UNFILTERED: Megan Bell in Conversation with Alli Badar & Casey Barton 7/12 @3PM

If I Could Only Talk to My Younger Self.
Megan Bell in Conversation with Alli Badar & Casey Barton

July 12th, 3:00 PM at Donkey & Goat

Just before Megan went public with her decision to shut down Margins, she and I had a conversation about the math and motives behind the move. In the middle of explaining the bigger picture, she stopped and said, “If I could only talk to my younger self now.”

That phrase became the blueprint for this panel. Megan realized she couldn’t rewrite her own history, but she can pass her knowledge to the next generation of women entering the industry. This event is her way of handing newcomers Alli Badar (Intertidal Wines) and Casey Barton (Helia Wines) the tools, warning signs, and survival metrics she wishes she’d had from day one.

Megan entered the California wine landscape with an enviable foundation, earning a degree in viticulture and enology from UC Davis. She refined her craft globally, working harvests across Napa, Oregon, New Zealand, and Europe. When she launched Margins Wine in 2016, she quickly became one of the brightest stars of the natural wine movement, praised for her technical precision and championing of underrepresented grape varieties. Margins wasn’t just a critical success; it was highly sought after, supported by a robust wine club and widespread distribution.

If anyone was succeeding, it was Megan.

And that’s why the announcement that she was shutting down production permanently sent shockwaves through the independent wine community.

Behind the acclaim, however, lay an unforgiving business landscape that drove increasingly aggressive moves. An ambitious decision to open a direct-to-consumer retail space in Santa Cruz was derailed by an 18-month city permitting process. By the time it opened, the retail market had weakened and distribution had stalled. Facing mounting overhead, founder debt, and no safety net, Megan chose her personal well-being over building brand identity.

In the end, she used her remaining inventory to pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, ensuring every grower and partner was made whole. Megan exited the industry with the same ethical intention that defined her wines.