As Pride Month begins, Teneral Cellars in Sacramento’s Lavender Heights neighborhood is celebrating a major milestone: being named an official wine sponsor for Sacramento Pride.But owners Jill Osur and Lisa Orell said their mission goes beyond wine. They said the Midtown business is meant to serve as a welcoming, inclusive space centered on community, safety and social impact.From rainbow flags to rainbow crosswalks, Pride is visible across Lavender Heights, and Osur said Teneral Cellars intends to be part of that visibility.“We’re always going to be loud and proud about who we are,” Osur said.Orell said being selected as an official sponsor for Sacramento Pride is especially meaningful for the business.“What got really exciting was the fact that we were selected to be the official wine sponsors for Sacramento Pride this year, which is going to be a lot of fun,” Orell said.The company launched in 2020 in Amador County and has since won more than 100 awards, according to the owners. But Osur and Orell said the business was built with a broader purpose in mind.“We party, and we pour with purpose,” Osur said.Osur said the company donates 10% of profits to organizations that empower women and support social justice efforts. Orell said the business has donated nearly $350,000 to those causes since launching.The owners said that the mission now extends to their Midtown location, where they are focused on creating a space that feels intentionally safe and inclusive.“Anyone who works here can make anyone who walks in this door feel safe,” Osur said. “And that is so important to us.”Osur said the business has joined programs that train staff to respond when someone in crisis comes into the space.“It’s important that people know if they walked in here and they were in trauma, that they would not only be welcome, but they would have a safe place to stay,” Osur said.The owners also said they are adapting to changes in the wine industry by shifting away from a traditional tasting room model.“We’re just really trying to pivot because the wine industry is at a 30-year low,” Osur said.Instead, they have turned the business into more of a wine lounge, hosting live music, themed events, and Pride celebrations to bring people together.“We’ve heard from people; they’re hungry for community, they’re hungry for connections,” Osur said.The owners said collaboration with other local businesses is also part of their approach.“We want to support each other because the rising tide lifts all boats,” Osur said.This will be Teneral Cellars’ first Pride Month in its Midtown location, and the owners said they already have a full calendar of events planned throughout the month.Click here for this month’s events. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

As Pride Month begins, Teneral Cellars in Sacramento’s Lavender Heights neighborhood is celebrating a major milestone: being named an official wine sponsor for Sacramento Pride.

But owners Jill Osur and Lisa Orell said their mission goes beyond wine. They said the Midtown business is meant to serve as a welcoming, inclusive space centered on community, safety and social impact.

From rainbow flags to rainbow crosswalks, Pride is visible across Lavender Heights, and Osur said Teneral Cellars intends to be part of that visibility.

“We’re always going to be loud and proud about who we are,” Osur said.

Orell said being selected as an official sponsor for Sacramento Pride is especially meaningful for the business.

“What got really exciting was the fact that we were selected to be the official wine sponsors for Sacramento Pride this year, which is going to be a lot of fun,” Orell said.

The company launched in 2020 in Amador County and has since won more than 100 awards, according to the owners. But Osur and Orell said the business was built with a broader purpose in mind.

“We party, and we pour with purpose,” Osur said.

Osur said the company donates 10% of profits to organizations that empower women and support social justice efforts. Orell said the business has donated nearly $350,000 to those causes since launching.

The owners said that the mission now extends to their Midtown location, where they are focused on creating a space that feels intentionally safe and inclusive.

“Anyone who works here can make anyone who walks in this door feel safe,” Osur said. “And that is so important to us.”

Osur said the business has joined programs that train staff to respond when someone in crisis comes into the space.

“It’s important that people know if they walked in here and they were in trauma, that they would not only be welcome, but they would have a safe place to stay,” Osur said.

The owners also said they are adapting to changes in the wine industry by shifting away from a traditional tasting room model.

“We’re just really trying to pivot because the wine industry is at a 30-year low,” Osur said.

Instead, they have turned the business into more of a wine lounge, hosting live music, themed events, and Pride celebrations to bring people together.

“We’ve heard from people; they’re hungry for community, they’re hungry for connections,” Osur said.

The owners said collaboration with other local businesses is also part of their approach.

“We want to support each other because the rising tide lifts all boats,” Osur said.

This will be Teneral Cellars’ first Pride Month in its Midtown location, and the owners said they already have a full calendar of events planned throughout the month.

Click here for this month’s events.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel