Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Meet The Sip, A Champagne Subscription Service That’s Making Wine More Inclusive

Lauren Paige Richeson
By
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Finding new and different bottles of bubbly can be intimidating and expensive to the casual champagne connoisseur. Everyone is familiar with the big bottle brands like Moet and Veuve but when the fizz fades on those typical glasses, how does one find a new favorite?

Recommended Videos

This was a challenge that best friends and champagne lovers Erica Davis and Catherine Carter encountered and accepted, resulting in the creation of their sparkling subscription service, The Sip Society.

Related

Meet the Founders, Erica Davis and Catherine Carter

Image used with permission by copyright holder

“The Sip was inspired by my monthly girl’s nights with my best friend and now co-founder Catherine. It became hard to find a different brand we had not already tried, and then even harder to figure out where to purchase the bottle, and a ‘go-to’ for champagne discovery and it didn’t exist,” CEO and Founder Erica Davis tells The Manual. “So we decided to create our own!” 

The Sip Society’s mission is to take the tension out of champagne tasting by creating a convenient, affordable, and fun way to discover new bubbly and not break the bank. They have made a way to introduce the world to an array of sparkling wine and champagne by delivering them directly to your door. Plus each bottle you pop comes with a sip of social responsibility through the brand’s community initiative, Take A Sip, Give A Sip.

Take a Sip, Give a Sip

Both being Oakland natives, the founder knew that beyond creating a much-needed niche in the beverage industry, they wanted to use their platform to give back and uplift the community that helped them rise to the top. Davis and Carter pledge a portion of each Sip Society sale to the East Oakland Community Project (EOCP) a multi-service organization offering emergency and transitional housing in Alameda County. The Sip’s proceeds that are donated to EOCP go to providing access to clean water for women and children in need and to this day has seen over 670 gallons of water distributed to families in and around Oakland.

“We were raised here and now we are raising our children here and this city means a lot to us. It was important for us early on to build a fundamental give back program so as we flourish so does our city. “ adds Davis.

For some, creating a subscription-based service in the alcohol industry may seem like just a wine dream but the two entrepreneurs never let that put a cork in their passion. They have molded a model that fills a vital role in the marketplace but also offers consumers an additional pour of education and interaction with The Sip’s champagne community.

As Davis describes it, “Our focus on not just sparkling wine but the full discovery aspect from beginning to end. Our mission is yes to help you discover the wines but also to discover your own palate. We arm our Sippers with the right tools to make smart decisions when investing in a full-size bottle. The power of knowing what you like goes a long way.”

Thanks to their unique service and influence on social media the community of Sippers continues to grow. Davis and Carter invite all members of the Society to their virtual wine nights on IG Live and fireside Zoom chats where they discuss life, pop culture, and of course enjoy a sip of bubbly. For those who want to share the sip, they offer gifting of their services, and for the champagne curious their blog is brimming with resources on the latest trends and educational facts.

How You Can Support

Image used with permission by copyright holder

As the opportunities for the Sip Society to continue to flow, Carter and Davis are focused on making sure more women and Black-owned drinks brands have a full glass. In January they partnered with B. Stuyvesant Champagne, one of the few black and women-owned Champagne brands in the US, and are already planning more cheerful collaborations for the future. Like a fine wine, the plans for the Sip Society and its outreach will only get better over time and as Davis describes it, the hardest part of the process now is merely an aftertaste.

“We built this business so people who love this industry that feel left out can now see themselves there. So for us, it’s less about needing to feel included in an industry that has so often left us out, but building our own table and welcoming all. Create a business you are proud of and passionate about. Do it despite any historical information that would suggest you don’t belong there. Because you are enough, you do belong and deserve to follow your dream.”

For Women’s History Month, if you want to support a company founded by two mothers and celebrate with a bubbly on hand, check out The Sip’s selection of champagne subscriptions.

Shop at The Sip Society

This feature is part of our Brands Giving Back Series, where we’ll bring you all the latest news on brands that are giving back to the community, and how you can support by shopping online.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Lauren Paige Richeson
Lauren Paige Richeson
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Lauren Paige Richeson is an author and artist specializing in written, visual, and edible content. She wrote about Food…
The important health benefits of magnesium you need to know about
This is why you need more magnesium in your diet
Baby spinach

When most people consider important electrolytes that they need to replace after a hard workout, sodium and potassium typically come to mind. But what about magnesium? Magnesium has numerous benefits, and the essential mineral is involved in over 300 different enzymatic reactions in the body.

These include regulating blood sugar and blood pressure, synthesizing proteins, and conducting nerve and muscle impulses. Magnesium is also responsible for transporting calcium and potassium ions across cell membranes; this allows the heart to maintain its regular contractions.
Because there are several vital functions of magnesium in the body, there are numerous benefits associated with taking magnesium supplements or consuming foods high in magnesium to ensure adequate intake. Keep reading for a list of the benefits of magnesium, and make sure you’re not missing out on this essential nutrient for your health!

Read more
These are the healthiest vegetables you need to start eating now
If these veggies aren't on your grocery list, it's time to add them
Bounty of healthy vegetables

Most guys can probably attest to knowing that vegetables are healthy and that it’s important to eat a wide range of them daily to provide your body with vital nutrients. After all, one of the earliest memories of parental advice that many of us can recall is some sort of dinner table staredown in which a parent or guardian said, "You have to eat your vegetables!" Though it was probably met with sighs of protest at the time, it's good advice: Vegetables offer essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and they provide fiber for healthy digestion and gut health. Moreover, the prebiotic fiber in vegetables supports the bacteria in your gut, which are key players in helping you digest and absorb nutrients, fend off pathogens, and prevent systemic inflammation.
While all veggies are nutritious, some are particularly beneficial for your health. Many of these healthy vegetables are scientifically determined to top the charts of the most nutrient-dense vegetables. So, next time you’re heading to the grocery store or farmers' market, stock up on the nutrient-powerhouse vegetables below.

The healthiest vegetables
Don’t be afraid to branch out and try new vegetables, because eating a variety of colors and types of veggies will best provide your body with all of the micronutrients it needs for optimal performance, disease protection, and longevity. Without further ado, here's list of the healthiest vegetables to add to your diet.

Read more
5 fan-favorite budget rum bottles, ranked
5 budget rums, ranked
Rum cocktail

When it comes to sippable, mixable, value spirits, it’s challenging to beat the overall appeal of rum. There’s a lot to choose from. There’s white, dark, spiced, and even navy-strength rum (and a few other offshoots). The best part? There are many bargains to be found in the rum world.

For those new to the spirit, rum is a popular spirit made by fermenting sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice and then distilling it. This sweet, sugary spirit is then bottled immediately (or lightly aged) and called white rum or is aged for a period of time in charred oak barrels and referred to as dark rum. Spiced rum, on the other hand, is dark or gold rum that has spices and other ingredients like vanilla beans, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, and other sweeteners added to it.

Read more