They’re branching out. Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough are the co-founders of Fresh Vine Wine, a keto-friendly label with 3 varieties—all under $25—and growing.

“We did it because we were both frustrated with the lack of balance we saw out there,” says Julianne. “You can be healthy and you can like to drink. Your active wellbeing shouldn’t be compromised by a glass of rosé.”

Here’s how the best friends and business partners are figuring out their next steps (and sips).

How did you first meet?
NINA: It was Bumble BFF. Okay, no. We met through our best friend, [salon Nine Zero One founder] Riawna Capri. She kept saying, “You have to meet each other. But I was in Atlanta. Julianne was in LA. When we did meet, we knew she was right. We’re so similar and so different in exactly the right ways. We really balance each other out.

What do you mean?
JULIANNE: We have a lot of the same values. Friendships, adventure, fun, spontaneity… We’re risk-takers. But I’m a little hyper-obsessed with the cleanliness of my house. Nina can be a little messy.
NINA: I’m working on it! I am!
JULIANNE: Nina pushes me and challenges me to open up. Sometimes, I tame the beast in her. But at the end of the day, we bring out the best in each other. We encourage each other with a slight challenge to be our best selves.
NINA: We’re really great at growing together. We meet a lot of people. And I’ve had friends, but not many stick, grow, and evolve the way we have. And as she mentioned, those shared values, that’s what we wanted in a wine. We wanted a wine that reflected who we are and celebrated our differences and that would grow with us.

Why make wine, though?
JULIANNE: As our relationship as friends has grown, our interests have grown. But our love for wine and connection is the same. We love to learn and grow, and we truly love wine. We have it at the end of a workday, high times, celebrations, something really tough—whatever it may be, we’re constantly looking for ways to experience life together. Fresh Vine Wines felt like an opportunity for us to deepen our knowledge and education about something we love.
NINA: And I’ve had a really hard time with wine in the past, because the labels don’t have all the information they need. I’m gluten-free. I get very ill if I have it. And sometimes, I would have wine, and I would end up feeling so sick, just from a regular glass of wine! That shouldn’t happen!
JULIANNE: And I have a wellness company. I don’t want to have to choose between wellness and wine…and besides making great wines, I also want this to be a resource where at least you get the information about what you’re drinking!… We’ve tasted low-carb, low-calorie, gluten-free, keto-friendly wines before, but… it’s compromised the experience. It’s not good. I was like, “There’s got to be a balance.”

It’s easy to know when a dance or a film is ready for release. But how did you know a wine was ready?
NINA: We’ve done taste tests with so many people over a long time. So [before quarantine] we would go to friends’ houses and bring over a bottle of wine, without telling them it’s ours. Or on Zoom happy hours now, we’ll send wine without saying, “We made this!” And seriously, 100% of the time, they inquire. They’re like, “Ooh, what is this?” They have no idea it’s low-carb or low sugar! They just like the wine. And the next day, they’re like, “I have no hangover! This is amazing!”

Cameron Diaz has a wine. Kendall Jenner has tequila. How do you keep your new brand, that you’ve worked very hard on, from being labeled a “celeb trend?”
JULIANNE: I feel like there’s that narrative that pits people against each other, but it’s not real! I’m not against anyone. I’m just psyched that my best friend and I get to make something together that’s really excellent… At the end of the day, if you try to create something to compete or compare, there’s no joy. And then, what’s the point if there’s no joy? We put blinders on a little bit. Because that would hinder the process and the enjoyment. We just want to create a great product that empowers people to live a more balanced life. We want to make something you can bring to your party when the world opens up. That’s it.
NINA: There are a lot of seats at the table. I don’t think anyone sees it as a competition. If one woman creates great wine, that doesn’t mean another can’t. In fact, hopefully it opens up the possibilities even more. We want everyone to do well! It’s good for all of us!

How do you handle disagreements now that you’re friends and business partners?
JULIANNE: I think we’re at a real advantage, because we had great communication and trust way before we started a company. We’ve had hard conversations with each other in the past. That’s why we’ve lasted as friends; because we are honest with each other, even when we’re hurting. So if it’s an issue with Fresh Vine, of course we can be honest! People talk a lot about “compromise,” but with something this important, it’s not about compromising. It’s about finding what makes us both feel comfortable. It won’t be right until we both feel that way… We value each other as humans and people. We have each other’s backs.

Please give us tips on how to keep lipstick on while drinking wine.
NINA: I mean, in COVID times, don’t you want a little lipstick on your wine glass, so you can tell it’s your wine? You don’t want to be sharing glasses! Just own it and reapply your lipstick.