Word on the Street: New wine company speaks to customers

Stephanie Fäsi has learned a thing or two about the wine industry. Her father, Ralph Fäsi, is owner of Fäsi Estate Winery in Friant, and she’s worked in public relations helping to promote the wine industry.

So when Fäsi and her future business partner, Kerry Sutherland, were brainstorming one day, they hit on an idea: why not create a wine label with thoughtful quotes or inspirational sayings. The wine would be an ideal gift for nearly occasion from graduations to bridal showers.

And with that Speak wines was born. The company has been in business for about a year. It is based in Southern California but has a warehouse in Fresno. Speak sells wine online in 21 states.

Among the sayings on its labels are: “Be Happy and Smile,” “The future is exciting” and “Just because xo xo.”

Fäsi said the company has gotten off to a fast start with national exposure from NBC’s Today show and InStyle magazine.

“This has been a huge learning experience for us,” Fäsi said. “And the wine has been well received.”

Speak’s Malbec wine is made from a robust red grape and crafted in Argentina. The company is working on releasing a white wine later this summer. Fäsi said she and Sutherland are also working on a new line of quotes and sayings.

“We have a long list of ideas that will resonate with different age groups and for different occasions,” Fäsi said.

Speak wines can be found online at http://speakwines.com/.

This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 8:51 PM with the headline "Word on the Street: New wine company speaks to customers."