Diversify your palate with red, white and black wines.
To say there is a lot going on in the world right now would be an understatement.
Global pandemic. Three months of quarantine. A roller coaster of a market. Record high unemployment. And four weeks of protests following the horrific death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer.
We are making history right now, with change happening on a daily basis.
Big or small, all changes begin with a choice.
The choice to get educated on the issues. The choice to support what’s right. The choice to make lasting changes.
One of the easiest and lasting ways to drive change during this time is to support Black owned businesses, and for Carpe Travel we’re talking about Black owned wineries.
Did you know that only about 1 percent of all winemakers are Black?
I didn’t… I’ve called out and highlighted women winemakers, Italian winemakers, winemakers in lesser known regions of the United States, so now I’d like to call out Black winemakers and Black owned wineries in the U.S. We need to increase awareness of diversity in the wine industry and among all you wine lovers. It’s time to sip in more red, white and Black owned wines.
This list is nowhere near complete so if you want to help me, shoot me an email with any other Black owned wineries in the U.S. that are not listed.
Want to do more to support these Black owned wineries?
- 1. Buy their wine now and in the future. Either order direct and have it shipped, or find it in your local wine shop.
- 2. Join their wine clubs so you have new releases sent to you every few months.
- 3. Follow and engage with them on Instagram.
- 4. Visit the winery when we can all travel again.
- 5. Share this list with your friends online
Black Owned Wineries in the United States
Abbey Creek Wine, Oregon
In 2008 Bertony Faustin became the first recorded vineyard owner and winemaker in Oregon. Bertony also produced the documentary “Red, White & Black” that documents Jesus Guillen, Remy Drabkin, Andre Mack, and Jared Sleet’s stories, as well as his own to give an inside look into the diversity challenge facing the wine industry worldwide.
Instagram: @abbeycreekwine
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Bodkin Wines, Sonoma, CA
Good to Know: Do you like Sauvignon Blanc? What about bubbles? Then you’ll love that Christopher Christensen, winemaker and owner of Bodkin Wines has made America’s first sparkling Sauvignon Blanc! But this isn’t all Bodkin is producing and winning awards for. The winery has received scores of 90+ with Wine Enthusiast for it’s Rose, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and of course its Sauvignon Blanc.
Instagram: @bodkinwines
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Brown Estate, Napa Valley, CA
Good to Know: In 1996, Brown Estate became Napa Valley’s first Black owned estate winery. However, the family had been growing and selling grapes to other winemakers in the area since 1980. It was when the kids – turned adults – took over that they began to produce their own wines. Today, you can sip wines from Brown Estate at the Brown Downtown tasting room in the heart of downtown Napa or at their winery in St. Helena.
Instagram: @brownestate
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Charles Wine Co, California
Good to Know: Charles Wine Co is a small, boutique, family owned and operated winery.
Instagram: @charleswineco
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McBride Sisters, California
Good to Know: Robin and Andréa McBride are sisters who didn’t know the other existed for half their life’s. Having both grown up in wine country on two different continents – Monterey, California and Marlborough, New Zealand – when their path did finally meet, their shared passion for wine led to the creation of McBride Sisters. Today, it is the largest African-American-owned wine company in the United States.
Instagram: @mcbridesisters
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Corner 103, Sonoma, CA
Good to Know: Lloyd Davis founded Corner 103 in April 2015. The winery has since been ranked as one of the top 10 best wineries in the country by USA Today and won multiple gold medals for its wines.
Instagram: @corner103
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Darjean Jones Wines, Napa Valley, CA
Good to Know: Dawna Darjean Jones – founder, owner and vintner – is one of the few female winemakers in Napa Valley. The small family owned winery specializes in boutique wines from California.
Instagram: @darjeanjones
Davidson Wine Co, North Carolina
Good to Know: Davidson Wine Co was founded in 2019 by Lindsey Williams. It’s the first urban winery in Davidson North Carolina. Lindsey sources the grapes she uses for her wines from vineyards around the world. So you could be sipping in an Califoria Chardonnay, Italian Barolo or French Gewurztraminer that was made right there in North Carolina!
Instagram: @davidsonwineco
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Dwade Cellars, Napa Valley, CA
Good to Know: Many of you may know Dwyane Wade from his days with the Miami Heat. Today he’s one of Napa Valley’s few Black owned wines. Having teamed up with Jayson Pahlmeyer, who has produced iconic Napa Valley wines for 30 years, the two are creating stunning wines at Dwade Cellars.
Instagram: @dwadecellars
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Eunice Chiweshe Goldstein Winery, Oregon
Good to Know: Eunice Chiweshe is Oregon’s first Black female-owned winery. In addition to wine, she’s also an award-winning actress, writer and director.
Instagram: @eunicechiweshegoldsteinwinery
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FLO Wine 360
Good to Know: FLO Wine was created by musician, Marcus Johnson in 2011. The name, FLO stands “For the Love Of…” It’s an aspirational movement since we should do things in life for the love of… In the last nine years, FLO Wine has received acclaim for its wines and been rated as one of the Top 10 Celebrity Wine Lines by USA TODAY.
