Kristen Talley: Terra Firma Wine Co.

Ohlone, Muwekma (Ohlone), and Chochenyo (Ohlone) land - Oakland, California

www.terrafirmawineco.com, @terrafirmawine, FB: @terrafirmawineco

Terra Firma was founded in 2003; Kristen has managed its finances and operations since 2006 as an owner and equal partner alongside Ted, her husband of 24 years. She has a BA in French from UC Santa Barbara which she has happily put to use in her communications with francophone colleagues, and this year began taking lessons to learn Italian. Kristen and Ted are proud parents to Olivia, 23, who graduated last year from UCSB and is now working in climate change mitigation; and Kevin, 21, who is working at an aerospace engineering design company while he seeks a degree in that field.

Terra Firma was a distributor for its first fifteen years; in 2019 Kristen and Ted relaunched it as a direct importer of natural wines from France and Italy (several of the suppliers in Terra Firma’s portfolio are being imported to the US for the first time). The focus is on organic and biodynamic farming, low (to no) sulfur additions, and minimal cellar intervention, including the use of indigenous yeasts.

Social Justice and Environmental Restoration Statement

Terra Firma works with suppliers who are committed to healthy and sustainable farming practices, promoting small-scale farmers who use organic and biodynamic methods and prioritize biodiversity over profit margins. Approximately one-fourth of the wineries in the portfolio are owned and/or operated by women. Terra Firma celebrates the progress toward diversity and inclusion in the wine industry while recognizing that there is much more work to be done, especially when it comes to leadership roles, which are still grossly underrepresented by women and BIPOC as well as those in the LGBTQ+ community.