EBONY: Hidden Black History: Black Winemakers and Wines You Need to Know, Plus Top Sommeliers Share Their Perfect Pairings
Lindsey William in her wine restaurant. Photo by Peter Taylor
By LeAura Luciano
February 7, 2022
The history of Black winemakers in the United States can be traced back to 1940. John June Lewis, Sr., commonly referred to as the first Black winemaker, opened the nation’s first Black-owned winery Woburn Winery in Clarksville, Virginia.
“There’s a movement happening now with Black culture and wine. We should recognize that wine has always been a part of our culture going back to Africa,” shares Dr. Monique Bell, Associate Professor of Marketing at California State University, Fresno of the . “If you have roots in the South, as I do, you may have heard your grandparents or great, great grandparents talking about making their own jug wine. So there really is this long connection between our culture and wine. “
However, today, of the more than 11,000 wineries in the U.S., less than 1% of them are Black-owned. In Dr. Bell’s study Terroir Noir: 2020 Study of Black Wine Entrepreneurs, she explores the reason behind this. “The three major challenges emerging from the data are lack of financial capital, systemic racism, and confusing wine regulations. Since the majority of the Black wine entrepreneurs were self-funded, access to capital to grow their businesses was identified as a key challenge.” The lack of inclusivity in the wine industry has resulted in our winemakers not being highlighted, celebrated, and exposed to the market until only recently.
This recent burst in growth and press has been the result of the valiant efforts of Black-owned wine organizations, associations, and directories, including Association of African American Vintners, Black Vines, The Hue Society, Sip Consciously, and Soul of Sonoma.
