Felicitá Wine Company: Happiness in a Bottle

Felicità (feh-lee-chee-TAH) is the Italian word for happiness. As the owner of Felicità Wine Company, Feli Ortega aptly named her business as a reminder that happiness is a lifestyle, not just a temporary state of being. 

“I named it so because I love that we get to choose happiness everyday,” Feli said.

Feli first fell in love with the beauty of the wine country long before she had an appreciation for wine — perhaps it was growing up around vineyards or her pilgrimages to world-renowned wine regions. Regardless of what initially nurtured her affinity for winemaking, Feli believes that good wine always start in the vineyard.

Since 2015, Felicità Wine Company has produced a limited allocation of red and white wines from the Lodi wine region, all available online and at the Elks Lodge #6 Farmers Market in the Greenhaven and Pocket neighborhoods, as well as the Carmichael Farmers Market. Feli was part of the SacAsian Chamber’s inaugural Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Night Market, and attends similar events as a vendor to share her delicious wines. As the vines grow each year, so does Feli’s business. 

“The advantage of starting as a very small producer is that the likely next steps are upwards,” Feli said. “I am very excited at the many possible options available to me at the moment, and I’m in the process of taking some of those next steps.”

Feli’s experience working with award-winning winery architects also developed her passion toward vineyards and winemaking. Marking her eighth harvest this year, Feli’s wines embody the spirit of the Lodi wine country, made evident by being named the 2015 Wine Region of the Year from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Feli describes her wines as rich with viticulture history, understated elegance, and absolute happiness. 

As a small business owner, Feli also finds happiness in the local community that has helped her business grow. 

“The community has been wonderful in providing opportunities to participate in events such as the first AAPI Night Market, fundraisers for nonprofit organizations that support the Asian/Pacific Islander communities, as well as other organizations such as KVIE and private schools” Feli said. “Also, I’m so grateful to each and every one of my new and repeat customers, that they believe in and trust in my small wine company is a testament to my success and happiness.”

Clearly, happiness is a recurring theme with Felicità Wine Company. You might even say it’s happiness in a bottle. 

Follow along as Felicità Wine Company grows: 
Website: felicitawine.com
Facebook: @felicitawine
Instagram: @felicitawine

Felicità Wine Company is a SacAsian Member. To learn more about membership and how we can work together to elevate your small business, click here. You can also email our Operations & Membership Manager, Roy Arimoto, at rarimoto@sacasiancc.org.

Read more stories about AAPI-owned small businesses and SacAsian members:
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