We sat down with our incredible founders, Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power, to chat about clean, delicious wine and what makes Avaline, well, Avaline— from organic grapes to our commitment to transparency. Pour a glass and get ready to dive in!

Cameron Diaz: When I was in my 20s, I had a really unique experience where I got to taste some amazing wine. Having the opportunity to hear from experts and drink some delicious wine gave me a whole new appreciation for it. 

Fast forward to a few years ago, my good friend Katherine Power and I were catching up over a glass— as the wine started to flow, so did our conversation about it. We kind of had that moment where we were like, “God we love wine — what’s in it?” Can we really drink this? How can we drink more of it? We started asking questions about our wine; which is so crazy because I had never done that before. I kind of just assumed that it was fermented grapes. 

Katherine Power: We ask questions about everything else in our lives— Whether that’s our makeup products, skincare products, or the food we consume daily, we’re pushing for a way of living that is all things clean and organic. It never occurred to us that wine wouldn’t fall under this category. We were shocked to learn the ingredients that were added and the lack of transparency. The journey to learning more about the winemaking process and how to make clean, delicious wine led us to create Avaline.

Cameron Diaz: It’s hard to believe that we’ve been on this journey for three years! When we first set off in our research, I assumed all wine was made from organic grapes. It never occurred to me that wine could be made from anything other than a beautiful grape, but then we realized that there is in fact commercial farming in every category and no exception with wine.

One of the bigger surprises for us is that wine isn’t vegan. Who would have ever thought that an animal by-product could be used in the process of making wine? 

Katherine Power: I completely changed what I drank when I learned that concentrates and colorants were used in conventional winemaking, opting for wines made with organic grapes or more natural wines instead of the brands I used to buy at the grocery store. What was even more shocking is that the majority of US vineyards farm with harsh chemical pesticides. 

Cameron Diaz: Learning that not all wine is vegan really opened my eyes to the lack of transparency in the industry. The wine industry has somehow gotten away with not having to be transparent or disclose what’s in the bottle. A lot of people might not care if animal by-products are used in the making of the wine, but we believe the consumer should be aware of that step so that they can make that decision for themselves. 

Katherine Powers: I know a lot of people that are vegan, and they were shocked when I told them that not all wine is vegan friendly. The demand for more transparency between brands and the consumer has only gotten louder over the years. We wanted our community to know that your well-being matters to us, and we want you to know exactly what is in your products (wine or otherwise).

Cameron Diaz: The wine industry allows over 70 ingredients or additives to be added to a bottle, without disclosing any of them to the drinker. So we have quite the long list of “no’s.”  For Avaline, it’s pretty simple, our grapes are never treated with harsh chemical pesticides, we never use animal by-products, and we never add colors, concentrates or unnecessary sugars.

Katherine Powers: I’ve had so many friends say that they love that Avaline wines are low sugar. I think having the serving facts on our bottle for our community matters as much as ingredient transparency. We also wanted to share that transparency on our website, so that the information is easily accessible.

Cameron Diaz: It was really important to us to find vineyards that are generational and practice organic farming. Commercial farming adds a bunch of toxins and chemicals into the waterways and soil that leave a negative impact on our environment. I really appreciate all of the labeling and growth that has happened in the last 15-20 years within the organic space because I can tell a big difference between eating organic and non-organic foods. When creating Avaline, it was important to both Katherine and I to create a wine that is made with organic grapes and clearly states the ingredients, while being accessible to everyone but remaining completely organic.

Katherine Power: We wanted to create easy to drink, delicious wines that are made with organic grapes, are vegan-friendly, and are free from all of the unwanted extras, packaged in a bottle that’s easy to understand.

Cameron Diaz: I’ll just say this. Avaline Red is one of my favorites but it’s like choosing your favorite child. I love them all the same.

Katherine Power: The White blend is so crisp which I love, but our Rosé is truly the best I’ve ever had.