Due Santi Wines starts charity

Due Santi Wines, whose vineyard is located on the University of Dallas Eugene Constantin campus in Rome, has announced a new charity initiative, Due Santi Selections. 

The mission of this new venture is to offer “an opportunity to taste wines from around the world while helping those in need,” according to the Due Santi Wines website.

Dui Santi Wines is by no means an amateur at charity. “Due Santi Wines already has a charitable component built into the project, as we give back a portion of all of our proceeds to the University of Dallas,” said UD alumna Val Hrbacek, who manages marketing for Due Santi Wines.

“One of the reasons we decided to start Due Santi Selections when we did is because of the drastic effects of COVID-19,” said Hrbacek. “Online sales for wine were actually doing really well, and so many non-profits were in dire need of financial support.”

Customers can choose one of three charities to support upon purchase. Frontline Foods strives to help restaurants whose businesses have been injured by stay-at-home orders, along with feeding healthcare workers on the front lines. 

“We knew we wanted at least one charity with a mission directly related to COVID-19, which is how we came across Frontline Foods,” said Hrbacek. 

WaterAid, the second charity, seeks to improve access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation in some of the poorest places in the world. 

The third option for donation is a gift to the University of Dallas Rome Program, helping to support the semester that is often most pivotal for UD students. 

“The University of Dallas Rome Program was just an obvious choice for us,” said Hrbacek. “We always want to support UD and the Rome Program in particular.”

Every 30 days, Due Santi Wines will select a new bundle of wines from other producers for the Due Santi Selections, either six or 12 different bottles. The bundle of six bottles costs $189.99, with 10 percent of the cost donated to the chosen charity. The bundle of 12 costs $359.99, with 15 percent donated. 

The wines offered in Due Santi selections are only available in bundles, not for individual purchase. 

“Due Santi Wines purchases these wines from our partner importer/producers,” said wine importer and UD alumnus Michael Housewright. “We receive a good price, but certainly we pay a competitive rate for the wines.”

The month’s selection is six bottles of wine from the producers of Charles Neal. The bundle offers six different types of wine from six different vineyards in France. These wines “deliver quality well above their price points,” reads the website. 

The Due Santi Selections option is also meant to raise awareness of Due Santi Wines. The wines will appear in future bundles. 

“This new initiative is part of an attempt to reach a wider audience with our wines,” said Dr. Peter Hatlie, the dean and director of the University of Dallas Rome Program.