How Do You Create A Successful International Wine Brand? Nam Stanley Tells The Story of Solicantus

Natalie MacLean
Jan21st

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Introduction

What goes into creating a successful international wine brand that tells a story before the bottle is even opened? What does it look like to build a young wine brand vintage by vintage? What makes Bordeaux such a hard place to break into as an outsider?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Namratha Stanley, author of the new memoir Vineyard Melody.

You can find the wines we discussed here.

 

Giveaway

Three of you are going to win a copy of Namratha Stanley’s terrific new book, Vineyard Melody: How One Woman Rebuilt Her Life, One Grape At A Time.

 

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To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast.

It takes less than 30 seconds: On your phone, scroll to the bottom here, where the reviews are, and click on “Tap to Rate.”

After that, scroll down a tiny bit more and click on “Write a Review.” That’s it!

I’ll choose three people randomly from those who contact me.

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Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wednesday at 7 pm eastern on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video.

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Highlights

  • What was it like arriving alone in rural Margaux for an internship?
  • What made Namratha push through fear, exhaustion, and the pressure of a visa dependent on work?
  • Why is the French concept of terroir so powerful in understanding the connection between place, identity, and wine?
  • Why did Namratha make the decision to build her own wine brand instead of becoming an agent for existing wineries?
  • How did the name and branding for Solicantus come together, and what influenced these choices?
  • How did a single LinkedIn message lead to Solicantus wines being listed with the LCBO in Canada?
  • What did the first international sale feel like after years of uncertainty and effort?
  • Why is Namratha passionate about building philanthropy into her wine and book business?
  • How did reuniting with her daughter in France mark a turning point for Namratha?

 

Key Takeaways

  • What goes into creating a successful international wine brand that tells a story before the bottle is even opened?
    • As every branding student, I had learned single-word brands do really well. I went through four months of figuring out what the brand would look like, what the brand name would be. So I chose Latin. In Latin, soli means soil, cantus means melody. And it just made sense because it’s the joy of the soil in the bottle. It the eureka moment, I wanted my brand to speak to people, to be eye-catching, and to tell a story. And as an Indian, we always wear colors. I did an extensive search of what people would like to see as color on brands, and I was going with elegance and sophistication and black, reds, golden, grays are what really popped out and what consumers would probably go for.
  • What does it look like to build a young wine brand vintage by vintage?
    • I started with the 2018 wine brand and then moved on to creating 19, 20… 21 I skipped because it was not a great vintage. And then we have 22 now. So I’m really, really happy with how the wine tastes. And a lot of people ask me, “Would you move to sourcing wine from a different winery, or making wine in a different winery?” And I said, I love this wine, and I cannot sell anything that I don’t love. So I would definitely continue with this wine.
  • What makes Bordeaux such a hard place to break into as an outsider?
    • What I experienced in Bordeaux was that a lot of wineries have their own agents. in each country representing your wine brand. So when I tried to become an agent for these wine brands the margin for me to become an agent was really small. And, one evening… I was explaining that I’m making this brand for this client. And he said, it’s a pity that I thought you were making it for yourself. That’s when that light bulb clicked and I said, maybe, you know, I’d be solving my problem. If I had my own brand, I would have more control on it. I would be able to sell this brand without encountering challenges in every country. I could be my own agent.

 

About Namratha Stanley

Namratha Stanley is the debut author of Vineyard Melody, a memoir chronicling her personal and professional transformation. Once confined to a patriarchal household in India, where she was barred from working, she broke free from marital violence and moved to France in 2017 to pursue a Wine MBA. She went on to found Wine Equation, a Bordeaux-based wine merchant company, and created Solicantus, her signature wine brand now distributed in five countries. Today, she serves as Program Director at INSEEC (Omnes), mentors women and students, and donates part of her wine sales to support children’s education in India. Her journey—from traditional housewife to entrepreneur—has been featured in Forbes, Decanter and many other magazines. Namratha lives in France with her daughter and two cats, continuing to write and grow her wine business.

 

Resources

 

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  • The new audio edition of Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass is now available on Amazon.ca, Amazon.com and other country-specific Amazon sites; iTunes.ca, iTunes.com and other country-specific iTunes sites; Audible.ca and Audible.com.

 

Transcript

Natalie MacLean 00:00:01 What goes into creating a successful international wine brand that tells a story before the bottle is even opened? What does it look like to build a young wine brand vintage by Vintage? And what makes Bordeaux such a hard place to break into? As an outsider to the wine world. In today’s episode, you’ll hear the stories and tips that answer those questions in part two of our chat with Namrata Stanley, author of the new memoir vineyard Melody. You don’t need to have listened to part one from last week first, but if you missed it, go back and take a listen after you hear this one. By the end of our conversation, you’ll also discover what it was like arriving alone in rural Margaux for an internship. What pushed Nam to persevere through fear, exhaustion, and the pressure to find work because her visa depended on it? Why? The French concept of terroir is so powerful in understanding the connection between place, identity and wine. How a single LinkedIn message led her wines to being listed with the Lcbo.

Natalie MacLean 00:01:09 What the first international sale felt like after years of uncertainty and effort. Why? Nam is passionate about building philanthropy into her wine and book business, and how reuniting with her daughter in France marked a major turning point in her life and journey.

Natalie MacLean 00:01:32 Do you have a thirst to learn about wine? Do you love stories about wonderfully obsessive people, hauntingly beautiful places, and amusingly awkward social situations? Well, that’s the blend here. On the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast. I’m your host, Natalie MacLean, and each week I share with you unfiltered conversations with celebrities in the wine world, as well as confessions from my own tipsy journey as I write my third book on this subject. I’m so glad you’re here. Now pass me that bottle, please, and let’s get started.

Natalie MacLean 00:02:14 Welcome to episode 373.

Natalie MacLean 00:02:17 So what is new.

Natalie MacLean 00:02:19 In the wine world this week? Well, in Ontario early January chatter is also spilling into two lanes. Value hunting for everyday bottles. Hello. Back to routine reds and whites and small treat yourself splurges in limited drops.

