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Black-owned wineries and Black winemakers are rare, but they're doing delicious things while fighting to make the wine world more inclusive.
Robin McBride knows she and her sister are a rarity.
“If you look at the numbers now, only about .06% of wineries are Black owned, and there are only a few of us women,” the co-founder of McBride Sisters Collection said.
The wine world in general remains overwhelmingly white. In a survey of more than 3,100 wine-industry professionals published in October 2019 by the news site SevenFifty Daily, 84% of respondents identified as white, with only 2% as Black or African.
Following 2020's racial justice protests, the wine industry has been forced to examine its lack of diversity. Many hope this move will bring actual meaningful change, something the wine world has long vowed, yet long failed to deliver.
"(L)eaders profess over and over that they want more diversity in their ranks. It’s an empty promise. Which is both maddening as well as foolish for an industry that needs to grow its consumer base," wine journalist Dorothy J. Gaiter wrote in a June 2020 piece for SevenFifty titled “Being Black in the White World of Wine.”
"Look at every sector of the industry, save the actual hard work in the vineyards, which is done largely by Hispanics, and you’ll find only a few of us here and there. A sprinkling of color."
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The few Black winemakers and winery owners out there said they're seeing more attention these days. In part because of the industry's renewed focus on diversity, but in much larger part because they're making wonderful wines. Something Robin McBride and her sister Andréa McBride have been doing for 16 years.
Black Girl Magic
Robin grew up in Monterey, California, Andréa in Marlborough, New Zealand, two acclaimed wine regions. They have the same father but didn’t know about each other until they were adults. Both loved wine and had a mutual desire to make it — serendipity.
The sisters teamed up to create what is now the largest Black-owned wine company in the United States. The McBride Sisters label features numerous wines, including a red blend and a chardonnay from the Central Coast of California. And a zippy New Zealand sauvignon blanc that has structure and is full of tropical fruits with balanced acid on the finish ($16.99*).
The sisters' second label, Black Girl Magic, is a playful ode to their story and culture. This lineup includes a lovely, fruity-yet-dry rose ($19.99), a jammy zinfandel ($24.99), and a crisp sparkling wine ($24.99.) Made from chenin blanc and chardonnay, this sparkler has a happy mouth feel and is charming by itself or with a cheese board.
Of rap and wine
Another Black entrepreneur producing some serious wines is old-school rapper Earl Stevens, aka E-40. His newest release is his eponymous prosecco, an extra dry cuvee that smells floral, fruity and fresh. It tastes that way, too. It's a perfect afternoon sipper for $15.
While prosecco from Italy is hot, Stevens called it “untapped territory” for Black-owned wineries.
“It’s something most people in my culture would not do," he said.
A native of Vallejo, California, north of San Francisco, Stevens got his start in hip hop in 1986 and has released 28 studio albums. His passion for wine is just as extensive.
He formed Earl Stevens Selections in 2013, and today his portfolio far outsells most other celebrity brands. His red blend, Function, is a little on the sweet side, and so are his popular moscato blends, Tropiscato and Mangoscato. Stevens often drinks Mangoscato before going on stage.
“That’s magic in a bottle right there," he said. "It tastes hella good and gets you where you need to be; not too high, not too low, just driving in the middle lane.”
Stevens has also ventured into spirits with E. Cuarenta Tequila, Tycoon Cognac and Sluricane, a ready-to-drink rum-based cocktail.
As one of the first rappers to delve into the wine business on a national level, “I had a plan," he said, "too many people want to be in the wine business to see their name on the label. I wanted a successful brand to expand on the E-40 brand.”
Billions of bubbles
William Benson didn’t have celebrity status but, as a Black man in the financial industry in New York City, he had big dreams. He journeyed into wine after a big birthday party when he was stuck with a staggering bill, and no one offered to chip in.
The party moved to his house where he jumped up on a table, told the crowd he had no real friends and declared he was going to France to start his own Champagne company.
His guests laughed, but two days later he was on a plane to Europe and is now the founder and CEO of Billionaires Row, the only 100% Black-owned Champagne company in the world that is also recognized by the French government.
This Champagne is delightfully aromatic and has flavors of apple, strawberry and almond paste. At $110 a bottle, it's hardly cheap, but you don’t have to be a billionaire or even millionaire to afford it. The brand also makes Brandy XO.
Benson said he and Billionaires Row co-founder and president Patrick Ductant get emails daily from people of color inspired by their story, asking how they got into the wine business. They try to help however they can.
Making change
When the McBride sisters were developing their brand, it was all but impossible to find mentors like them.
“We had a hard time trying to find women with similar backgrounds or experiences who could give us advice on how to navigate this space," Robin said.
The sisters are trying to change that with She Can, a line of canned wines that's also a scholarship fund. She Can provides financial assistance, mentoring and leadership coaching. Originally meant for women in the wine and spirits industry, the program has been expanded to include all Black, women-owned businesses.
New partnerships with Facebook, Silicon Valley Bank and Morgan Stanley made it possible for She Can to award some $300,000 to female entrepreneurs in 2020.
Bringing color and diversity to the predominantly white world of wine is a goal shared by Stevens, Benson and Ductant, as well.
"We want to show guys that look like us that you can come into this space and be welcomed with open arms," Ductant said. “We want people to continue to dream. We feel the moment that people in the world cease to dream, the world will cease to spin.”
Hear more about Billionaire’s row with William Benson and Patrick Ductant on the Grape Minds wine podcast, hosted by Gina Birch and Julie Glenn. Gina Birch writes about food and wine for The News-Press and at thebirchbeat.blogspot.com. Follow her as @ginabirch on Twitter and find her on Facebook.
*Wine prices may vary
More Black-owned wines to try
Aslina sauvignon blanc ($19.99): Aslina Wines founder Ntsiki Biyela is South Africa’s first Black female winemaker and winery owner. She produces cabernet sauvignon, a Bordeaux-style blend, chardonnay and this smooth sauvignon blanc. It’s rounder than most sauv blancs with waves of citrus, lemon zest and a hint of stone fruit. Complex yet easy.
Tesselaarsdal pinot noir ($45): Another female-owned brand, Berene Sauls named her winery after the village where she grew up. She specializes in small-production batches of pinot noir and chardonnay. This one is silky and spicy with red fruits like cherry and cranberry.
Kumusha Wines cabernet and cinsault red blend ($16.99): Tinashe Nyamudoka is a sommelier who worked in some of the best restaurants in South Africa before launching his own brand. It includes sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, a white blend and this red blend, which has fresh red fruit, cherry and pomegranate, and a slightly rustic finish.
Bosman Family Vineyards Generations chenin blanc ($19.99): The Bosman Family has been making wine for 8 generations and in 2008 gave 26% of their company to their employees as part of the largest Black-owned land transfer in South African history. This chenin blanc leans towards medium body with minerality, stone fruit and citrus.
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June 16, 2021 at 08:05PM
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Celebrating Black-owned wineries and Black winemakers, a true rarity in the world of wine - News-Press
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