February in Oregon’s Willamette Valley is prime time for celebrating sparkling wine, and Jarod Sleet—associate winemaker at ROCO Winery—is deep in preparation for the upcoming Best Oregon Bubbles (BOB) Trail. The annual trail highlights the work of traditional-method sparkling producers across the region, and ROCO’s lineup of Pinot Noir–based bubbles is a standout among them.

For Sleet, being part of the BOB Trail spotlight is more than just showcasing bubbles—it’s affirmation of what can be achieved when you invest in yourself and trust your instincts. Raised in Kentucky, Jarod first left home to pursue a career in culinary arts, drawn to the discipline and creativity of the kitchen. Wine came later, quietly but decisively. That curiosity led him back to school, deeper into winemaking, and eventually to ROCO, where he has found his footing as a specialist in sparkling wine. Today, that focus shows most clearly in the 2016 ROCO RMS Brut, a wine shaped by patience, precision, and time.

While the breadth of Sleet’s work has earned recognition as both an artist and a leader within Oregon’s wine community, the path to creating something lasting is rarely without strain. Like many professionals working in predominantly white industries, the pressure isn’t always visible—but it’s persistent.

“Sometimes it seems like a lonely road,” Sleet has said. “I don’t see a lot of people that look like me in Oregon in general, so in the wine industry it isn’t much different… I have to affirm with myself that I have a seat at the table.”

In 2020, the Oregon Wine Board identified just four Black winemakers working in the state. Rather than treating that number as a footnote, those four—Sleet among them—came together to on the set of Red, White & Black, an award-winning documentary produced bt 1 of these 4 winemakers, Bertony Faustin, Founder & Winemaker of Abbey Creek Vineyard.

The film doesn’t offer prescriptions or proclamations. Instead, it documents lived experiences: the long hours, the quiet expertise, and the navigation of an industry where access, mentorship, and visibility have not always been evenly distributed. And despite its title, the film introduces the audience to Oregon's larger community of underrepresented winemakers, including Latinos and those who identify as LGBTQ+. For Sleet, participation reflects both presence and progress—continuing to do the work while helping widen the lens through which the industry sees itself.

Spend time with Jarod Sleet and the seriousness of the work becomes clear—but so does the joy. As someone still finding my footing in wine, I’m inspired by his hustle and the way he shows up fully as himself, proving that discipline and personality don’t have to live on opposite sides of the cellar.