Natalie MacLean 00:02:36 In Atlantic Canada, there has been brisk practical buying as provinces sell through US brand inventory, they’re donating the profits to charity. This is the American wine and spirits that’s been sitting in storage for almost a year. And it’s creating a specific kind of scarcity not nothing to drink, but where is that one thing my brother likes? And why is it suddenly gone? At West, British Columbia’s retail landscape is leaning heavily into mindful drinking, reporting a massive restocking of low and no alcohol options to meet a record breaking dry January demand. The US wine industry is breathing a sigh of relief as the government released the 2025 to 2030 dietary guidelines this week, encouraging Americans to drink in moderation but notably declining to set specific limits on how many drinks that actually means. After months of speculation that stricter recommendations were coming. The vague guidance feels like a reprieve, though don’t celebrate too hard just yet. Looming tariffs of 15 to 30% on European wines could push that $30 bottle of Burgundy you love to 45 by summer. Back to good news.

Natalie MacLean 00:03:54 Ravenswood rises from the dead in one of 2020 five’s feelgood stories. The iconic Zinfandel producer Ravenswood, which had essentially gone dormant after Constellation Brands acquired it and then sidelined it, is returning. So that’s great news for fans of bold old vine skins. I interviewed the long term winemaker there, Joel Peterson, on the podcast. He’s full of wit and wisdom. Go back and take a listen if you missed it. It’s episode 104. And by the way, California has just had its smallest harvest in 20 years. In a year when consumers could find incredible deals due to surplus production, California growers have just reported their lowest grape yields in two decades. The surplus glut of prior years is thinning, though demand still remains softer than usual. For bargain hunters, this may be the last gasp of really good, inexpensive California wine before prices stabilize. Looking ahead at this week’s celebrations. January 21st is National Granola Bar Day, so pair those chewy oat bars with an off dry Riesling or a nutty Amontillado style sherry, and then pick a winner.

Natalie MacLean 00:05:08 January 22nd is National Hot Sauce Day. It’s also Blonde Brownie day and Southern Food Day. Very busy day for us, which basically is permission to run a heat ladder at home. Start with mild wings and a crisp lager and end with brave sauce, hot sauce and something lightly sweet like a Gewirtz demeanor. January 23rd is National Pie Day. Why not pair a creamy slice of apple pie with a late harvest Riesling or ice wine? January 24th brings us Lobster Thermidor Day and National Peanut Butter Day. Perhaps definitely not at the same meal, though. That off dry coverts demeanor handles both surprisingly well. January 25th is Irish Coffee Day, perfect for those of you who have been abstaining all month and want to ease back in with some whiskey, coffee and cream and sugar in one glorious glass. Robbie Burns Day or Burns Night is also January 25th and it celebrates Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. 1759 to 1796 with traditional feasts, especially haggis, nips and tatties, whisky, poetry readings, music, Highland dancing.

Natalie MacLean 00:06:20 Yes, that was me as a child and toasts to his legacy, honoring his influence on Scottish culture and language, his most famous poem being Auld Lang Syne. It’s now one of the most widely sung songs in the English language every New Year’s, but my favourite is and I will not do it in Scottish. Don’t worry, some have meat and cannot eat, and some would eat but have none. But we have meat and we can eat, so let the Lord be. Thank it. So celebrate with Scotch or a Bobby Burns cocktail, and I never realized that January 25th celebrates both my ancestors. Scottish, of course, as a McLean. My mother was a MacDonald and Irish for my grandmothers who were Brophy and Bryden. January 27th is both Chocolate Cake Day and International Port Wine Day, a pairing so perfect it practically plans itself. Try a tawny port with flourless chocolate cake, or lean in with a vintage port and a molten lava cake. Your taste buds will thank you even if your waistline does not.

Natalie MacLean 00:07:26 But hey, we’re not thinking about that right now. 2026 also marks the 50th anniversary of the Judgement of Paris. This is the year wine lovers will celebrate the half century mark. Since the 1976 blind tasting in Paris that shocked the world. French judges ranked California wines and Napa Chardonnay and Cabernet above their prestigious French competitors. The event, covered by journalist George Taber in Time magazine, changed the global wine industry forever. Expect commemorative events, tastings and lots of Napa Valley victory laps and something to make you smile. Or at least say The corkscrew was originally a gun accessory. Popular science magazine ran a fascinating piece this week on the origins of the humble corkscrew, revealing it descends directly from the gun worm, a small metal spiral that soldiers used in the 1630s to twist out unspent charges out of musket barrels. Somewhere along the way, someone realized the same tool worked beautifully on stuck wine corks. Even today, the spiral part of your wine opener is still called the worm. A new Italian wine project called flowers is making waves by using chestnut flower extract instead of traditional chemical sulfites to preserve Sangiovese, promising a totally natural floral shield for your wine.

Natalie MacLean 00:09:01 The Vatican drinks more wine per capita than anywhere on Earth. God bless them, according to multiple sources. Vatican City residents consume about 74l of wine per person a year. Portugal comes in second. Paper wine bottles are going mainstream. The Frugal Bottle, a rigid cardboard shell with a bag and box liner, has an 84% lower carbon footprint than glass and is now stocking shelves at major retailers, including target for wines meant to be consumed within 48 hours which, let’s be honest, is most wine. Do you really need a glass vessel that will outlive your grandchildren? I don’t think so. Wasps are the secret heroes of winemaking. Yes, and here’s something to make you reconsider swatting that wasp at your next picnic. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, essential for fermentation, grows on vineyard grapes in the summer but would die off in the winter cold, except wasps eat the grapes, ingest the yeast, and keep it alive in their stomachs through the frosty months when they feed their larvae. They pass the fungus on, and the next generation reintroduces it into the vineyards in spring.

