Rachel Martin has spent her life in wine and in an industry where only 14% of winemakers are women, her rise is even more remarkable. She studied in Napa and at the University of Bordeaux, helped build her family’s Virginia winery from the ground up, and later launched her own coastal wine brand. But in her 50s, she stepped into an entirely new chapter, one that’s reshaping what wine can be for people who don’t drink alcohol at all. Rachel’s story is a powerful reminder that innovation and reinvention don’t have an age limit, especially for women carving new paths in traditionally male-dominated industries.
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From Virginia Roots to Bordeaux Classrooms
Rachel’s earliest wine memories came from her stepfather, who opened fine Bordeaux wines on special occasions. That exposure led her to formal wine studies, first in Napa Valley, then in Bordeaux, where every class was taught in French. She didn’t go to become a winemaker; she went to learn winery operations. When her stepfather pursued his dream of founding Boxwood Estate Winery in Middleburg, Virginia, Rachel took on the role of executive vice president. She sited the vineyards, dug soil pits with a consulting viticulturist, built the brand, oversaw packaging, and established distribution and compliance. She even petitioned the federal government to create the Middleburg, Virginia American Viticultural Area, which was approved in 2012.
Those years taught her entrepreneurship, creativity, and problem-solving skills she would later rely on when launching her own brand.
Discovering Coastal California
Rachel’s next chapter began unexpectedly — through her husband, music industry executive Kurt Deutsch, and his close friend Henry Warshaw, owner of Spanish Springs Vineyard on the San Luis Obispo Coast.
When Henry invited Rachel to visit the vineyard, she was immediately drawn to the site: marine shale, limestone, sandstone, and ocean influence just 1.5 miles from the Pacific. It inspired her to launch Oceano Wines, beginning with Chardonnay sourced from Spanish Springs.
From the start, sustainability was central. Oceano uses lightweight glass made with up to 75% recycled material, natural cork, and grapes farmed under SIP (Sustainability in Practice) standards — no herbicides or pesticides, organic sprays, on-site water sourcing, and sheep and goats managing grasses and reducing fire pressure.
The Birth of Oceano Zero
Even with a successful traditional label, Rachel felt pulled toward a new idea: creating non-alcoholic wine that still tasted like wine. Existing products didn’t impress her. So she partnered with a winemaker using the same Spanish Springs fruit and traditional winemaking methods —including French oak — to craft Oceano Zero, her signature luxury non-alcoholic collection. Alcohol is removed using a gentle spinning cone column process that protects aromas and flavors.
For Rachel, the goal was simple: make a non-alcoholic wine people actually want to drink. She participates in Dry January herself and loves offering inclusive options for anyone who doesn’t drink for health, religious, personal, or pregnancy-related reasons.
She calls Oceano Zero her greatest accomplishment since turning 50.
New Milestones: Certification, Expanded Vineyards, and Ultra-Low Alcohol
This year brought three significant developments:
1. A global first in wine education.
In August, Rachel and her cofounder, Meagen Coester, launched AFNA Wine Certified™, the world’s first professional certification program dedicated to non-alcoholic and alcohol-free wines. Rachel is the author and lead instructor.
2. Expanded coastal sourcing.
Oceano Zero has grown beyond the San Luis Obispo Coast, now sourcing from the West Sonoma Coast as they continue producing single-vineyard non-alcoholic wines that highlight that coastal area. They’re partnering with legacy vineyards with established followings.
3. The first domestic ultra-low alcohol wine.
Last year, Oceano released the 2023 Oceano Ultra Syrah, the first U.S. wine in the emerging “ultra-low alcohol” category, at just 3.5% ABV.
You’re Not Too Old to Innovate
Rachel envisions spending her next decade traveling with her husband and representing Oceano around the world. And while she is proud of every chapter of her career—from Bordeaux to Virginia to California—her work today is what excites her most.
Her non-alcoholic wines aren’t a compromise. They’re an expansion of who gets to participate in the ritual of wine. Her certification program isn’t a trend. It’s the foundation of a growing new sector of the industry.
Rachel’s story is proof that age isn’t a limit. It’s leverage. It’s wisdom, experience, and courage showing up in a new way.
You’re not too old to change your life. You’re not too old to change an industry. And you’re certainly not too old to raise a glass — to whatever comes next.
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