S2 E15: Justine Osilla, winemaker, talks career choices, diversity in wine, and the best wines to pair with some of our favorite Asian dishes.

DESCRIPTION

Winemaker Justine Osilla walks us through the various career opportunities in wine, and how she is creating the support network and community of diverse wine professionals she wishes existed when she first started. If you've ever wondered what wine would pair well with sashimi, Vietnamese spring rolls, Mongolian beef, sinigang, adobo, or kare-kare, be sure to listen to the full episode.

GUEST BIO

Justine Osilla was raised by a traditional Filipino family that taught me their narrow definition of success—the one that implies you can only be happy, successful, and fulfilled if you’re a nurse, doctor, engineer, or lawyer. Little did they know, a different career would be calling for me.

As a daughter of a wine enthusiast, Justine frequently visited Napa and Paso Robles and started developing a palate at a young age. It was this interest that unanticipatedly turned into my career. My family thought wine was an unconventional path. “I’ve never seen a woman winemaker, let alone a Filipino winemaker,” her dad said. They came around because Justine was able to make them feel passionate by unashamedly sharing what she loves & being inclusive despite their doubts.

Justine has worked in the wine industry for over 6 years as a vineyard sugar tester, winemaking/harvest intern, hospitality, cellar worker, phenolics researcher, wholesale assistant, customer care representative, and social media marketing director. As Justine pursues her goal of having my own wine label this year, my mission is always to make wine education more accessible and advocate for women and diversity in wine.

Instagram

DEFINITIONS

• PA: physician's assistant
• Green card: U.S. permanent resident card.
• Cisgender or cis: a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex registered for them at birth; not transgender.

TAKEAWAYS

1. There are so many careers out there, we do not need to pick one and stick with it for life.
2. There are many professional groups that are now bringing about much needed diversity in the wine industry, but there's still a long way to go.
3. Organizing and advocating for yourselves can be a great way to both find community and advance your careers together.
4. Don't be afraid to experiment with business models, such as co-ops, that are more employee friendly.
5. We don't need "greencard jobs" if we're already here.

PS: If you enjoy this episode, you might also like S1 E6.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST: https://anchor.fm/nuances-podcast/support

CONTACT: Instagram | TikTok | Web | LinkedIn | Twitter

Hosts: Lazou & Ariadne Mila

--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nuancespod/support