Mela Breaks Barriers in Wine

Mela Breaks Barriers in Wine

          The story of Mela is a non-traditional one of breaking barriers. Let’s start with the story of the owners – four black women with a passion for wine who had to learn the business from the ground up, build credibility and launch a brand.   Mela was founded by Ryann Casey, […]

Drink the Good Stuff in 2022

Drink the Good Stuff in 2022

        In 2022, I enter my twelfth year of blogging and post for the 659th time.  Today we ponder yet another year of uncertainties.  I remember sitting in a neighbor’s lawn drinking wine with our outdoor chairs, sanitary wipes, and social distancing in March of 2020 where we all tried to gauge […]

My Personal Equity Report Card

        It’s been around a year since I posted what I am calling “my accountability challenge” to feature more black and women winemakers on my blog. So much has happened since then. Key changes have occurred in our behavior (good and bad), how we engage socially and how technology has become key […]

Longevity Wines – A Lasting Love Story

Longevity Wines

            Growing up, Founder and Winemaker Phil Long of Longevity Wines didn’t have much exposure to wine other than his dad’s ornamental bottle of Chianti. He told me that he didn’t even know that wine was made in America. To him, agriculture was focused on plants and animals – not […]

Jon Larson: Returning Home to Angwin Estate

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    Jon Larson, Proprietor and Winemaker of Angwin Estate Vineyards, Photo Courtesy of Angwin Estates Jon Larson is the epitome of the modern day Renaissance Man  – the precision required with his medical background; the discipline of a former state championship team rugby player and the sensory analysis and experimentation of his winemaker job […]

The Journey of Theopolis Vineyards

International Women's Day

      Photo Courtesy of Theopolis Vineyards   I still can’t remember at which event I met Theodora Lee, proprietor of Theopolis Vineyards, I just know she is unforgettable. I also remember her Petite Sirah as a stand-out in a room of California wines. That’s just the way things go with this no holds […]

Sips with Soul: A Live Tasting

Sips with Soul Tasting Kit

      Last Friday, the San Francisco Wine School gathered some of the top black Winemakers/Winery Owners, paired with sommeliers, for an unforgettable night of wine tasting. In my pledge a few weeks ago, I promised to be more inclusive with my coverage, to seek out the wine of black winemakers and be more diverse […]

Racism in Wine: Time to Wake Up

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    Racism in wine.  This is a hard subject and one that unfortunately hasn’t received national attention until the words “I can’t breathe” were uttered by George Floyd on May 25 while a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost eight minutes and started a national movement to change things. It was […]