Two Hudson Valley Women on Solid Ground with Wine Brand

    POUGHKEEPSIE, NY, August 19, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Five years ago, two women from the Hudson Valley decided to go for it and launch a wine brand. When Keryl Pesce, author of Happy Bitch, teamed up with Debbie Gioquindo, wine educator and blogger known as the Hudson Valley Wine Goddess to launch Happy Bitch Wines, they knew the odds were against them. With an estimated 15,000 wine SKU's available in the United States alone and an 80% likelihood of a business failing in the first 18 months (according to Bloomberg,) the chances of getting noticed and surviving were slim.

"Once we talked, I don't think NOT doing it was an option," says Gioquindo. "We knew it was risky, but we both agreed we'd rather go for it than forever think we should have tried."

And getting noticed, they have. With mentions in Bloomberg.com, The New York Times, CBS Money Watch and the Boston Globe (to name a few,) the two have made some noise. Most recently, Happy Bitch Wines kept company with the likes of behemoth wine brands geared toward women such as Skinnygirl and Little Black Dress in an in-depth article on marketing wine to women in the largest industry trade magazine, Beverage Media.

Will Happy Bitch ever become a major wine brand? That remains to be seen. "If we can remain true to what we stand for, (living life to the fullest, enjoying every moment and choosing happiness as a way of life,) and do that? We're in for the ride," says Pesce. "But we won't grow at the expense of what we stand for. It would be a complete contradiction, and that's something we simply won't do."

The two were profitable in their second year and to date have not taken on any outside investors. There's something to be said for being small. Their wine is distributed currently only in New York and Arizona.

Steady as she goes for Happy Bitch Wines. The first two accounts they landed, Arlington Wine and Liquor in Poughkeepsie and Viscount Wine and Liquor in Wappinger Falls, are still with them. Even local restaurants are part of their story and success. Stop by The Ice House in Poughkeepsie or Double O Grill in Wappinger Falls, and you'll find their wine on the menu.

With nation-wide wine brands geared toward women such as Butterfly Kiss and Be having "petered out" (according to Beverage Media,) the small, privately held, woman-owned and profitable business remains on solid ground.

"We have a lot to be proud of," says Gioquindo.

For more on the Happy Bitch Wines story and for a list of stores were you can purchase their wine and support their efforts, visit www.happybitchwines.com.

Follow Happy Bitch Wines on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Social media, in particular, Twitter, led to the creation of the wine. When Keryl Pesce, author of Happy Bitch, tweeted about possibly creating a Happy Bitch wine, Debbie Gioquindo, Hudson Valley Wine Goddess, tweeted back that she should make it a Hudson Valley Wine. No surprise, as Debbie's blog educates readers about wine with a focus on the Hudson Valley region. The two agreed to meet, not realizing that a tweet and a cup of coffee were actually a partnership in the making.

Keryl is in the business of happy. Debbie is in the business of wine and marketing. Put the two together and you've got a force to be reckoned with - a perfect "blend" (OK, pun intended) to create a fun wine geared toward women.

We will deliver more than a great tasting wine. Happy Bitch Wines is not just about wine, it's about lifestyle. Our image will be one of living life to the fullest starting right now, enjoying every moment, and choosing happiness as a way of life.

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