Berkeleyside NOSH: Bites: Black Vines Celebrates California’s Black Vintners; Clabras, Tacos Super Monilla
Catch up on the latest East Bay food news and events.
By Sarah HanFeb. 19, 2020, 10 a.m.
A TOAST TO DIVERSITY Black Vines founder Fern Stroud says her “life work is to bridge the gap between business, art and community,” and she’s been doing that for the last nine years with Black Vines, an annual festival she created to celebrate California’s black winemakers and vintners, artists and musicians. Stroud started the event in 2011 as a way to drive awareness and create publicity and demand for black wine professionals in a field dominated by mostly white and male winemakers, but Black Vines has also proven to be a fun gathering where like-minded individuals can connect over some great bottles of California wine. For the past eight years, Black Vines has taken place at various venues in Oakland; this year, on Sunday, it’ll make its first foray in Berkeley at Ciel Creative Space, where Mayor Jesse Arreguín will present Stroud with an official proclamation stating that Feb. 29, 2020 is Black Vines Day in the city.
Black Vines will feature tastings from Free Range Flower Winery (Oakland), Wachira Wines (Alameda), McBride Sisters (San Luis Obispo), Indigené Cellars (Paso Robles), Theopolis Vineyards (Yorkville), among many others. In addition, there’ll be hors d’oeuvres from L.A.-based Shef’s Catering, winemaker talks, and displays and performances by black artists and musicians. Proceeds from this year’s Black Vines will go to BlackFemaleProject.org, a non-profit that supports and amplifies the work of professional black women. 1-5 p.m. Admission is $70 and includes a keepsake glass; pre-registration is required. Venue information will be shared with registered guests.