Natalie MacLean 00:10:18 No wasps, no wine. Tannins literally dry out your mouth, but science finally knows why. Researchers recently discovered that red wines astringent, lip puckering sensation comes from tannins acting like tiny shields on the aquaporin channels in your tongue and salivary glands. These channels usually let water flow in and out freely, but tannins block them, letting water exit while preventing it from entering. That’s the drying sensation you taste. Mystery solved. And now you have a fun fact for your next dinner party. And if your guests are still listening, here’s one more curious thing for you that dry, mouth puckering feeling you get from a big Cabernet. It turns out tannins also bind to proteins in your saliva, forming complexes that literally make your mouth produce less lubrication. So it’s a two factor thing going on here because they’re sucking up all the saliva. Your brain interprets this as dry even though you’re drinking a liquid. And that, my friend, is why fatty foods like cheese works so beautifully with tannic reds. The fat coats your mouth and blocks the tannins from binding with your saliva, letting you taste the fruit instead of just the pucker.

Natalie MacLean 00:11:45 I’m sharing more sips and tips on Instagram at Natalie MacLean wine. So join me there for more of the weird and wonderful. Back to today’s episode. Three of you will win a copy of Nam’s new memoir. If you’d like to win, just email me and let me know. It doesn’t matter where you live, and I’ll choose three winners randomly from those who contact me at Nathalie at Natalie MacLean. Com. On upcoming TV shows, we’ll be chatting about fresh spring wines in March, Saint Patrick’s Day beer, spirits and wine and environmentally sustainable drinks for Earth. Our Easter and Mother’s Day. Let me know if you’d like your brand featured on these TV segments or future ones, or if you would like to advertise with us through our podcast, newsletter, website, social media or mobile apps. Email me at Nathalie at Natalie MacLean dot com. If you’re reading the paperback or e-book or listening to the audiobook of my memoir, Wine Witch on Fire Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, defamation and Drinking Too Much, a national bestseller and one of Amazon’s best books of the year.

Natalie MacLean 00:12:49 I’d love to hear from you at Natalie at Natalie MacLean dot com. I’ll put a link in the show notes to all retailers worldwide at Natalie MacLean. Com 4373. Okay, on with the show. You wrote about driving around in a weathered white Renault Kangoo that smelled of diesel and old, uprooted vines and vineyard equipment. What did that feel like? You’re driving around the, I think, the Margaux region.

Namratha Stanley 00:13:19 Yes. That’s right. So I had landed an internship in the middle of Margo, and I was so tired that day. And I remember trying to hitchhike and get a taxi, but I couldn’t find it. The whole lot of adventures that day. So I was exhausted by the evening. But I had to feed myself. So they had given me the keys to this car, old Renault Congo. I remember taking that car and feeling a little worried. Of course I have driven in India. I used to drive a lot, but I have never driven in a foreign country. It was my first time.

Namratha Stanley 00:13:53 So I take the car keys and I find it a little weird because, you know, the driving seat is on the other side and I start driving. I get out of the gate and I am on the wrong side of the roads. I see this car coming right at me and he’s screaming profanities at me. And you know, it initially didn’t strike me. And then the second car, when it started coming towards me, that’s when I realized, oh my God, I’m on the wrong side of the road. I need.

Natalie MacLean 00:14:22 To.

Namratha Stanley 00:14:23 Switch.

Natalie MacLean 00:14:26 I know, yeah.

Namratha Stanley 00:14:29 I.

Natalie MacLean 00:14:29 Was riding around in Bordeaux. It was the wrong side for me too. And this was before, probably, as with you, the days before GPS. So I’ve got this map all spread out between my seat, the driver’s seat and the passenger, and trying to figure out it’s like Crazy trying to figure out my way out of Paris and into Bordeaux. But yeah, I feel for you. So you mentioned this.

Natalie MacLean 00:14:53 You landed an internship at Chateau Serra in Margaux as part of your MBA work study program. And you write about 90 hectares of peace that gave you back a sense of normality. Paints a picture of what that looked like and how you felt.

Namratha Stanley 00:15:09 I felt peace and I was scared.

Natalie MacLean 00:15:13 What were you scared of?

Namratha Stanley 00:15:14 The 88 hectares actually consisted of woods. It consisted of a river, you know, a lot of wines. And there was this church and there was a cemetery beyond all of this. The castle, of course, and the little outhouse that I was living in during the day. It was beautiful. There were people around. People were coming from all parts of the world. It was beautiful. I used to watch the sunset. I go into the vineyards and watch the sunset, which was so healing. But then I would go back into the house, which was so calm. I was the only person there in the evenings that got really, really dark. And they had these statues with spotlights beneath it.

Namratha Stanley 00:16:00 And, you know, you peep out of the window. It’s it’s dark, but with these statues the face is highlighted. And it was really scary. I think I took a few months, a few months to really settle down there.

Natalie MacLean 00:16:15 Yeah. Because, you know, you write about your first night there, you hear it clattering on the rooftop and then see two glinting eyes staring back at you. What was that?

Namratha Stanley 00:16:26 So the first night, to make it even worse, I’m sitting over there and I’m trying to entertain myself playing music and this and that. And at some point, you know, I knew I had to go to bed because the next day I had work, sit in bed, cover myself, and I’m sitting there and thinking, I’m going to fall asleep soon. But then I see this bat that’s hanging upside down near the window and, you know, staring right at me. And I was petrified. And I hear this sound on the on the roof. I was even more scared.

Namratha Stanley 00:17:01 And I was like, why the hell would I choose to come to the countryside? I’m telling myself, then, of course, you know, I, I thought the next day, morning I’m going to wake up and I’m going to excuse myself. I’m going to leave. But then actually, when it’s sunk in the next day, I was feeling like, you know, I can’t do this. I had a lot at stake. I needed to prove myself. I needed to be here. Especially because getting an internship in Bordeaux as a foreigner, and especially as an Indian, was really, really hard. At that time, not many people had landed internships, so I was one of the lucky ones to have got this job and you know, it was that or the unknown after.

