McBride Sisters Winery President to Keynote at the 2023 Unified Symposium’s Opening Day Luncheon

SACRAMENTO, Calif., January 17, 2023…Robin McBride, co-founder and president of McBride Sisters Wine Company, will keynote the 2023 Unified Symposium Luncheon and share the incredible story of how she and her sister, Andréa McBride John, created the largest Black-owned wine company in the United States. Robin will share insights on how she and Andréa have pushed the envelope in making wine more inclusive and accessible.

The luncheon will take place at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento hotel on Tuesday, January 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This year’s keynote luncheon will break away from the typical presentation format. Instead, freelance wine writer Julia Coney will interview Robin live on-stage as guests listen and enjoy a plated lunch with wine pairings.

The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas Presents the First Women’s Sommelier Symposium

The Women’s Sommelier Symposium is a two-day mentoring experience for established women in wine to educate, inspire, and build impactful connections with female sommeliers. The Women’s Sommelier Symposium is an essential step toward addressing safety and support for female leaders who are studying to become Master Sommeliers. This symposium will set the stage for future partners and initiatives to join in a movement to shape the wine industry.

Featured speakers include Julia Coney, wine writer, educator, and founder of Black Wine Professionals, several female Master Sommeliers, and local Santa Barbara entrepreneurs. Master Sommelier Emily Wines will be the host and moderator of the symposium in addition to other Master Sommeliers, including Kathryn Morgan, Laura DePasquale, and Virginia Phillip, who will be spearheading a conversation about “turning your side hustle into a business.” The Master Sommeliers will lead sessions on having a seat at the table in career roles often held by men, as well as mentoring the attendees on preparation for the pursuit of the Master Sommelier Diploma.

Black women are celebrating their love of wine by creating their own spaces in the industry

Wine has become more than my social drink of choice—it’s now a studied hobby. I took my first wine course in 2021 and will prepare to take the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 1 exam this year to sharpen my skills and knowledge around wine production and tasting. Wine is one of the most complex, diverse subjects I have ever studied; the wine regions across the globe, types of grapes used, and the fermentation processes for red, white, and rosé wines are just a few variables that one discovers in what distinguishes wine.

The Most Influential Black Voices in Wine

Wine is not fair. Despite a diverse American population, only roughly 1 in every 1,000 winemakers in this country is Black. The percentages are a little better for the industry at large, but not by much. The wine tides are changing, thankfully, but there’s much work to be done in the name of creating an inviting, diverse, and dynamic community.

The drinks industry is evolving and there are more and more Black voices entering the conversation. Wine has been particularly slow to shift, perhaps because it’s always been so bound to tradition and has a history of elitism. Fortunately, it’s shifting towards a younger, broader core audience, just ask boxed wine and Pinot Gris in a can. A major part of that shift involves having the wine scene actually reflect the landscape it inhabits.

There are an increasing number of Black influencers in the American wine scene, bringing important perspectives to the table. Some have started innovative businesses and others are NBA greats you’ve probably heard of. Here are eight other Black voices within the American wine realm you should definitely raise a glass to and follow on their respective journeys.

• Andre Hueston Mack

• Tahiirah Habibi

• Tiquette Bramlett

• Simonne Mitchelson

• Julia Coney

• Phil Long

• Lamar Covert

• Carlton McCoy Jr.

Dwyane Wade, Julia Coney Join U.C. Davis Executive Leadership Board

The University of California at Davis, one of the world's leading centers for wine research, introduced three new members of its Viticulture and Enology Department Executive Leadership Board this week: three-time NBA champion and Wade Cellars co-owner Dwyane Wade, wine writer and Black Wine Professionals database founder Julia Coney and Silverado Farming Company partner and Davis alum Miguel Luna.

They join the 26-member board of directors for U.C. Davis’ wine department, chaired by Dr. Laura Catena of Argentina's Bodega Catena Zapata. The board is composed of industry leaders, educators and other invited members who assist the department in socially and economically elevating the wine community. In Wade's case, he hopes to increase diversity and accessibility in an industry he once found intimidating.

