Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stephanie Franklin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Stephanie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana and raised in Houston, Texas. My love affair with wine started in 2000 and from there my passion grew! Over the years of working in corporate and the non-profit industries, I realized my passion was pulling me towards my purpose. I was challenged by a good friend to do what I love, and those words catapulted me into a new yet seeming familiar world.

On October 14, 2018, I enrolled in The Texas School of Wine and as I like to say, “The Vines Saved Me”. I started a wine blog on Instagram, Franklin Vines and in 2019 Franklin Vines was became a business. It seemed like the universe opened and presented new territories, opportunities.

After studying WSET 3, my purpose became clear, I wanted to plant a vineyard, become a winemaker and provide wine education. I knew this was a HUGE dream but somehow, I knew things would work out. Was I afraid? Absolutely. This was new territory for me, and I didn’t have a clue where to begin.

My first wine opportunity was a Wine Field Contributor in June 2019 through Jeremy Parzen, PHD. You may have read his amazing blog Dobianchi! I visited and profiled Slow Wineries in Sonoma. Talk about a GREAT first wine gig. It was a great experience. I will be forever grateful for that opportunity.

Opportunities started to flow in…..Troix Nois Wine in Napa reached out and I accepted a harvest/internship with them in August 2020. My hands on wine journey began. I was so excited, but nervous.  California at the time were going through fires and Houston was expecting 2 hurricanes Laura and Delta. I remember being torn whether I should go. People thought I was nuts for even considering going to Napa because of the fires. I went! It wasn’t your typical harvest experience. Everything in wine is not pretty and glamorous. I remember being in Napa and seeing ashes fall from the sky and smelling smoke. One morning I woke up and realized the sun wasn’t out. The sky was a dark burnt orange. I remember going to vineyards, selecting grapes and bringing them to the lab to be tested for smoke taint along with several other winemakers. I remember seeing several people in the wine industry rally around each offering support. I was thinking to myself, wow the Napa wine industry is truly a family. During it all, I received a call from my family in Houston stating Hurricane Delta destroyed my grandparents’ home in Lake Charles, LA, but everyone was okay. It was hurtful because that’s all we had to remember my grandparents. It was a sad time.

I assisted with crush equipment during harvest, monitored fermentation, monitored pump-overs/punch downs, assisted with yeast and nutrient additions, sampled vineyards to determine ripeness and smoke taint, assisted in general wine chemistry. I was thinking to myself……..I’m MAKING WINE YIKES! It was truly an unforgettable experience and I’m so happy I made the decision to go.

10 months later, I accepted an internship with Bending Branch Winery in Comfort, TX. But there’s a back story. A friend of mine reached out and asked how things were going for me in the wine industry. I said I would love an opportunity to shadow a winemaker. She advised me to reach out Dr. Bob Young of Bending Branch Winery. She said, he’s one of the leading winemakers in Texas and he makes their wine for the winery she worked at. I did my due diligence and started to research Bending Branch Winery. I was blown away by his story and knew I had to reach out to him on. I sent him a message on FB January 19, 2021, saying that I was an inspiring winemaker and I wanted to speak with him if he had time. We spoke that same day. He provided me with so much support. I was so excited and grateful that he took the time to speak with me indebt about wine.

January 29th I was invited out to the winery to explore a potential internship opportunity. I WAS STOKED! I visited the winery on February 25th. I met the amazing team, toured the winery, interviewed for the internship, and lastly tasted the amazing wine. I had to pinch myself thinking here we go on another amazing opportunity. Weeks later, I received a call/email stating I was selected for the internship. Not knowing this internship was going to change my life. I quickly made plans to find a place to live! I took a quick vacation to Florida and shortly after that I packed my bags, loaded my little car and I was off to Comfort, TX!

My first day of my harvest internship was July 9, 2021, almost a year from my internship in Napa. I experienced more that I could have ever imagined. I saw firsthand how wines were made. I remember being so eager when the trucks were in with bins of grapes. I capture everything by photo and video. I saw and tasted varietals I had never heard of before…Picpoul Blanc, Alicante Bouschet. Dr. Bob gave me the history of the varietals. I was amazed to see varietals such as Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah, and Barbera come through in Texas. I had no idea that Texas could grow those varietals. I was in the moment.

I learned how to operate a forklift, I wanted to experience everything! I operated press equipment, weighed grapes upon arrival, collected wine samples for analysis, assisted in general wine chemistry and the PUNCH DOWNS! That was a workout! I steamed barrels, pressure washed and sanitized equipment. There were long days and nights, but we all worked as a team to get the job done, to make the best possible Texas wine. I was living my dream. Winemaking is hard work, and that experience could have led me in a different direction but it didn’t. It left me hungry for more. My internship was soon coming to an end. October 14th was my last day. I cried of course. I packed up and headed back to Houston feeling lost and wondering what was next for me, not knowing I was going to be working remotely from Houston in Corporate Sales for Branch Winery 5 months later. I accepted that position in March 2022. I’m very proud to be in Corporate Sales for such an amazing winery.

I’m going to bring more diversity in the wine industry and make wine that’s approachable for everyone. I hope to inspire other women of color to DREAM BIG!

What’s next? I invite you to follow me to see how my wine journey plays out. Cheers!

Stephanie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My current full-time job is Corporate Sales for Bending Branch Winery. I’m working on having my first wines made and I couldn’t be more excited. I’m also doing research on land for my vineyard. Besides having a passion for studying wine, I also have a love for jazz and theater.

How did you build your audience on social media?

When I started a presence on social media, it was just for fun. When you start to build a following people look forward to what you post, which I’m so grateful for. I’ve learned to be intentional about what I post. Not that I have a huge following but i appreciate every single one. Being consistent is the key to gaining new followers. People want to know about wine, they are intrigued. Now i’m not only sharing information because its my passion, i’m sharing for my followers as well. Who knows i may inspire someone to go after a dream of their own.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

Wine was my side hustle. I was working a full time job while slanging wine on the side. :) I was laid off in October of 2020 due to COVID. My layoff allowed me to go full speed in the wine industry. Although Franklin Vines is not a full time business yet, i’m well on my way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://franklinvineshtx.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franklin_vines/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranklinVines2020
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-franklin-70002373/
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/franklinvines_
• Other: TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@franklinvines