Joy Finn is the kind of wine professional who remembers why people fall in love with wine in the first place.
With more than 15 years of experience across some of the state’s most storied brands (including Kosta Browne, La Crema, Magito Family Wines and Vintage Wine Estates), she has built her career on the belief that great hospitality and honest storytelling are what create deeper connections and experiences.
As director of customer experiences at Mascarin Family Wines, Finn leads marketing, sales, hospitality and wine club operations, bringing heart and intention to a brand she genuinely loves. She doesn’t think of these as separate departments so much as different ways of asking the same question: How do we make people feel welcome, seen and excited to come back?
Through her consultancy, Purple Poppy Consulting & Creative Services, Finn brings that same energy to wine brands finding their footing, helping them tell their stories more honestly, build direct-to-consumer programs that actually connect and create experiences that linger long after the glass is empty. It’s meaningful work rooted in a simple conviction: that when a brand shows up authentically, people notice, and they remember.
A Sonoma State graduate deeply rooted in Sonoma County, Finn has love for this region and a nuanced understanding of its evolving wine landscape. She brings that regional expertise, alongside a clear perspective on consumer behavior and brand strategy, to every project, panel and pour, with curiosity, warmth and a genuine belief that the best wine brands are the ones that lead with community first.
Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?
Joy Finn: I worked my way up from the tasting room (at Mascarin Family Wines). I fell in love with wine and hospitality, and after working in the industry in Northern California and in New Zealand, I decided to pursue a career in wine marketing, hospitality and operations.
Did you ever have an ‘aha’ moment with a certain beverage? If so, tell us about it.
Yes, Ink Grade Sauvignon Blanc. I realized that it’s not the varietal; it’s the winemaker and the viticulture that makes the wine.
What is your favorite thing to drink at home?
Sancerre.
Where do you like to go out for a drink?
A friend’s home.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to be drinking (besides fresh water)?
I would drink kombucha or tea. Mascarin Family Wines,1010 Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg, 707.433.1010, mascarin-wines.com.