Discovering Napa and the browning of the wine world

The world of wine can be intimidating for minorities who may want to join the industry. Enter Julia Coney, wine journalist and founder of Black Wine Professionals, a resource for wine professionals, industry employers, and the food and beverage industry. Since its launch in June 2020, Black Wine Professionals has drawn nearly 250 members spanning North and Central America, South Africa and Europe. Some of the categories of membership include sommeliers, journalists, retail owners, importers and distributors. The growth of membership in just a year is a clear indication there was and is a need.

“We are currently going through applications now to add more members. The team is in discussion to include more categories for 2022. Applications for membership will reopen in November for one week and won’t reopen until the end of January 2022,” explained Coney.

Dwyane Wade joins UC Davis' Viticulture and Enology Executive Leadership board

Wade is the co-founder of Wade Cellars in Napa Valley. The website for the business said the idea to go from the basketball court to the vineyard was sparked in 2014 during a visit with fellow co-founder Jayson Pahlmeyer. Aside from Wade Cellars, Wade founded The Wade Family Foundation and helped launch the Social Change Fund United. Both work to help marginalized communities in need and empower communities of color.

Julia Coney, Founder of Black Wine Professionals and wine writer, and Miguel Luna, viticulturist and recent UC Davis alumnus, are the other two new members to the board.

“I look forward to working with my fellow members, faculty, staff and students to increase the diversity of our student population and other key ELB initiatives,” Coney said.

The newest diversity recruiter for UC Davis' prestigious wine program? Dwyane Wade

“The reason I got into this industry in the first place is to make wine feel more accessible. I wanted to bring it to my community in a not-intimidating way,” Wade, 39, said in an interview in Napa on Friday. “If I can make a big impact on a board with the number one wine school in the world, then I think I can really make a difference.”

Two other new board members are joining alongside Wade with similar goals: Julia Coney, a wine writer and educator who launched an organization called Black Wine Professionals last year; and Miguel Luna, a viticulturist with Silverado Farming Co. in Napa. Luna is himself a graduate of UC Davis’ viticulture and enology program.

UC Davis’ Department of Viticulture and Enology Hold Discussion on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Grape and Wine Industries

DAVIS – On Monday, the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis held an event promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the wine industry.

The three-hour event consisted of remarks from UCD Chancellor Gary May, UCD College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean Helene Dillard, a keynote presentation by Julia Coney, panel discussions and moderated question-and-answer sessions.

Real-Time Wine Talk: How Clubhouse Changes Industry Conversations

The Clubhouse wine community is significant. Holly Berrigan, the founder of MYSA Natural Wine, and winemaker Rob Mondavi, Jr. have launched Clubhouse accounts and participated in panel discussions. Award-winning journalist and Black Wine Professionals founder Julia Coney hosts weekly For the Love of Wine discussions, the description of which promises “no pressure and no judgement of what’s in your glass.”

Can the Wine Industry Benefit From Clubhouse?

For the Love of Wine

In my club, we discuss the wines we are drinking, wines we look forward to drinking, and food pairings. We talk more about the fun of wine and less about the business of wine.

Host: Julia Coney

Time: Fridays, 6:30 p.m. ET

Keeping Black Wine Professionals Up Front And Center

Perhaps no one more so than Julia Coney, who in the wake of both the coronavirus pandemic and the #BLM movement found herself recalling the times when as wine writer and educator, she was the only Black person on wine-industry trips.

“I remember [a trip organizer] telling me they didn’t know that many people [like me] to invite to a trip,” she said. “I knew we had a lot of really talented Black wine professionals working and yet very few of them had ever been on a media or a wine-buying trip.”

Enter Black Wine Professionals, an online resource she founded to connect companies to her fellow wine experts of color.

VinePair Happy Hour: What’s Your Favorite Way to Drink Whiskey?

Whiskey is a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed myriad ways. Some like it neat; others with an oversized ice cube; or some in a classic cocktail, their way (on this subject, Team VinePair, like a good Manhattan, is elegantly mixed). Keep reading to see how our staff members prefer to drink their whiskey.

