BY KELLY E. CARTER
HauteAMBASSADOR
Wine Country
Mamoudou Athie in Uncorked
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BLACK WINES MATTER A Toast to Black Wine Professionals THE ROMANCE OF WINE LURES VISITORS TO DREAMY WINE
winery which began producing wine in 1986; Theodora Lee’s 17-year-
country, where people often flock to escape the real world. Hearing the
old Theopolis Vineyards in Mendocino County; Phil Long’s 14-year-old
stories of passionate winery owners and winemakers while sipping their
Longevity Wines in Livermore; Danny Glover’s (no relation to the actor)
liquid creations and touring their picturesque vineyards makes one be-
L’Objet Wines in Healdsburg; Mac McDonald, who started Vision Cellars
lieve all is right in the world. But sometimes, reality cannot be avoided.
in Windsor in 1995 and founded the Association of African American
With the subject of race dominating the news in recent weeks, it is im-
Vintners; Rhonda Russell’s Taste Collection Cellars in Lodi; Charles Wine
possible to ignore the topic as it relates to wine.
Company in Lodi; Robin and Andréa McBride’s Oakland-based McBride
The increasing number of African-American sports and entertain-
Sisters Wine Collection, whose wines come from California’s Central
ment figures who venture into the wine business—John Legend, Charles
Coast and New Zealand; Rosalind Manoogian who, along with her hus-
Woodson, Dwyane Wade, and Ayesha Curry all make their wine in Napa
band James, own Fog Crest Vineyard in the Russian River AVA; and,
Valley—receive an overwhelming amount of attention when compared
Paula Harrell’s P. Harrell Wines in Sonoma, to name more than a few.
to black-owned wine labels of vintners whose names may not be as well known.
As people discovered these black-owned wine businesses, wine sales increased. For example, Lee, who lives in Oakland and is a senior partner
Therefore, it was wonderful to see the focus shift last month to a bevy
and trial lawyer at Littler, received a record 50 separate wine orders in
of black-owned wine brands, not just in the United States but around
one day. That’s quite a bit, considering her Theopolis Vineyards—she’s
the world, that have been largely overlooked. Close to home, the spot-
known in the wine world as “Theo-patra, Queen of the Vineyards”—only
light shined on Brown Estate, Napa Valley’s sole black-owned estate
produces 800 cases of wine a year.
PHOTO CREDITS: NETFLIX, THEOPOLIS VINEYARDS, RON ESSEX & TAMERA MOWRY-HOUSLEY.
Kelly E. Carter is the director of communications at Alpha Omega winery on Napa Valley’s Rutherford Bench. The former editor of “Haute Living San Francisco” previously enjoyed a lengthy, award-winning career in journalism writing about sports, entertainment, and luxury lifestyles for various media outlets. Kelly co-authored New York Times bestseller “Come to Win: Business Leaders, Artists, Doctors, and Other Visionaries on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession” with Venus Williams and penned “The Dog Lover’s Guide to Travel” for National Geographic Books. She has traveled to more than 40 countries and territories on six continents and called Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Italy home. Visit Kelly at: www. kellyecarter.com