Natalie MacLean 00:17:46 Because your visa depends on you working. And Chateau Serena, for anyone who’s not familiar, is a very prestigious chateau in Bordeaux. So that would have been a great training experience. You write about terroir being by far the sexiest word I have heard from a French man’s mouth.

Natalie MacLean 00:18:03 What was it about that concept of terroir or the word that captivated you?

Namratha Stanley 00:18:08 I think when you listen to it from a French person’s mouth, you, they, they roll those R’s and it’s really a sexy word. But I think that it’s also the identity of a place as a whole that gives the wine that charm. It’s not just the climate, it’s the soil, it’s the hands of the winemaker. And I think it’s just the only word in the world that exists like this.

Natalie MacLean 00:18:36 Yeah, absolutely. And then you write that wine changed you entirely. So what part of of yourself did wine give back to you, if that’s the correct way to word it?

Namratha Stanley 00:18:47 I think wine for me was knowledge and it gave me confidence. Confidence that I didn’t have before. Wine and French both gave me confidence to be able to speak and explain wine and taste wine and talk about wine in a different language. I think those were two amazing skills that I had acquired, and that gave me the confidence of being amongst people and talking.

Natalie MacLean 00:19:17 I see another parallel to I always thought I’d love to be a writer, but I could never earn a living at it. But once I had that sort of knowledge of wine that gave me the confidence to like, pitch magazines and newspapers, I would have never done it otherwise. So it was a hook? Yeah. No, but I feel for what you’re you’re going through. It’s very resonant. So after finishing your MBA, you applied to over 100 wineries in negotiation for a full time, permanent job and didn’t receive a single interview. How did you feel? Especially since your visa depended on this?

Namratha Stanley 00:19:50 Yeah, it was really tough. That was I was prepared for both. I sent out a lot of my resumes, especially. I spent time tailor making the resume for each job. It was time wasted, right? When you didn’t have that time, you you’d rather do something else with it. But I always had a plan B, so when in Chateau Sierra, I had decided if I do not get a job, I would get into doing business.

Namratha Stanley 00:20:23 And my sister’s husband, who’s my brother in law, he was a financial advisor and I was at 37 at that time. So he told me that, you know, if you don’t get a job, just dive into becoming an entrepreneur. You know, you have the capability. I was like, I don’t have the capability. But, you know, he gave me all the confidence. He said, he’s gonna help me. He did help me a lot.

Natalie MacLean 00:20:46 And was that when you started formulating a plan to create your own brand? Was it at that point?

Namratha Stanley 00:20:52 This was in 2000. 18. 19. And I was actually focusing on giving more services. But when I realized that, you know, I could launch a brand and do everything myself, and I had a client whom I was working for, he was an Indian living in London, and he wanted a wine brand. So this was about 2019. And by then I had met Corinne, of course, but I never thought.

Natalie MacLean 00:21:21 Where was she from? Corinne.

Namratha Stanley 00:21:22 Corinne is from Bly, the region of Bly in Bordeaux. So I met her and we really got along well. So I had the knowledge of creating a wine brand, so I just dived into it.

Natalie MacLean 00:21:38 Wow. And so what gave you the idea? Like getting confidence, some encouragement from relatives. But what made you move forward with it? Just because you had to do something kind of thing? Or. Or was it in part the man you are working with as well?

Namratha Stanley 00:21:53 Not really, because what I experienced in Bordeaux was that a lot of wineries have their own agents. You have a brine brand. You have an agent in a each country representing your wine brand. So when I try to give services and try to become an agent for these wine brands and most of the wine brands that I thought I would work with already had agents representing them in different countries. So the margin for me to become an agent was really small. And one evening I was speaking to a friend of mine and I was explaining that I’m making this brand for this gentleman.

Namratha Stanley 00:22:29 And he said, it’s a pity that I thought you were making it for yourself. And that’s when that light bulb clicked and I said, oh my God. Maybe, maybe, you know, I’d be solving my problem. If I had my own brand, I would have more control on it. I would be able to sell this brand without encountering any challenges in every country. I could be my own agent. Yes.

Natalie MacLean 00:22:55 You’re right. Yeah. Well, absolutely. And so then you went to Brew Bruges. I can never pronounce that correctly. To see the Salvador Dali paintings. And that’s where you got the inspiration for your label design. Was there a specific painting that inspired you there?

Namratha Stanley 00:23:12 Yeah, there was one of the Salvador paintings where he had drawn the Fibonacci spiral. I was just looking at it, and I was fascinated because Dali always told a story using those implied lines, and it just gave a flow to his paintings. And I thought, why not use the swirl, the Fibonacci swirl on my label?

Natalie MacLean 00:23:38 What is a Fibonacci swirl? Sorry for those who don’t know what is a Fibonacci.

Natalie MacLean 00:23:43 It’s a mathematical sequence, isn’t it?

Namratha Stanley 00:23:45 It is, it is. It looks a little bit like this.

Natalie MacLean 00:23:49 It looks like you’re showing your tail.

Namratha Stanley 00:23:51 Yeah, that’s. Yeah, that’s my label swirl. You’ll see a spiral there. Salvador Dali uses a lot of that. So I kind of felt that would be ideal for my wine brand. And I could tell a story of the wine being in a vat as a must, and then moving to become a clear wine at the end of the cycle. So that was what I was aiming at. And I had created my label. And then came the wine, the brand name.

Natalie MacLean 00:24:23 Solar Qantas, which is lovely from Latin soli meaning soil, and Qantas for melody. There you get the melody of the soil of the vineyard melody. Is that what you put together that word?

Namratha Stanley 00:24:35 You know, as every branding student, I had learned this in my school in SEG, during the branding classes. Single word brands do really well. So I chose Latin.

Namratha Stanley 00:24:47 I, you know, I went through four months of figuring out what the brand would look like, what the name would be. So I chose Latin. In Latin. Soli means soil. Qantas means melody. And it just made sense because, you know, it’s the joy of the soil in the bottle. So I was very happy when I found this word. It was like the eureka moment, you know?

