Freedom to Marry Partners with Cellar Angels for Wine Charity Event to Support Marriage

CHICAGO, April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to raise national awareness surrounding the importance of why marriage matters for loving and committed same-sex couples, Freedom to Marry is partnering with online wine company Cellar Angels for an unprecedented wine event.

Cellar Angels is the only cause-based wine company combining private and exclusive weekly wine offers with custom videos of the winery and an opportunity for the consumer to select a contribution recipient. Beginning April 16 and lasting only five days, Freedom to Marry will become a selection choice for consumers. In honor of the event, Cellar Angels is featuring an exclusive wine: Same Sex Meritage.

Same Sex Meritage is a collaboration between longtime Napa Valley winemaker Josh Stein and the originator of the Same Sex Meritage label Matt Gold out of Chicago. Josh is not foreign to cause-based wines. For more than a decade Stein Family Wines has donated percentages of cases sold to assist families of vineyard workers throughout Napa Valley.

When approached by Same Sex Meritage creator Matt Gold it was an easy decision for Josh, who said "Matt came to me with a very unique idea of producing a Bordeaux style wine to support the Civil Rights issue of Same Sex Marriage. I said 'Yes' on the spot as this is truly a historic moment for the country and I wanted to honor it with a special wine." The wine, a "Meritage" is a blend of the five traditional grapes of Bordeaux France: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot and Malbec.

The wine's origin is attributed to Gold, a Chicago businessman who works within the wine industry. 

"The easiest way to impart positive change is to use something you know as a tool. I know wine and believe using it as a tool to generate contributions on this issue will have a dramatic impact," he said.

Gold and Stein are collaborating on other styles of wine under the label – including a sparkling and a Moscato - to create further awareness. This is the first time the wine is available on a national scale. Previous test placements in Chicago and California quickly sold out as the quality of fruit sourced for the wine demonstrated this is more than just a marketing ploy. Same Sex Meritage chose Cellar Angels as a platform to make it easier for consumers to bypass the middle-man and get their wine direct and at lower prices than retail.

Cellar Angels is the nation's fastest growing wine marketing company providing consumers unprecedented access to the best wines from Napa and Sonoma Valley. As consumer sentiment increases for greater transparency on where their food comes from, it appears this same focus is shifting to wine. Cellar Angels provides wine lovers both a behind the scenes look at the winery and winemakers and also the chance to give back at the same time. Cellar Angels membership is free at www.cellarangels.com and each week the site features a small, artisan producer of highly acclaimed wine discounted for a period of five days in order to raise money for twenty different causes.

"We've featured Josh's Stein Family Wines in the past and they've always been well received by our members. He's meticulous in his vineyard selection and the 'price-to-quality' ratio is always exceptional. When we were approached with this project it was an absolute no-brainer. We believe everyone is entitled to great wine and equal civil rights. We're delighted to make it all happen," said Cellar Angels founder and CEO Martin.

Cellar Angels donates portions of proceeds to each charity selected and works with charities to help them raise more contributions. In addition to national charity partners The V Foundation, Jenny McCarthy's Generation Rescue and Leeza Gibbons' Lezza's Place, Cellar Angels works with regional and local charities to create awareness. For this event only, members will have the added benefit of selecting Freedom to Marry as a funds recipient. In addition to the Cellar Angels contribution, Same Sex Meritage will donate $1 for every bottle sold to Freedom to Marry.

For information, go to http://www.CellarAngels.com

About Cellar Angels
Cellar Angels was created by a compassionate group of wine-lovers intent on changing the world through wine. Their mission is simple: connect small, artisanal wine producers to larger audiences, expose wine-lovers to exclusive purchase opportunities from partnering boutique wineries and raise money for a select group of charities. They love wine, love introducing others to great wine and love making a difference. Cellar Angels provides an opportunity to accomplish all three.

SOURCE Cellar Angels