Tasting Diversity with Black Wine Pioneers

I don’t hang out in Sonoma County as often as I would like. But I’m glad I took the time on Sunday to go to Sebastopol for an enlightening event, “Tasting Diversity: Insights from Black Pioneers in the Wine World”, at the beautiful, 30-acre Fog Crest Vineyard, Sonoma’s lone vineyard owned by a black woman.

Entering the gates and riding through the rolling vineyards up to the tasting room made me so proud. I chuckled silently as Jamie Foxx’s and T-Pain’s “Blame It” played on the car radio. How fitting for I blame/credit the alcohol for bringing us together on this picture-perfect, unseasonably warm, winter day.

Presented by the Sonoma County Public Library Foundation, Sonoma County Library’s Wine Library and Sonoma County Wine Library Association, in partnership with Mary and Stephen Graves, descendants of abolitionist John Brown, Rosalind Manoogian, who expects to soon go from Fog Crest’s primary to sole owner, the NAACP’s Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Branch and the Association of African American Vintners, the event sold out quickly and there was talk of making this an annual event.

The panel featured Rosalind, Christopher Christensen, owner/winemaker of Bodkin Wines, Danny Glover, winemaker/proprietor of L’Objet Wines, Angela McCrae, AAAV’s executive director and founder of Uncorked and Cultured, and Brenae Royal, North Coast Operations Manager of Gallo’s esteemed Monte Rosso Vineyard. Jay Jackson, founder/producer of Wine News Noir, moderated while Dennis McCarter of the two-year-old McCarter Cellars and the Sonoma County Public Library Foundation emceed.

A variety of topics were discussed, including how everyone got their start in the wine industry, financing challenges, how to introduce wine to Gen Z and millennials, some Blacks’ affinity for sweet wine and the effects of climate change in the vineyard. After a lively live auction of wines made by the participating producers, we noshed on fare provided by some of Sonoma’s leading African American chefs and restaurateurs – Maison Porcella in Windsor, Saucy Mama’s in Guerneville and Vegan Mob in Santa Rosa – mingled and sipped, of course.

As I met several Black Sonoma residents, I enjoyed America’s first sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, made by Bodkin, a gorgeous L’Objet Cuveé red blend (Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Merlot) from Dry Creek Valley and McCarter Cellars’s delish Gewürtztraminer. Fog Crest’s Rosé and Chardonnay shined alongside its legendary Pinot Noir.

Check out these producers to find out what other wines they produce and please support Black wines, not just during Black History Month but year round. Access 100+ Black wine producers, distributors and retailers through the Sip Consciously Directory, a growing assemblage of Black-owned wine businesses. Cheers!