Natalie MacLean 00:25:09 Yeah, absolutely. And you mentioned, like, back to the label design. The red represented good luck. The grey intellectuality. How did you use color psychology to appeal to international customers?

Namratha Stanley 00:25:23 I saw that Baldo was using white background with sketches of the shadow on it, but I wanted my brand to speak to people. To be eye catching and to tell a story and to do something with that. And as an Indian, you know, we always wear colors. We love colors throughout. You know, we we don’t have a very severe winter season, but we wear colors throughout winter too.

Namratha Stanley 00:25:52 So I always wanted to play with colors, and I did an extensive search of what people would like to see as color on brand. And I was going with elegance and sophistication. And black reds, golden grays are what really popped out. What consumers would probably go for. So I used those those colors in the in the wine brand.

Natalie MacLean 00:26:21 Fascinating. Now solar Qantas is the blend of 90% or low 5% carb. So 5% now back. You also created a white from ancho de muro. So how if the wine’s done? I mean, how many vintages have you had? This is a fairly young wine brand, right?

Namratha Stanley 00:26:38 It is. I started with the 2018 wine brand and then moved on to creating 1920, 21. I skipped because it was not a great vintage. And then we have 22 now. So I’m really, really happy with how the brand, the wine tastes, and a lot of people ask me, would you make another wine or, you know, move to, you know, sourcing wine from a different winery or, you know, making wine in a different winery? And I said, I love this wine, and I cannot sell anything that I don’t love.

Namratha Stanley 00:27:16 So I would definitely continue with this wine.

Natalie MacLean 00:27:21 So it’s distributed in five countries. It isn’t in Canada, is it? Yet it is in Canada. It is in Canada. Yes. Is it across the country?

Namratha Stanley 00:27:32 It’s ae of yours now? Yes, it’s at the Lcbo in most. I think it’s in about 69 Lcbo stores across Ontario.

Natalie MacLean 00:27:44 Oh well. Is it in the Lcbo year round or is it a vintage release that comes out once a year? Or what’s the distribution?

Namratha Stanley 00:27:52 They kind of put in a bulk order. Yeah, it’s about two years since then. They’ve been distributing that across Ontario. My agent, Cru wine merchants, they do a great job. They also served it at a lot of restaurants. It still served in Italy, not Ottawa.

Natalie MacLean 00:28:10 Yes, that’s where I’m from.

Namratha Stanley 00:28:12 Oh, God. We should.

Natalie MacLean 00:28:13 Meet. I’m going to try it.

Namratha Stanley 00:28:14 I’m going to come back soon.

Natalie MacLean 00:28:17 Oh, excellent. That is such a good restaurant. Of course, he’s done a cookbook and everything.

Natalie MacLean 00:28:21 So, best Indian food in Ottawa, for sure.

Namratha Stanley 00:28:24 Oh my God, chef Joe is amazing. And, a lot of other restaurants too have picked up the wines in Ottawa. They’ve done a great job.

Natalie MacLean 00:28:34 Wonderful. What’s the price point on it?

Namratha Stanley 00:28:36 I think it’s selling. The red is selling for about $29 and the wines should be selling about 25 is, if I remember right. Yeah.

Natalie MacLean 00:28:46 That’s reasonable in the premium section. Oh, I got to look for it. That’s great to know. It’s available right here in Ottawa or in Ontario. Is it available in any other provinces that you know of across Canada?

Namratha Stanley 00:28:58 Not yet. Not yet. I’m still working on it. It’s just so much work.

Natalie MacLean 00:29:05 Yeah, I know, getting the word out and all the competition and everything else. But that’s great that you’re here. How did you manage to get listed here? Because getting listed with the Lcbo is very difficult, as I’m sure you’re aware.

Namratha Stanley 00:29:19 I know it’s, it was magic, actually, because the story goes back to LinkedIn.

Namratha Stanley 00:29:27 So I had this person that I admired, and it always goes back to Chateau Sharon, because when I was bored and I was, you know, trying to set up my business, and in the nights that I couldn’t sleep, I was learning about wine. So I was also looking at beautiful wine videos on YouTube. And I came across the Lcbo videos where Michael Fagan, who’s very famous in Canada, he spoke beautifully about wine, and I think it was after a few months I reached out to him. I told him on LinkedIn saying, I really admire your videos. And, you know, I’ve learned quite a lot of things about wine. Thank you for making such amazing videos. And I didn’t expect him to write back to me because I was a student. I was a nobody, and he wrote back to me. He said, I’m so happy that you know, this is useful for you. And he said, give me a shout. When you’re in Canada, I’m associated with Brown, you and George Brown College.

Namratha Stanley 00:30:29 And if you want to come and visit the college, you’re most welcome and things like that. So, Michael Fagan, when I released the brand and my story came up on Forbes, Michael Fagan reached out on LinkedIn and he said, I would love to have you speak in Toronto at George Brown College. And he also told me that I have the perfect agent for you to bring your wines into Canada. So he was the catalyst that made that happen. So he introduced me to Cru wine merchants who are amazing.

Natalie MacLean 00:31:03 Who leads Cru wine merchants? I’m just curious.

Namratha Stanley 00:31:06 Charles, David, Charles and Melissa. I don’t know if you’ve heard about them.

Natalie MacLean 00:31:13 Yeah, I think so. I know the agency represents some great wines, so you are in good hands, so that’s great. So you came and spoke at George Brown and then it went from there and.

Namratha Stanley 00:31:24 Well, yeah, when I was, I was peaking. There was also a person from the Lcbo there, Jorge Solis. He was the president of Lcbo at that time.

Namratha Stanley 00:31:34 I think he’s retired now.

Natalie MacLean 00:31:35 He is this month.

Namratha Stanley 00:31:37 Yes. So Melissa had got me a half an hour time with the Lcbo and she said they will not taste with you. You just got to present the wines. So they did a great job getting me that half an hour. And we went in. I did my presentation and Lisa was the buyer for the French portfolio, said, we are bringing your wines in. And then they tasted it after a few days and there you go. And they ordered the wines and it was another story. So LinkedIn Chateau Syrah led me to getting my wines into Canada, which is really flabbergasting to think about this magic.

