women in wine: kristen rogers
When you pull into Cape Vineyards, you just know you’re about to experience something special. The animals greet you right away and Kristen Rogers, winemaker and co-owner of Cape Vineyards, puts her love of farming and the animals above all else. The result is natural wine that allows the soil and the grapes to speak for themselves.
Kristen may be shy when it comes to promoting the wines coming out of her winery, so allow us to do it for her — they are exceptional, with one-of-a-kind projects like Pinotage and White Cab Franc, to the wines the PEC region has become known for like Chardonnay. She rarely goes into harvest with a set plan and prides herself on tasting each variety in order to guide her to the final outcome. Her goal at the end of each harvest? To make wine that she wants to drink and would share with family and friends.
HTB: Is there a moment you remember when you knew you wanted to pursue working in the wine industry?
KR: Not really, it was more fulfilling a promise I made to my partner Mike, and my love of farming that got me here.
HTB: What was your first experience working in the wine industry and how did you end up a winemaker
KR: It all started in the fields, planting vineyards when I was 12. I grew up on a farm here in the County and it taught me hard work and determination. I ended up a winemaker by happy accident. My partner Mike had the passion and training, but also a full-time job 200km from our winery. In the beginning he made the wine while I assisted and did the vineyard work, but over the years I’ve taken on more and more responsibility — wines and vines have their own schedule and that didn’t work with Mike coming back and forth. Next thing I knew I was making all of the wines!
“I grew up on a farm here in the County and it taught me hard work and determination. I ended up a winemaker by happy accident.”
HTB: What brought you to Prince Edward County?
KR: My family came to PEC after the American Revolution.
HTB: What do you think makes Prince Edward County so unique in the world of wine?
KR: Simple. Our beautiful soil.
HTB: What is the most rewarding part about being a winemaker?
KR: Farming and the ability to take my harvest and turn it into something I love to drink.
HTB: What is the most challenging part about being a winemaker?
KR: Organic biodynamic farming and natural winemaking is challenging, Mother Nature throws a lot of curveballs at you, but I love it. I find the most challenging part is the never-ending paperwork and media/social networking — I’m incredibly shy and prefer to be in the cellar or fields with my vines and animals.
HTB: Can you describe your winemaking style in three words or less?
KR: Natural, rebellious, alive.
“Keep true to yourself, work your butt off doing what you love and don’t pay attention to anything else!”
HTB: Do you have any mentors you look up to in the wine industry, or otherwise?
KR: Yes! Sandra Oldfield, for too many reasons to list — she’s incredible! Brian Schmidt — he makes excellent wines, and gives back to his community in Niagara and afar, both in the wine world and his humanitarian efforts in Haiti! Ken Yee — he works for Scott Labs and is one of my all time favourite industry people to talk to. I have no formal winemaking training, so he’s great to bounce ideas off of and always gives me his honest professional opinion.
HTB: Why do you think women are underrepresented in wine? What do you think needs to change to make space for women to enter this industry?
KR: There are good and bad people in every industry. While establishing Cape I had male winemakers and industry people that were disrespectful, calling me “sweetie” or “girl”, refusing to learn or call me by name. They would ask if my partner made that particular wine they were enjoying, telling me to hire men to work the vineyard etc. it was never-ending. You have to tell them to f*** off! Keep true to yourself, work your butt off doing what you love and don’t pay attention to anything else!!!
HTB: Do you have any tips or advice for women looking to get into the industry?
KR: Like with anything in life — work hard, stay focused on your goals, don’t compare yourself to others and go after your dreams!!!
