Wine Company Pairs Merlot, Charity

There are two forces gripping America: change and hope. Aside from politics, these are shaping business as well. One Southern California company is building a brand around hope and changing an industry in the process.

"It's an uphill battle getting a person to pull out their checkbook and make a donation in America, and it's getting harder and harder with the economy the way that it is," says 25-year-old Jake Kloberdanz, founder of Hope Wine, a wine brand that donates 50% of its profit to charitable causes. "What we're trying to create is a lifestyle brand where it's built into the product."

In 2006, Kloberdanz, a former wine industry sales manager, visited a friend who was undergoing treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma. The next day he formed Hope Wine. Seven other young entrepreneurs joined the business, believing commitment to a charitable cause should be in the DNA of business, not just a sticker on packaging for a single month to raise awareness. A year later, the first bottles were being poured.

Hope Wine offers five varietals: Sauvignon Blanc (proceeds go toward saving the planet), Cabernet Sauvignon (fighting autism), Zinfandel (supporting American troops), Chardonnay (fighting breast cancer) and Merlot (targeting AIDS).

Just about all of the Hope Wines, produced by veteran winemaker David Elliott at the Sonoma Wine Co., have won awards. Unlike in generations past when a year-end donation check was considered a good deed, Kloberdanz says his team works hard for the business and the causes they support.