Natalie MacLean 00:32:17 And yet it’s all your hard work, and you doing the research and the legwork and being open to like, reaching out to Michael and not even realizing what that would lead to, but it’s a tribute to how hard you’ve worked to now to get this. Thank you. Take us back also to that first sale. Now, it wasn’t to the Lcbo.

Natalie MacLean 00:32:34 It was, I believe, a Belgian importer. That’s what I feel like. How did that happen?

Namratha Stanley 00:32:40 I did an interview with my school in SEK, and I kind of explained my story and presented my brand. Those were the first few videos or conferences that I did. And this woman, Lau, she’s based in Belgium and she had opened a wine store called Vivino. She was the next student of insects, so she reached out to me after watching the video and she said, can I taste your wines? And we chatted and you know, she’s an entrepreneur, great person to work with and talk to. So we started with sampling and then she loved the wine. So she, you know, ordered the first batch like the I think it was about half a pallet or a pallet or something like that, and I felt like I was on the moon because, you know, finally my brand was being accepted in the world. So yeah, that.

Natalie MacLean 00:33:33 Was the beginning. Customer. Yeah. I love when you write.

Natalie MacLean 00:33:37 I feel like I had won the formula One race. That must have been so much fun. And where else are what other countries is your wine available in today?

Namratha Stanley 00:33:46 I started, of course, selling a little bit in France. One of my agent in Corsica is selling a little bit of wines I sold in Paris, but you know, it’s gone down now. I really need to rework Paris. Then came, I think Maldives and then India, Canada and India. Indian orders are coming through. In fact, tomorrow I’m going to the winery to put the wines on the palate and send it away. So, yeah.

Natalie MacLean 00:34:13 You’re hands on, hands on, with even the palate icing. That’s great.

Namratha Stanley 00:34:18 Well, thanks to Corinne, I mean, she’s she’s the one who’s really guiding me and doing everything. I mean, I’m just there. Is she doing a helping hand? Yes. She is. Yes.

Natalie MacLean 00:34:28 Okay. And you mentioned that $0.30 of every bottle sold goes to fund female education in India.

Natalie MacLean 00:34:35 That’s marvellous. Why was that commitment important to you to include in your business model?

Namratha Stanley 00:34:40 I think, Natalie, if you look at my life from where I came and the situations that I’ve been in. The only opportunities that I got were because I was skilled at a few things in French, upscaled myself in wine. I could speak English properly, and I could speak French, and I could bake. And there are so many things that I could do. And it’s all knowledge, it’s education. And when your basic education and your skills are not enough, then you’ll never go anywhere. Girl children, especially, are deprived of. Not everybody. I’m not generalizing. Usually in villages. In backward communities. Tribal girls who stay close to the forests and don’t have the resources to go to school. I really wanted to do something for these children so that they give a get a window into a different world, and that motivates them to push themselves further and educate themselves in order to have better lives. So I found an organization thanks to a friend of mine, Sujit, who helped me find an organization, the Foundation, where I found that the founder did have the same passion as me, and we had booked a zoom session for just half an hour, which continued for two hours.

Namratha Stanley 00:36:18 Ritu, who’s a wonderful, wonderful, a woman herself and who’s into philanthropy and has been serving humanity in health care, education and doing a whole lot of things. And she was recently awarded the Ellis Medal of Honor in the US for her work. And I felt that, you know, in small ways, I told her I would like to contribute in a really small way for now to educating girl children in India. Also, the book today, vineyard Melody. When I met my publisher, they told me very clearly that some part of the book sales they would like to give to charity and the charity of the author’s preference. And I was so happy that, you know, they were into this. So vineyard Melody, every sale will be a part of it will go to education of girl children in India.

Natalie MacLean 00:37:15 That is fantastic. Wow. And then we have also a happy ending with your daughter. Shloka. Four years after you left India, how did you convince your husband to let your daughter come join you in France? Because although you had split.

Natalie MacLean 00:37:30 You still needed his permission, as I understand correctly.

Namratha Stanley 00:37:33 Yeah. Otherwise it would be kidnapping.

Natalie MacLean 00:37:36 Oh, my. Okay. Yeah. So what did you do? You used reverse psychology or something?

Namratha Stanley 00:37:42 Yeah. I mean, I had to try everything, so I used reverse psychology. I told my daughter to convince him, and eventually he did get convinced. He had to sign a paper on no objection. Paper for her to leave. And, yeah, it took a lot for both of us to convince. And I realized the more I convinced him, he wasn’t agreeing to let her go. And I kind of turned my strategy and I said, fine, keep her with you. But she cannot be with my parents, keep her with you. And he knew that she would be a big responsibility for him. He couldn’t go out whenever he wanted. He couldn’t play golf, and she was still nine years old from 9 to 13. So yeah, I guess she was 13 years old just before she came in.

Namratha Stanley 00:38:29 So he wasn’t ready to take up that responsibility. So it’s somewhere. It settled into him that it’s better that I let her go.

Natalie MacLean 00:38:38 Wow. And so September 2020, at Charles de Gaulle Airport in France when Sri Lanka finally arrived. I’m tingling. What did you imagine? Shloka meeting the new you. What were you excited about? And what were you afraid of?

Namratha Stanley 00:38:55 Whew! So I was very excited to really finally see her on the ground, because I did travel back to India time and again in those four years. But to really see her in France and really begin our life together, not hanging in between India and France. So I was very, very excited. I remember, you know, that my heart’s filled with joy seeing her at the gates. Yeah. It’s found an apartment for us and school was that. I found a school for her. I had just purchased all her books. I had done up her room with some Ikea furniture. And we were all geared up to, you know, begin life together.

Namratha Stanley 00:39:40 But that’s a different story. That’s the sequel to this book.

