Meet the Black Women Transforming Wine Culture in the U.S.
They have been buying vineyards across the country and cultivating wine with a passion for the art — and their communities
For centuries, wine has been a coveted beverage that many have often found enamoring and mysterious. With unique wine regions in parts of Australia, the United States, and South Africa and grape varietals from chardonnay to pinot gris to Bordeaux, there is something special for every palate. Today, wine has become more than just an alcoholic beverage enjoyed with a great piece of steak or a delicious charcuterie board; it has grown to become a cultural experience. The Silicon Valley Bank’s 2019 State of the Wine Industry Report cites the United States as “the largest wine consuming country in the world,” with sales growth projected between 4% and 8% this year alone.
Like many industries, the wine industry in the United States is primarily White and male dominated. According to the Wine Institute, there are 3,900 bonded wineries in California, many of them family owned and multigenerational vineyards. Over the past 25 years, however, vineyards like Brown Estate, Theopolis, Abbey Creek, Rideau, and others have become staple names in the Black wine community and are providing wine drinkers at all levels the chance to…
