We’re in the heart of a wonderful season of thankfulness, and the generosity of all you Angels has been on my mind. The ability to give back is the greatest privilege of my role here at Naked, and thanks to lovely folks like you, we’ve had a year of highlights that I’ve never been more proud of.
Starting with Wine with Heart…
This project began with Daryl Groom’s son, Colby, who had to have several open-heart surgeries between the ages of 8 and 9 and wanted to make sure “no kid would have to go through what he went through”. So, with Angel’s support, Daryl created Wine with Heart, donating a portion of proceeds from every sale to heart health research – now totaling over $1.5 million thanks to your generosity.
Our American Red
In 2017, when wildfires came close enough to our winery to melt our hoses, we were saved by the heroic actions of our local volunteer fire association. Our talented Cellar team creates this outstanding blend every year, and we’re able to donate a portion of the proceeds back to our local heroes.
And finally, our most recent achievement, another year of the Montoya Fund
We began this fund with Macario in 2023, promoting diversity and inclusivity in our industry, where Latino professionals are vastly underrepresented.
In a wonderful kick-off to the season of thanks, we just formally presented the most recent winners of this scholarship with their checks at a winery event. Macario spoke about the importance of paying it forward and looking out for those less fortunate. It was a really wonderful reminder of why we do this, a sentiment echoed by the winners.
David Salazar, one of Wine Enthusiast's 8 Latinx Experts Changing the Face of Wine for 2025, was the recipient of a $20,000 Montoya Fund grant. His mission is to make the world of wine more accessible to the Hispanic community, focusing on creating wines that emphasize his heritage. This crucial ‘lifeline’ will relieve financial stress, allowing his self-funded business to expand production and pursue new ventures that were previously out of reach – and it’s all possible because of your generosity. You can read a message from Karina Gallegos, our other Montoya fund winner, here.
Of course, I can’t end this message without sharing an update about our dear friend, Camille. She stopped into the winery this week, with a note of thanks to all of you. While still on the road to recovery, she’s been overwhelmed by your support and wanted us to pass on this message:
“Thank you for this wonderful campaign. After a few weeks of uncertainty, I feel strong – even stronger thanks to your support, generosity, and big hearts. I am stunned by all the help I’ve gotten, all the care I’ve received, and all the lovely notes I’ve gotten from Angels. It’s been helping me tremendously to be where I am today. I still have a ways to go (the brain does recover slowly), but I’m ahead of the curve, and I’m determined to get back to my old self. Thank you all again for everything you’ve done.” - Merci, Camille Benitah
So thank YOU, Angels, for being part of this amazing community, and thank you for enabling us to pay it forward. I hope you’re able to share a glass of wine this season with the ones you love, and know that together we can be a force for good!
In gratitude to you all,
Lucy
VP of Wine, Naked Wines USA