Natalie MacLean 00:39:43 So there’s my goodness, that’s season two of your Netflix series. and you say she became fluent, seamlessly integrated. Now she’s an adult, a professional singer who’s collaborated with Walt Anderson of Cool in the gang. What is her song, You Miss Me mean to you?

Namratha Stanley 00:40:01 Oh, my God, I love it, I love it. So there’s this, I don’t know how she did this. She trained herself from when she was five to sing, and initially, I didn’t take it very seriously. You know, children like to sing and. but when she actually started singing, she was about, I think, about eight years old. And then she moved on to 12 years old when I realized, oh, she does have a great voice. And we did a recording in India at a studio, and her voice was specialist, and they did a take for the whole song in one go, so well. They were very impressed with her.

Namratha Stanley 00:40:42 when she came to France, you know, I was encouraging her to learn more, understand this better, and of course, how I find the found solace in wine. She had found solace with music, and she was holding on to music to erase the trauma of her past. So somewhere a few years back, we met Woolf, who’s a part of the cool and The Gang, who’s the youngest band member. But he’s not a part of the gang, but he goes on tours with them, so he had offered to train her because he loved her voice so much and meant to her. And at that point, I was looking for a mentor because I couldn’t mentor her. I had no idea about music and how that world works. So I suppose we were sitting at breakfast at one of my friend’s winery in champagne. That’s a different story altogether. It’s a crazy story, but my friend in champagne supplies wine for cooling the gang, and she had invited us for the 40th birthday of her winery, anniversary of her winery.

Namratha Stanley 00:41:49 And we went there against all odds, because that was the first day of Olympics, and they had set fire to the rails. So we we were delayed by four hours. We didn’t even know if we were going to get there, but that excitement was there. So finally we got there to champagne, and then we discovered cooling the gang there. And we were the only people who were speaking in English. So automatically we really got along in that situation and we connected. So and we were staying pretty much in the same hotel. So we met at breakfast and my daughter was sitting at the breakfast table and she was like, no, don’t play my song, don’t play my song. And I looked at her like, this is the only chance, you know?

Natalie MacLean 00:42:33 Oh, so you played the song for cool in the game?

Namratha Stanley 00:42:36 Yes. I played one of her songs and they were pretty impressed. I told them that I’m looking for a mentor and Wolf was sitting beside me. He said I’d be happy to mentor and he’s amazing.

Namratha Stanley 00:42:47 Amazing person. Amazing singer of course. Artist. But amazing human being himself.

Natalie MacLean 00:42:53 What a story. My goodness, you do have a 3 or 4 seasons in you with Netflix. so now she’s settled. She’s successful. You’re both happy. You’re now the program director in the same school where you got your MBA. What does it mean to return to that role? Kind of a full circle moment.

Namratha Stanley 00:43:13 Oh my God, it’s it’s exciting. It’s exciting. Especially because I’m with students. And I was sitting there a few years back in their place and wondering how this whole world works and to be there and to tell them that, you know, I made it through. I could get from you to becoming me, launching a brand and, you know, putting myself out in the world and being fearless. I think they get inspired. A lot of people have come and told me that, you know, I’ve inspired them in a lot of ways, and I’m always there for them. I tell them, call me anytime, day, night, any time.

Namratha Stanley 00:43:53 I’m always there for you and the staff, my colleagues, they’re all wonderful. So it has been a wonderful experience going back to school as a teacher, as a professor.

Natalie MacLean 00:44:06 Wow. All right. Well, we’re going to wrap this up with a few quick fire questions in the museum of Namrata Stanley, which three objects would be on the central display?

Namratha Stanley 00:44:19 That’s a very interesting question, Natalie. What a trick question.

Natalie MacLean 00:44:27 But oh no, it’s not meant to be a trick question. You could say your bottle of wine. I’m leading the witness now. But yeah. What? Three things would mean the most to you there.

Namratha Stanley 00:44:36 I think you’re right. I’d have my bottle of wine there. So Alicante is there. I’d have my book, vineyard Melody there. And then I would have another thing that is going to come soon, so I won’t spoil the surprise.

Natalie MacLean 00:44:49 Okay, so.

Namratha Stanley 00:44:50 In a few years, maybe.

Natalie MacLean 00:44:51 That exhibit is coming soon. Okay. Great story. To be continued. And if you could share a bottle of wine with any person outside the wine world, living or dead, who would that be?

Namratha Stanley 00:45:01 Oh, Andrea Bocelli.

Natalie MacLean 00:45:05 Oh, the singer, that blind singer. Italian.

Namratha Stanley 00:45:08 oh my.

Natalie MacLean 00:45:08 God. Singer.

Namratha Stanley 00:45:09 Oh my God, I get goosebumps every time I hear him sing. Andrea Bocelli I think he’s the guy I would love to spend an evening with.

Natalie MacLean 00:45:18 You’d bring.

Namratha Stanley 00:45:19 Your sharing? I’d bring my wine, of course, but I would share a sample musically. Liza Murez with him.

Natalie MacLean 00:45:26 Okay. Sounds great. What would you ask him?

Namratha Stanley 00:45:31 I would ask him to sing.

Natalie MacLean 00:45:34 Okay. Fair enough. Another vineyard melody? In another sense. That’s great. Now, as we wrap up our conversation, is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to mention?

Namratha Stanley 00:45:46 I think there’s something that I want to really mention to the viewers. So a lot of people have known me as Namrata Prashanth, and now the book is coming out as Namrata. Suddenly I’m the same person. Nothing has changed. It’s just that I changed into my maiden name. That’s Namrata standi from Namrata Prashanth which I hadn’t really bothered to change earlier because it was a hassle to.

Namratha Stanley 00:46:13 Change everything in my passport. But when I realized the book is launching and I said. You know, I really need to do this. And I when I had a conversation with my lawyers to. They said, you know, it’s the best to change your name back to your maiden name.

Natalie MacLean 00:46:28 Well, great new you and full circle again. How can we find you and your book online?