“Double, on the rocks.” — Josh Malin, president & co-founder

“If I’m drinking whiskey, it’s typically neat, in a snifter. If the occasion calls for a cocktail, my go-to is an Old Fashioned: bourbon, twist of orange peel, no cherry.” — Cat Wolinski, associate editor

“My favorite way is in a Manhattan with extra Luxardo cherries.” — Julia Coney, contributing editor

Snoop Dogg’s for-the-people label and an exclusive club mark extreme poles of the wine world

“The partnership between a black man and a wine brand associated with ‘criminal’ activity is troubling — and tone deaf — given the dangerous, tired stereotypes associating people of color with crime,” wine writer Julia Coney, founder of blackwineprofessionals.com, wrote in the online magazine VinePair.

Coney’s critique — in which she quoted other Black wine professionals, both favorable and critical of Snoop’s association with the brand — was published April 22, a month before George Floyd was killed and the Black Lives Matter movement again took center stage in the nation’s discourse. Does that unintended context make 19 Crimes Snoop Cali Red more tone-deaf, or more relevant? It arguably makes it more fraught.

Julia Coney Joins VinePair as Contributing Editor

Washington D.C. and Houston-based Coney is the founder of Black Wine Professionals, a resource aimed at elevating Black professionals within the wine industry. Her writing focuses on wine and the intersection of wine, race, and language. Coney has been featured in a long list of publications including VinePair, The New York Times, Wine Enthusiast, Thrillist, and The Tasting Panel.

Coney is also a 2019 Fellow of the Professional Wine Writers Symposium and holds a Level Two Certification in Wine and Spirits from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET). She is currently pursuing Level Three Certification as well as Master Level Champagne Certification from the Wine Scholar Guild.

Black Mixologists You Need On Your Radar

Every industry is waking up to the need for diversity, and the [world of alcohol] is no exception. Luckily, there are some incredible resources that showcase and celebrate the contributions of Black people to beer, wine, and cocktails. Check out Omolola Olateju’s [Black Girls Drink] or Julia Coney’s [Black Wine Professionals] for more on the superstars of the spirits world, and give your Insta feed new life by following these amazing Black mixologists, bartenders, and drink experts.

At the Intersection of Race and Wine

On today’s show:

• Have you visited the Wine Kitchen in Leesburg or Frederick? You should have! The Wine Kitchen is a RAMMY nominee for Wine Program of the Year. The Wine Kitchen’s assistant manager and wine program head, Justin Langley, joins us to talk about the nomination and his favorite wine of the moment;

• In late June, wine writer and educator Julia Coney launched Black Wine Professionals, a database featuring vetted black wine talent for gatekeepers who say they want to diversify their wine business. She joins us today;

Black Wine Professionals Demand More Inclusion In Predominantly White Industry

In early June, wine writer and educator Julia Coney posted an instagram video titled 'Racism and the Wine Industry: Your Silence is Betrayal,' as a wake up call for her colleagues about her experiences as a Black woman in the wine world. With over twenty thousand views, and an outpouring of support, Coney has used the momentum to launch a new website, Black Wine Professionals, to promote those who have been "overlooked and absent from conversations, tastings, product marketing and much more." I spoke with Coney about her own experiences in wine and her vision for this new project.

Wine Unify Launches Initiatives to Increase and Celebrate Diversity in the Wine Industry

Wine Unify is made up of a team of industry leaders who serve as mentors, ambassadors, or advisory board members. The current roster of leaders involved includes Gary Obligacion (Post Ranch Inn), Tonya Pitts (One Market), Alicia Towns Franken (Towns Franken Consulting), Anna-Christina Cabrales (Morrell Wine Bar), Priyanka French (Signorello Estate), Lucy Anderle (Mayacamas Vineyards), Julia Coney (Black Wine Professionals), Annette Alvarez-Peters (Costco AVP, retired), Andre Mack (Maison Noir Wines), Yashodhan ‘Billo’ Naravane MW (Rasa Vineyards), and Jessica Trujillo (JONATA & The Hilt).

