and mother of three. In this interview, Felicia shares advice about managing your own company and maintaining a healthy work life balance, and dives into the particular challenges and obstacles she faced as a young Indian woman owning a wine business.

Bâtonnage Forum for a Better Tomorrow – Introducing Race Forward

June 10, 2020 by Katie Canfield

In the wake of recent murders of Black people by police, we have a made a targeted commitment to support Black voices, and to that end, Bâtonnage Forum will make a significant financial donation (a portion of the proceeds of Batonnage://Connect) to Race Forward, a nonprofit racial justice organization founded in Oakland.

Introducing Our 2020 Charity Partner: Southern Smoke

May 22, 2020 by Katie Canfield

Here at Bâtonnage, our goal is to create an inclusive space for constructive conversation surrounding all different facets of the wine industry; it has never been about making a profit. We are so excited to be partnering with Southern Smoke Foundation, supporting the food and beverage industries and individuals that many of us in the Bâtonnage community are intrinsically linked to. Please join us in applauding and supporting the inspirational work of the hardworking team at Southern Smoke.

A Letter From The FIZZ is Female

March 31, 2020 by Katie Canfield

Meet the boss ladies of the fizz biz! Blaine Ashley, the moderator for The FIZZ is Female breakout session, shares her inspiration for all things bubbly and what she and her rockstar panel of sparkling wine and champagne grandes dames have in store for Bâtonnage attendees…

Limiting Beliefs and the Art of Writing in the Wine Industry

March 26, 2020 by Katie Canfield

Why grapple with negative self-talk when you can eliminate it all together?

Bâtonnage Forum 2020 - Let’s Dive In

March 25, 2020 by Katie Canfield

The world is an uncertain place these days and we know all of you have had a curve ball (or many) thrown at you in recent days and weeks … BUT there is a silver lining in that challenging times can make communities stronger than ever. With this in mind, as we shelter in place separately, we’ve thought about more ways we can bring our Bâtonnage family closer together.

Women Talk: Who Listens? →

May 08, 2019 by Guest User

12 years ago, I arrived to the US to take on a newly created executive public relations role for a corporate wine company. I left a senior job and successful career in Australia, but here? I was an unknown PR person with no media contacts, no professional network, no alumni or sorority, and no idea what I was in for.

How Women’s Sexuality Is Used to Sell Wine →

May 08, 2019 by Guest User

Bâtonnage Forum panelists debate women’s right to wear what they want—while calling for an end to clothes shaming. What should I wear to work? It may sound innocuous, but this loaded question was at the heart of a lively and controversial panel discussion that closed out the Bâtonnage Forum, held May 4 at a private estate in Napa, California.

Tactics for Handling Dysfunctional Workplaces →

May 08, 2019 by Guest User

Bâtonnage Forum panelists discuss strategies for creating more respectful and supportive work environments. The second annual Bâtonnage forum, held on May 4 at a private estate in Napa, California, opened with an honest and timely panel discussion—Departing Dysfunction—in which three wine and hospitality industry professionals discussed how to identify inappropriate workplace behavior and how the community can enact positive change.

Sexual Harassment in the Viticultural Crews

November 19, 2018 by Guest User

Dr. Malcolm Hobbs, who spoke during our first panel on Navigating the Male Exclusivity Culture in the wine industry, has shared the initial results from his team’s Strategies for Workforce Sustainability. He shared them with us, thinking that this community may be interested in the findings – which we are, of course!

JOIN THE TEAM!

November 13, 2018 by Guest User

We’re looking for two dedicated individuals to join our small and feisty, mad-hustling, all-volunteer team to help make our encore presentation an even greater success.

While volunteering for Bâtonnage is unpaid, you’ll be at the forefront of an exciting, dynamic and positivity-charged movement within the wine industry. Successful candidates will be featured on our website and in promotional materials where appropriate. We can also work with you to provide college internship credit if applicable.

Making it... Solo

August 13, 2018 by Guest User

I’m going to be vulnerable for a minute. Listening again through all of the discussions that took place at the inaugural Bâtonnage Forum, I kind of got upset. I know, not what you were expecting me to say. I’m supposed to say it was inspiring and so wonderful — and it was — but what upset me was the number of times women said I did this because I had a supportive partner. And, as a single woman, I asked myself: What happens if you don’t?

2018 Bâtonnage Forum: We Did a Thing, Y'all!

August 09, 2018 by Guest User

Did you want to revisit the awesome conversations we had on July 28th? Or, if you couldn't make it, were you curious about what was discussed? We're delighted to share the recorded audio from the first-ever Bâtonnage Forum (although unfortunately it does not convey the number of fabulous sun hats on display that day). Listen in and listen up!

2018 Forum: Keys to Success and Forward Progress

July 28, 2018 by Guest User

These conversations are not new. Women are showing renewed energy in tackling the issues that face us, which is great! We know, however, that the discussions are not new. Conversation is crucial first step; but actions need to follow. Cathy Huyghe’s closing remarks suggest ways for us to set personal and collective goals for ourselves to forge a better path. Click through to listen!

2018 Forum: Women in Management & Leadership

July 28, 2018 by Guest User

In our conversations going into this panel it became clear that this group wanted to tackle some difficult and pressing subjects ranging widely from ideas of narrative and how we present ourselves, providing channels for mentorship, issues of inclusivity and breaking glass ceilings as well as floors, and tackling systemic problems. As you will hear–we don’t always agree. There are moments when things get feisty, but if anything, this shows how important having these conversations are.

2018 Forum: Work/Life Balance Panel

July 28, 2018 by Guest User

This panel digs into the highly ambiguous and hotly debated notion of WORK/LIFE BALANCE. What is it, anyway? Is such a thing remotely possible to achieve? Listen in to learn how our panelists approach a variety of situations.

2018 Forum: Negotiating & Advocating Panel

July 28, 2018 by Guest User

In this discussion, we focused on questions about how women approach the acts of negotiating and advocating, talking through some personal stories that our panelists have experienced and ways they have and are having to address issues. We also shared some ideas about how to change our perceptions of negotiating, and how we can better advocate both for ourselves and others around us. Tune in to hear our conversation!

2018 Forum: Navigating the Male Exclusivity Culture in Wine

July 28, 2018 by Guest User

This was the first panel of the day, and it was such an honor to moderate this seminar with three of the most accomplished women in the business: Valerie Masten, the vice president for national sales at Skurnik Wines & Spirits; Tonya Pitts, sommelier and wine director, One Market; Esther Mobley, wine writer for The San Francisco Chronicle. We also had the chance to learn of important research affecting other aspects of women in this industry from UC Davis research associate Dr. Malcolm Hobbs.