Namratha Stanley 00:46:36 Oh. Very easy. You can find me on Instagram. I’m Namrata Stanley, author. You’ll find that account very easily. And you can find me also on my website. You can type in Stanley and you will see a contact page. And if you go into the contact page and if you wanted to meet me. Just fill in the details. We can do a one on one. If you are a book club, want to host an event. Reach out to me. If you want to do a keynote. I have an agency. Amy Richards from Soapbox Inc., who is representing me in the US and across the world.

Namratha Stanley 00:47:24 For keynotes, she’s the best person to contact.

Natalie MacLean 00:47:27 Yes. And then all the bookseller sites go pre-order vineyard Melody.

Namratha Stanley 00:47:30 Write my publicist.

Natalie MacLean 00:47:32 And buy your wine. Yeah, the Lcbo. Go to your liquor store.

Namratha Stanley 00:47:36 Yes. Load of contacts. Yes.

Natalie MacLean 00:47:38 Yes. We’ll put all those links in the show notes too, so people can find you, your book, your wine, everything and your wonderful story. Nam, thank you so much. This has just flown by. I loved hearing about your story. Your book is terrific. I know it’s going to do well. So all the best to you as you launch it in February. Pre-orders are up now. Good luck with it.

Namratha Stanley 00:47:59 Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. You have been doing amazing work and thank you really for having me here and asking these wonderful questions that helps me connect with you and also the audience of your podcast. Thank you.

Natalie MacLean 00:48:17 Awesome. Terrific. I’ll say goodbye for now. And, cheers. Cheers.

Natalie MacLean 00:48:22 Cheers to your success.

Namratha Stanley 00:48:24 Cheers. Thank you so much.

Natalie MacLean 00:48:31 Well, there you have it. I hope you enjoyed our chat with Nim. Here are my takeaways. Number one, what goes into creating a successful international wine brand that tells a story before the bottle is even opened? Nam learned.

Natalie MacLean 00:48:45 As a.

Natalie MacLean 00:48:45 Marketing.

Natalie MacLean 00:48:46 Student.

Natalie MacLean 00:48:46 That single word brands do really well. She went through four months of figuring out what the brand would look like and the brand name, and she chose Latin. Sol means soil, Candice means melody. Therefore, you get the melody of The soil.

Natalie MacLean 00:49:02 And her title of her memoir. And it made sense because she felt it was the joy of the soil in the bottle. She wanted her brand to speak to people, for it to be eye catching and to tell a story. And as an Indian, she says, they always wear vibrant colors. So she did lots of research on what color works well for wine brands, and she was going for elegance and sophistication. So she chose black, reds, gold and greys that really pop.

Natalie MacLean 00:49:35 Number two, what does it look like to build a young wine brand? Vintage by Vintage? Nam says she started with the 2018 vintage and moved on 1920. Skip 21 because it wasn’t a great year. She has the 22 now. I was surprised but shouldn’t have been. It’s in the Lcbo and she’s really happy with how it tastes. A lot of people ask why not move to sourcing wine from a different winery or making wine in a different country? And she says, no, I love this wine and it can’t sell anything I don’t love. Then number three. What makes Bordeaux such a hard place to break into as an outsider? Nam’s major roadblock was that a lot of Bordeaux wineries already have their own agents, each representing the brand in different countries. So when she tried to do this, it really didn’t work. And then she was explaining to a friend one evening that she was creating a brand for a client, and he said, it’s a pity. I thought you were making it for yourself.

Natalie MacLean 00:50:35 And that’s when the light bulb clicked. And she said, you know, that might solve my problem. If I had my own brand, I’d have more control and I’d be my own agent and life would proceed as it did. She really has a lot of hot spot. I gotta give her credit. Wow. If you missed episode 338, go back and take a listen. I chat about the four ways that winemakers die in wineries. It’s not that dim as it sounds. With Carol Feeley, author of Grape Expectations, who also started her own winery in Bordeaux. I’ll share a short clip with you now to whet your appetite.

Caro Feely 00:51:12 One of the other points that so many wine lovers don’t realize it is a very dangerous. There are four killers of wine makers. The first one was asphyxiation by CO2 in the fermentation. You know, CO2 is created if you don’t have a way for it to get out of the closed spaces, you’re going to get asphyxiated. The second one is falling from height, particularly if a little bit of CO2 has escaped and made you a little lightheaded.

Caro Feely 00:51:40 The next one is machinery. So horrific things like falling into a harvest trailer and there is a fourth one, electrocution. Electrocution because you’re working with liquids and high electricity and.

Natalie MacLean 00:51:59 You won’t want to miss next week when we chat with Jordan Salcido, who has just published Smart Mouth Wine Essentials for you. Me and everyone we know. Penguin Random Houses, ten Speed Press. It was just selected as one of the four best Wine Books of the year by The New York Times. She’ll join us from her home in Paris. If you liked this episode or learned even one thing from it, please email or tell a friend about the podcast this week, especially someone you know who’ll be interested in learning more about someone who turned their life around in the wine industry. It’s easy to find the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast. Just tell them to search for that title or my name Natalie MacLean Wine on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, their favorite podcast app, or they can listen to it on my website at Natalie MacLean podcast. Email me if you have a SIP tip question, or you’d like to win one of three copies of the books I have to give away.

Natalie MacLean 00:52:54 I always love hearing your thoughts on the episode, or if you’re reading my book or listening to it in the show notes, you’ll also find a link to take a free online food and wine pairing class with me, called the five Food and Wine Pairing Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Dinner and How to Fix Them Forever at Natalie MacLean. And that’s all in the show notes at Natalie MacLean. Three. Seven. Three. Thank you for taking the time to join me here. I hope something great is in your glass this week. Perhaps a Bordeaux with a backstory like soul acanthus. You don’t want to miss one juicy episode of this podcast, especially the secret full bodied bonus episodes that I don’t announce on social media. So subscribe for free now at Natalie MacLean dot com. Forward. Meet me here next week. Cheers!

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