You can find FLO online and in local retail shops but the winery doesn’t appear to have a tasting room.
Instagram: @flowine360
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Frichette Winery, Washington
Good to Know: Frichette Winery is a family-owned limited production winery located in Washington state in the Red Mountain AVA.
Owner by Greg and Shae Frichettegoosebumps released their their first vintage of 2011 in 2013 with 650 cases of wine. Today, Frichette is a 2000 case winery.
Instagram: @frichettewinery
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Indigené Cellars, Paso Robles, CA
Good to Know: Indigené Cellars is a small family owned winery in Paso Robles.
Instagram: @indigenecellars
J. Moss Wines, Napa Valley, CA
Good to Know: The Moss family specializes in small-lot Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.
Instagram: @jmosswines
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Jenny Dawn Cellars, Wichita, Kansas
Good to Know: Jennifer McDonald founded Wichita’s first urban winery startup in 2016. She sources her grapes from Santa Barbara County.
Instagram: @jennydawncellars
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L’ Objet Wines, Sonoma, CA
Good to Know: Dan Glover – not the actor – spent time honing his winemaking skills working at Clos du Bois, Armida and Dutcher Crossing before starting L’Objet where he focuses on Pinot Noir.
Instagram: @lobjetwines
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Longevity Wines, Livermore CA
Good to Know: Longevity Wines is a small boutique, family operated, urban style winery located in the Livermore AVA. Winemaker/Founder Phil Long began his journey making wine in the garage with his wife Debra. Today they’re producing 2,500 cases a year.
Phil is also a board member for the Association of African American Vintners.
Instagram: @longevity_wines
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LVE Wines, Napa Valley, CA
Good to Know: In 2015 the infamous John Legend paired up with Raymond Vineyard to create LVE wine label, which stands for Legend Vineyard Exclusives. LVE is focused on Rosé wines.
Instagram: @lve_wines
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Maison Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Good to Know: Founded by sommelier André Hueston Mack in 2007, Maison Noir wines are unique and distinctive garage wines, initially created for some of the New York’s best restaurants for whom Mack was a sommelier. Each of his wines incorporates an attitude and personal perspective on wine subculture with catchy hip-hop themed names such as O.P.P., Knock on Wood and Love Drunk.
Instagram: @andrehmack
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Markell-Bani Wines, Maryland
Good to Know: Lifelong friends and Cincinnati natives, Gregory Markell Lawrence and Sean Bani Yisrael founded Markell-Bani Wines in 2008 with a focus on reaching sweet wine drinkers. The two mainly use native American grapes – Concord and Niagara – to produce their signature wines, Aniyah Rouge (sweet red) and Demera Blanc (sweet white).
Instagram: @markellbanifinewines
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Okapi Wines, Napa Valley, CA
Good to Know: Okapi was founded by Kin and Dan Johnson in 2006 when the couple transformed a walnut orchard into a vineyard. Today they produce a limited amount of wine, 300 cases per year. Their wines are only available online and by telephone. Their “tasting room” is the backyard, when friends come to visit – they are not open to the public.
Instagram: @okapiwines
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Ole’ Orleans Wines, Louisiana
Good to Know: New Orleans native Kim Lewis founded Ole’ Orleans in 2018. The urban winery produces semi-sweet and dry white wines from local Louisiana vineyards.
Instagram: @oleorleans
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Stoney Wines, Oregon
Good to Know: With the guidance of Bertony Faustin from Abbey Creek Vineyards, Donna Stoney introduced her first two wines in September, 2019. She is first Black female winemaker in Oregon. A portion of the proceeds from Stoney Wines will go to support programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Instagram: @stoneywines
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Theopolis Vineyards, Anderson Valley, CA
Good to Know: This small lot vineyard in the Yorkville Highlands of the Anderson Valley in California is run by female winemaker, Theodora R. Lee, ala “Theo-patra, Queen of the Vineyards” as she’s known in the wine industry. The vineyard produces highly acclaimed, award winning wines. It is best known for its Best in Class, Double Gold, 95 Points 2013 Estate Grown Petite Sirah and its Double Gold 2014 Estate Grown Rosé of Petite Sirah.
Instagram: @theopolisvineyards
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Vision Cellars, Sonoma, CA
Good to Know: Established in 1995, Vision Cellars is a passionate boutique winery specializing in Pinot Noir. Owner and winemaker, Edward Lee “Mac” McDonald, is the founder of the Association of African American Vintners.
Sip In More Wine 101…
Elaine N. Schoch
Elaine Schoch (pronounced the German way – Shock) is the editor and founder of Carpe Travel as well as an award-winning travel writer, wine judge, certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2 and certified American Wine Expert. She is married to The Husband and has two kids, Princess One and Two – who’s interest and knowledge in wine is quite extensive. Not to mention the stamps in their passports.