Just in time for Valentine’s Day. *wink* Although does anyone truly need a reason to enjoy a nice glass of wine?
Cheers to these black-owned wine brands that each have a unique story behind how they’re changing the industry.
Brown Estate
Fun fact: Brown Estate Vineyards is rumored to be the first Black-owned winery estate in California’s Napa Valley. You can visit them in downtown Napa for a tasting by making a reservation on their website.
Abbey Creek Winery
Located in North Plains, Oregon (outside of Portland), this winery features a “Hip hop, wine, and chill” tasting. If you’re in the area make sure to make a reservation before visiting. For those of us outside Oregon, they sell their wines online as well.
Indigené Cellars
This black-owned winery, located in Paso Robles, CA, incorporates philanthropy into its mission by “creating wine devoted exclusively to community-focused efforts.” We love a giving back moment!
Theopolis Vineyards
Former trial lawyer Theodora R. Lee aka Theo-patra (also known as Queen of the Vineyards) left the courtroom to start an award-winning winery. You can find what makes her so legendary at her vineyard and winery in California’s Anderson Valley.
Love Cork Screw
With a name like “Love Cork Screw,” I’m pretty sure you can expect a good time from this wine. On your next run to Total Wine, be on the lookout for their catchy bottles including the “We Go High” Rosé or the “In Too Deep” Vino Blanco that founder, Chrishon Lampley, promises is “a vibe.”
Free Range Flower Winery
Noted as California’s first & only true flower wine, Free Range Flower Winery in Oakland stands out because it’s actually made from flowers instead of grapes. This distinction has gained the brand sustainability recognition from the Cosmopolitan Wine Awards.
Champagne Marie Césaire
For the international girls, Marie Césaire is a vineyard located in north-eastern France founded by West Indian siblings, Marie-Inès and Jaïro Romelle. Feel free to bring me back a bottle on your next trip to the French country-side 🙂
Darjean Jones Wines
Owner, Dawna Darjean Jones of Darjean Jones Wines fell in love with wine as a plant pathologist working on diseases found in wine grapes. Jones has a bachelor’s from Southern University in Plant Science and a Ph.D. from the University of California in Plant Pathology so I would definitely trust her with my evening libations.
McBride Sisters
No black-owned wine list (or my weekly grocery list) would be complete without McBride Sisters wine. In addition to their delicious wines, sisters and founders, Robin McBride and Andréa McBride John started the SHE CAN Wines initiative in 2019. The program aims to “close the gender and race gap in leadership positions in male-dominated fields by providing professional development scholarships and grants to emerging women leaders.” As if I needed another excuse to stock up on the sparkling rosé.
