Discover how you can truly rosé all day thanks to an irresistibly adorable book by Instagram’s favorite wine brand – Yes Way Rosé.
Erica Blumenthal and Nikki Huganir’s Yes Way Rosé genius brand began how most girl’s nights might — sipping on rosé and enjoying its delicious taste and delightful color. What started out as a passion for rosé turned into a stylish brand that has very recently turned out a seriouslé adorable book — Yes Way Rosé: A Guide to the Pink Wine State of Mind.
Yes Way Rosé is a whimsical mix of information and celebration, including Rosé 101, must-try recipes and food pairings, an exploration of wine-making regions and even rosé-inspired astrologé.
We had the chance to chat with authors and rosé aficionados Erica and Nikki about the joy of “drinking pink” and what readers can enjoy from their new book!
What inspired Yes Way Rosé – the brand? Why rosé, of all beautiful things?
Erica: We are best friends who discovered our passion for rosé together, specifically those that are dry from the south of France. We became completely obsessed with the beautiful peachy-pink color, the refreshing taste, and its versatility. This gorgeous wine inspired so much humor and creativity in our lives that we wanted to share it with everyone who loves rosé too. We started with Instagram, where we matched blush-tinted pictures with pun-filled captions that played on the accent aigu (i.e. Where there’s a will, there’s a rosé. Working hard or hardlé working?) and built a community of fellow rosé enthusiasts. We used the platform to introduce products like our sweatshirt and tote that featured the bold Yes Way Rosé logo in order to spread the team spirit and then developed it all into a full wine and lifestyle brand that is modern, stylish, and joyful at its core.
As your brand has grown, what has been the most exciting and the most challenging?
Nikki: The most exciting is creating our book, Yes Way Rosé: A Guide to the Pink Wine State of Mind, and two high-quality French wines we love, Yes Way Rosé and Yes Way Rosé Bubbles. The intention for the wine was to have it accessible to as many people as possible, not only in terms of price but also availability, and we’re so happy that it is. There are always new challenges when running your own business. We both have creative backgrounds and there was a steep learning curve. Everything seemed very hard and challenges felt like the end of the world during the early years, but now it’s easier to put things in perspective. We’ve learned so much along the way.
What three tips would you give to up-and-coming female entrepreneurs?
Erica: In no specific order:
Ask for help. It’s impossible to know how to do everything or to always have the right answer. When we started it was a real team effort with our friends who used their professional experiences to help us. This also made it fun! When it comes to decision making, figuring out what to do in a challenging situation can become clearer if you speak to a mentor or two. They are likely to offer a different perspective from yours, open your mind, and help guide you to make the right move.
Be protective of your time in order to do the work. Often what we need to do is put our heads down and work, which is easier if we’re not in meetings and on phone calls all day. Also be protective so you have time for yourself to refuel and feed your soul. Burning out is real if you don’t take care of yourself.
Celebrate accomplishments. It’s reinvigorating to enjoy special milestones.
Was there a particular moment (or bottle of rosé) that inspired you two to write a book?
Nikki: Every bottle we’ve had inspired this book! When we started Yes Way Rosé, we didn’t know anything about wine. We decided to write this when we felt we had enough knowledge and a strong point of view. My background is as an art director and graphic designer and Erica worked as a fashion editor and writer, so a book was always in the cards for us and the time was right.
Tell us about the creative process behind Yes Way Rosé – how did you decide what exactly would go into it?
Nikki: We knew we wanted to share everything about how the wine is made and where it comes from in an approachable way and also to capture the full lifestyle with beautiful photography. We essentially wrote the rosé book we wanted to read that offers tips, specific suggestions, and all of the ways to enjoy it with a sense of humor and playfulness. The process was a lot of back and forth between the two of us and then with our contributors. I can’t tell you how many times we read the manuscript just focused on our use of the accent aigu.
Some aspects of the book are pretty unique and entertaining, such as rosé-inspired astrologé. What are each of your favorite parts/chapters?
Erica: I love the Rosé Georgraphé section which goes into where the wine is made around the world and the Frosé section, particularly a recipe called Ice Ice Bébé that’s a strawberry granita with chocolate bitters. It has an unexpected element with the bitters and is beyond refreshing and delicious.
Nikki: Mine are the Ladiés Night dinner party, which is a menu with recipes that vary in shades of pink from tuna tartare to beet risotto, and Astrologé. A new favorite pastime has become reading my friends rosé horoscopes out loud to them. Everyone says we nailed it.
What is your favorite rosé memory?
Erica: There’s a photo in the “Our Storé” section of the book where we are in the south of France tasting different rosé blends to choose what we wanted Yes Way Rose wine to be. The shot was taken literally moments after we landed on the one that we bottled and you can see how happy we are. To be there together and realize our dream was in the midst of coming true was the most spectacular feeling.
Any advice for newbies to the Yes Way Rosé lifestyle?
Nikki: What drew us to rosé is that it has the ability to elevate any situation. A casual night at home with friends and pizza delivery can become memorable and more beautiful when you add rosé to the equation. It’s a mindset of appreciating the little things and stopping to sip the rosé!
What is next for Yes Way Rosé and the two of you?
Nikki: We’ve had a big year so far with the book release and our Yes Way Rosé wine expanding nationally. We’ve also just introduced Yes Way Rosé cans in Target stores. We plan to support the book and these launches around the country with events and tastings. We love meeting fellow rosé enthusiasts! There are other exciting things up our sleeve for the future so keep a look out for what’s next.
Yes Way Rosé: A Guide to the Pink Wine State of Mind is available now for rosé lovers everywhere.