Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Bernard
Hi Kristin, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Many people want to know how I got in the wine industry. My actual wine journey began many years ago. My husband, Andy, and I have been married 27 years and dating for 28. When Andy and I were a young married couple with young children, we didn’t have the means to have many date nights or travel. When we would go on dates, I would order a glass of wine and Andy would order a soft drink. Andy will tell you he wanted to be a better date, so he bought a book to learn more about wine. This became our weekly date night. We would research a new wine and a food pairing. We would put the kids to bed early, create a meal, and enjoy a new bottle of wine from a different part of the world. We began to learn and “travel the world” through wine. When I created Côtes de Femme, I wanted to create a wine brand that is more than a beverage… It is an experience. Life should be celebrated, or as we say, “Live Extra”!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We are having the time of our life! And this is the hardest thing we have ever taken on! We get to be a part of some of the happiest times of people’s lives. We are also averaging about 1,500 miles per week driving on the road. To date, we are self-funded, which means that we have only relied upon what funds that Andy and I can inject into our business. Now, operating our business into its 5th year with national distribution, we are not able to keep up with the demand. The demand for trade marketing, consumer marketing, and additional wine production is challenging for us to sustain growth. For over a year, we have been on the search for the right capital investment partners that will transform our business into the successful powerhouse that we know it will become, capitalizing on our incredible momentum. Until then, we enjoy the hard work, the travel, the grind, and toasting to new friends in so many new cities and countries. We knew it was not going to be a smooth road, we did not expect one. This is our dream coming true each day with just a little hard work.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When I founded Côtes de Femme in August of 2019, as a Certified Woman-Owned wine brand, I wanted to create a product that empowered and uplifted all women. Côtes de Femme translates from French to English “sides of woman”, representing the many shapes, curves, tones, and types of women. What makes us the most unique is or one-of-a-kind packaging. Every bottle of Côtes de Femme comes with our patented signature BLING that is meant to be removed and used to decorate your stemware. Currently, no other wine brand is Certified Woman Owned, Award Winning, Purpose Driven, Bringing award winning wines from the best wine regions of the world in patented packaging. We currently offer 2 award-winning varietals. Our Rosé from Côtes de Provence France earned Best of Show at New Orleans Wine and Food Tournament of Rosés 2 years in a row, beating the biggest and well-funded rosé brands in the industry! Our Rosé has also received a score of 95 points when earning a Double Gold from American Fine Wine Competition. Our Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon scored 94 Points and a Gold Medal from USA Wine Ratings.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Owning a small business means wearing all the hats. We self-perform most of the day to day operations of our business. I currently handle all the branding, marketing, and social media. I want our message to convey that wine is diverse and wine is for everyone. As our name Côtes de Femme represents, “the many shapes, curves, tones, and types of women”, it also represents ALL people. I want our social media to put a smile on your face each day. I want you to look at our pictures and say, “I want to drink wine with those people!” You will begin to notice our pictures are of REAL people. Most are our friends and family. One of the best compliments I have ever gotten on our social media is when people say, “I love looking at your social media, because unlike other brands, I actually see people that look like me!” Everyone deserves to LIVE EXTRA!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cotesdefemme.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cotesdefemme/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CotesdeFemme/
