Barrie Quan: Purity Wine

Ohlone, Miwok, Muwekma, Confederated Villages of Lisjan – Richmond, California, US

https://www.puritywine.net, @puritywine

After working for years in the restaurant industry, (Barrie as a Special Events Manager and Noel as a Server, Sommelier, and Wine Buyer), we decided that we wanted to start our own business to build upon our passion for hospitality, food, and wine.  After many long nights of discussing how to make the dream a reality, we started Purity Wine in 2013.  We both kept our full-time jobs while building the business, which started at a shared warehouse space on Treasure Island.  After outgrowing the shared space, we moved Purity to Richmond in 2017 and Noel transitioned to winemaking full-time.  When we decided to expand our DTC business, Barrie came on full time and we are a true mom-and-pop operation producing about 1800 cases per year.   We source fruit from all over Northern California from the Sierra Foothills to Mendocino and we work with a variety of grapes including Albarino, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Malbec, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel to name a few.  We continue to explore all the time and we're constantly blending grapes, vintages, and geographies.  We've always presented ourselves as natural winemakers, working with natural yeasts and bacteria and with sulfur addition being minimal or none when possible.  We also run our wine bar and bottle shop, The Study, where we host a bi-annual natural wine fair, By The Way, in addition to social gatherings, community events, music and comedy performances, and dance parties.  

Social Justice and Environmental Restoration Statement:

The name Purity came about as we sought to find a word that could easily communicate our ethos of the importance of ecology.  From day one, we have worked with farmers who are aligned with our beliefs including the importance of organic farming and paying everyone involved in their operation a sustainable living wage and treating them fairly and with respect.   We are proud to share our space with 16 small winemakers, known as the Richmond Wine Collective focusing on highlighting BIPOC and women.  The goal of the collective is to provide a safe space where everyone can learn from each other, share ideas and build community.