Jessie Orbovich, owner of wine label Slay Rose’ believes in serendipity - when things that happen seemingly by chance end up creating a happy or beneficial outcome.
As a creative young entrepreneur in Boston, Jessie opened Go Garbaj, a vintage clothing consignment store. Her most popular items were vintage t-shirts that she upscaled by screen-printing slogans on them. The slogan that always sold out as soon as it hit the rack was her own catchphrase Slay Rose.’
“I was wearing my Slay Rose’ shirt and I met a winery owner named Nicole Abiouness,” Jessie said. “Nicole said, ‘I own a winery in Napa, I don’t make rose’ but I know people who do.’ I was trying to trademark the Slay Rose’ slogan at the time, but once I got the trademark, I called her up and she said, ‘I wear my Slay Rose’ shirt all the time and guess what, I make rose’ now!’ So that’s how I got my wine label.”
Although connecting with Abiouness winery felt serendipitous, Jessie said running the actual wine business has taken a lot of intentionality.
“It’s not an easy business, it’s a lot of work, but I get to use my talents from my years in the restaurant industry,” Jessie said. "I love meeting people, I love wine and food, so I guess Slay Rose’ really keeps me social.”
Jessie moved to Destin three years ago, following her family who have lived in the area for decades. Having lived here once before, she said it was like moving back home. Of course, it helped that the Destin and South Walton area are always ready to embrace a new wine label.
Slay Rose’ is a 100-percent pinot noir rose’, which means it has a drier, bolder taste than other rose’ wines. Jessie is proud of her small batch, vineyard to bottle wine, and for good reason, it not only sells well, but it is also fine on the palate.
“The wine sells itself; the name only gets you so far,” Jessie said. “I wouldn’t be getting into the places I’m getting into if it wasn’t a good wine.”
Slay Rose’ can be found locally in Modica Market, Cork and Barrel, Shunk Gulley Liquor and Grayton Corner Wine Shop to name a few. The unique aspect of Slay Rose’s marketing is that every label can be personalized. Jessie encourages customers to tag Slay Rose’ on social media and share how they personalized the label.
“You can write in your own hashtag on the label,” Jessie said. “It’s a fun marketing thing for people to do. It started with the hashtags on the shirt, but I thought it would be fun for people to be able to personalize the bottle.”
From t-shirt design concept to wine bottle, Jessie said the whole Slay Rose’ journey has been a happy one. Now in her third year of production, Jessie is focusing more on marketing and said she is looking to expand into new markets and even into nearby states (look out Texas and Louisiana) in the near future.
“My catchphrase is ‘How do you Slay Rose?’” Jessie smiled. “You might slay it for breakfast with your grandma, or dessert with your niece, or all day with your girlfriends. How ever you decided to Slay Rose’, share it with us! We love seeing how you Slay Rose’.”
