Wine Can Make the World a Better Place

Inspiration can come in many forms. Yes, wine has some hedonistic values and you can seem to be inspired under its influence, but that's not what this story is about. This is about an amazing man named Vince Mulroy who has left us but still inspires me and many others.

I met Vince Mulroy about 10 years ago over a project when we consulted for several months about which wines to give an amazing and talented mutual friend for her 50th birthday. Over time, my husband and I became much better acquainted with Vince and his equally gracious wife, Anne. I was given the opportunity to help manage his personal wine cellar and grow our friendship. Vince was always there to make you laugh, mentor you if needed or just be present with you. You knew you were blessed when you received a random email from him where he was checking in with you. He had an incredible gift with the written word where his wit and intellect came off with ease and humbleness—a rare combination.

Vince worked tirelessly with a start-up non-profit group called Mama Hope. Mama Hope is an organization that's helping communities in Africa under the leadership of the Nyla Rogers (another amazing force of nature). As their website states: "We have a unique approach to development where we work directly with communities and take a consultative approach to help these organizations to implement sustainable projects which are then built, managed and maintained by the communities they serve. The rest of the development effort comes from the community itself - not a government, an agency, or a bureaucracy."

So what does Vince and Mama Hope have to do with wine? The answer comes from a new wine series called Rarecat Lionheart Sauvignon Blanc. John and Sharon Harris, owners of Rarecat Wines in Napa, were friends of Vince's and decided to start a new line that would benefit charities. As their website desribes the line: “Our Lionheart series is dedicated each year to a true rare cat, an individual who touches the lives of others, and supports the charity of their choice. Our inspiration and first honoree is Vincent Mulroy who was a great supporter of Mama Hope. A percentage of the profits from sales of this wine and from the release event will be donated to Mama Hope with the goal of raising $20,000 for a boarding school in rural Tanzania and for funding a new mentoring program.”

I know it sounds corny, but it's an amazing thing to see how one man’s spirit has impacted and moved people to make this world a better place. Of course, if Vince was here, he would be ever so humble and not want any credit. He would probably mutter something about why on earth would people listen to someone as deranged as him, but all the while everyone around him was the wiser.

I won’t be selling the Lionheart series on my website, as the profits need to go to Mama Hope. So if the spirit moves\ you, visit Rarecat’s website and just buy one bottle or donate directly to Mama Hope. The wine is stunning and of inspired complexity.

Mama Hope 

Rarecat Wines: Lionheart Series

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