Born and raised in McLaren Vale, South Australia, Rebecca Hopkins studied Wine Business at the University of Adelaide in the early 1990s, even though she wanted to become a geologist. While on campus, she landed her first wine job working in the tasting room of Wirra Wirra Vineyards in McLaren Vale. Her first taste of the industry was opening bottles and hosting guests at the winery.

After 15 years in the Australian wine industry, in diverse sales, marketing, distribution and communication roles, in 2001, Rebecca joined Constellation Brands Inc., a Fortune 500 company and the largest beer importer in the U.S. In 2007, Rebecca relocated to San Francisco to set up a Constellation Brands’ West Coast office and leading the marketing and communications team.

In 2012, Rebecca was offered a position as Vice President of Communications at Folio Fine Wine Partners, working with renowned brands such as Champagne Charles Heidsieck, Michael Mondavi Family Estate, Bruno Giacosa, and Susanna Balbo.

All these years in the beverage industry have made Rebecca very mindful of her wellness. The wine industry is quite intense; between wine tasting events, dinners, and winemakers’ visits, one might think that is all glamour and fun. However, such a lifestyle takes a toll on your physical and mental health. No one has ever really talked about that side of the business before.

In 2018, Rebecca founded and launched A Balanced Glass, an online community providing tools to maintain a healthy lifestyle while working in the beverage industry.

Trust me, after a week of dining out and drinking wine, your body needs a reboot!

So how does Rebecca keep her life balanced and help others? Please listen to my full live interview HERE.

I want to congratulate Rebecca for her nomination as “-Wine Educator of the Year-” of the Wine Enthusiast’s ‘Wine Star Award 2021’ for her work with A Balanced Glass. Fingers crossed for a win!

Cheers,

Anna

(Thumbnail photo courtesy of Rebecca Hopking by Chloe Jackman Photography.)