When your wine shelf runs low, use this list of black-owned wineries to stock it back up!
I already know that supporting black-owned wine companies is going to be my favorite longterm way of supporting the black community.
Since I live in San Francisco, I’m biased towards California grown wine. (Our fruit here is just so good, and I love supporting my neighbors!) So this list features California black-owned wineries. You can visit some of their tasting rooms once it’s safe to travel again, and or order wine online.
REALITY CHECK: The wine industry is not clean of discrimination. For any small label, there are a lot of financial barriers involved to even get bottles on store shelves in the first place. But, distributors and salespeople have a long history of just simply not working with black-owned wineries. You probably won’t be able to find most of these wine labels on the shelf of your local store, even if you live in California.
So, be prepared to buy these wines online from the winery site directly or places like wine.com. I’ve also seen certain Bevmo locations stock a few of these labels, so it’s worth it to check there as well. I hate having to spend $25 on shipping when I could spend that on more wine, but worth the price to support these amazing labels.
Aright, here are some of the most sought after California Black-Owned wineries to try.
8 California Black-Owned Wineries
The best California Black-Owned Wineries stock your wine shelf with!
This black-owned winery is based in Oakland! The McBride Sisters worked hard to become the largest African-American-owned wine company in the United States. They source fruit from California and New Zealand, so you'll find Sav Blancs, Rose, Reisleings and Red Blends.
Shop on their site directly. You may also be able to find their canned wine in-store at a select Bay Area stores.
Brown Estate is located in the heart of Napa Valley. They have a pretty cool back story, too. In 1980 their parents bought a crumbling ranch in Napa & planted various varietals of grapes. In 1995, the kids decided to do something with that fruit and in 1996 produced their flagship Zin.
Now, you can visit their tasting room in Downtown Napa or order online directly.
Bodkin is best known for creating America’s first Sauvignon Blanc with bubbles (I'm ordering this bottle as I type!) Good year-round but especially will be refreshing during the hot summer months ahead.
Currently offering flat rate shipping so you can easily shop online! You can also find some labels on wine.com!
Charles Woodson (who played for the Raiders, then the Packers, then back to the Raiders) is now the owner of Intercept Wines. This is the one my husband (a die-hard Packer fan) is most eager to try.
All wines are under $20. You can shop online directly or on wine.com
Indigené Cellars is a family-owned winery located in the upper Carmel Valley near the Paso Robles wine region. A trusted friend nominated this winery because she loved how friendly everyone was while visiting. You can order their wines online but also make sure to stop by their tasting room on your next wine tasting trip!
They've earned numerous wine awards and plenty of 90-range points on vintages. Theopolis Vineyards is a Yorkville based winery (that's the Anderson Valley area wine region!)
You can order online but make sure to swing by their tasting room on your next trip to Mendocino.
P. Harrell seems to name some of their vintages after houses of family members in San Francisco (like the Haight Street Riesling or their Three Fifteen Zin).
They're small (there's only 3 types of bottles available right now) but mighty. Their Haight Street Dry Riesling was a Gold Medal winner in the 2019 San Francisco Chronicle International Wine Competition! You can order online directly.
Charles Wine vineyards are located in the Lodi Appellation region. All their wines are under $24 a bottle and can be shopped online (they ship to 40 states!) A reader's favorite is their Zin.
I hope this helps you find some California African American wineries to try and hopefully become regulars on your wine shelf!
Spread The Love! Wine Parties With Friends
A friend of mine had a great idea I wanted to share with you here. Once it’s safe to gather in groups again, team up with your wine loving friends for a monthly wine party. Go in together on a shipment from one of these wineries. Host a party (don’t forget the cheese board!) so everyone can support and taste these wines in an affordable format.
More Black Owned Wineries
These are other black-owned wineries I have learned about while researching (located in California and beyond!) in case you are looking for more or a looking for a local-to-you winery to support.
- Love Cork Screw (Vegan wines!)
- Heritage Link Brands (collection of a few wine labels)
- Bani Fine Wines (best known for sweeter wines)
- Abbey Creek Vineyard ( a black-owned hip hop winery if you can visit their tasting room in Oregon, sounds like fun!)
- Taste Collection Cellars (Texas, founded by Chef Rhonda Russell)
- Darjean Jones Wines (Napa Valley)
- Maison Noir Wines (Willamette Valley)
- LVE Wines (John Legend’s Winery)
- Jenny Dawn Cellars (Wichita, Kansas)
- Okapi Wines (Napa)
- Zafa Wines (Vermont – I think she also makes cider?)
- Lobjetwines (Healdsburg)
- Frichete Winery (Central Washington)
- Longevity Wines (Livermore)
- Wade Cellars (Napa)
7 comments
Thank you so much for having and sharing this information!
This is such a great way to support the black businesses! I really appreciate how you chose some companies that ship–very helpful for midwest girls like me. Great post!
J. Moss winery in Napa is has amazing wines and black owned You should check them out
J. MOSS winery in Napa has GREAT hospitality! Five of us spent 2 hours there.
Address: 901 Enterprise Way #B, Napa, CA 94558
Hours: Opens 11AM Fri
Phone: (707) 647-3388
Appointments: jmosswines.com
Thank you! All of your suggestions are great, and I will be contacting family to share cases of wine.
If I can’t be with my family during the holidays.. one thing we can do is gift to one another and share our wines! Zoom toasting! I’m looking forward to it!
Hello my name is Jeanette. I am having a wine tasting birthday party with 5 people.
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2021.
The guest of honor loves to go to wine tastings. She enjoys Semi sweet wines.
We would like to select a few wines from Black own wineries. Are you a black owned Winery and will we be able to order from you?
since this will be our 1st wine tasting will you be able to suggested foods to be served those wines?
Thank you so much. I was looking for a new wine club to join and found your site!