With the generous assistance of sponsors, including Napa Valley Wine Academy, Wine.com, Coravin, and Jancisrobinson.com, among others, Wine Unify is able to offer a variety of education-based awards for aspiring and existing minority wine professionals and help strengthen the diverse community in our industry. Details and requirements to apply for these awards can be found on the website at www.wineunify.org, along with the opportunity to donate to the cause or inquire about sponsorship.

Black Wine Professionals Demand to Be Seen

Julia Coney is a wine writer and educator based in Houston and Washington, D.C., who regularly leads tastings and teaches wine classes. Yet as a consumer, she said, white servers or merchants are always ready to instruct her, to show her how to hold a glass and to explain to her why she ought to swirl it.

In restaurants, they steer her to cheaper wines or sweeter choices that fit their stereotype of what she might enjoy.

“They dumb things down for me,” she said. “I’ve seen both innate prejudice and innate assumptions about who has the power and the discernment. I’ve been told I look like the help.”

She has grown tired of the tokenism, of being the only Black person invited to a tasting or on a sponsored trip to a wine region. She is sick of seeing the wine industry toss money only to white social-media influencers. So she has created a database, Black Wine Professionals, in hopes that white gatekeepers who say they want to diversify will use this tool. And if they won’t take action, she said, she will.

“They keep regurgitating the same person, and new people never get a chance,” Ms. Coney said. “People might ask me on a trip, and I’m going to look at the racial breakdown. And I’ll offer my spot to someone else.”

Essential wine and drinks stories by writers of color

Julia Coney. A former beauty blogger, Coney has been an essential voice in the conversation around inclusion in the wine world over the last few years. I love that she’s unapologetic about wearing perfume to wine tastings, too.

Finding Comfort in a Bottle of Familiar Wine

Julia Coney, a wine writer who divides her time between Houston and Washington, D.C., said she ordinarily would think of Champagne, but now was finding particular comfort in California wines, the region she first explored as she was beginning to learn about wine.

She mentioned sparkling wine from J Vineyards, as well as chardonnay from Michael Cruse and pinot noir from Red Car.

A Reckoning on Race at the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas

If the workings of the Court are mysterious for members, they’re more so for the rest of the wine world. “They’ve created this allure,” says Larissa Dubose, director of education for the just-launched talent resource, Black Wine Professionals, and a CMSA-certified sommelier. “This isn’t the time to be enigmatic. Let’s see what you’re doing to promote inclusivity.” 

The wine industry is overwhelmingly white. Now, the push for inclusivity is gaining momentum.

Two years ago, when the #MeToo movement brought attention to the glass ceiling women often face in wine and other industries, Coney memorably wrote a piece she called, “Your Wine Glass Ceiling is My Wine Glass Box,” about the lack of visibility of women of color in wine. She has been a vocal advocate for more diversity in wine ever since.

Waking up to the whiteness of the trade

Watch wine writer, educator and consultant Julia Coney’s heartfelt Instagram videos on ‘Racism in the Wine Industry’(@juliaconey); read author and senior editor at Grape Collective Dorothy J Gaitor’s article ‘Being Black in the White World of Wine’, watch sommelier and founder of The Hue Society, Tahiira Habibi’s Instagram video (@sippingsocialite) on being asked to call her Court of Somms instructors ‘Master’ and listen to The Swirl Suite’s podcast on ‘Racism in the Industry’ (@swirlsuite).

Black Lives Matter, the Court of Master Sommeliers and the Wine Industry’s Divide

“After watching Tahiirah’s video, as a Black woman, my heart ached,” says Julia Coney, wine writer, educator and founder of Black Wine Professionals. “The thought of having to sit with that for years. It is sad and unacceptable… How many Black and people of color are not in the industry because of that?”

The many hues of wine talent

Julia Coney, for example, told me of attending a tasting at a Napa Valley winery last year in her capacity as a wine journalist when a woman at the next table observed, ‘I didn’t know you people drank wine.’  She is planning to launch a directory at blackwineprofessionals.com at the end of this month.

Also featured in the Financial Times titled: “Too white wine: Jancis Robinson on the industry’s diversity problem”

A Black Winemaking Revolution in the Making

"Everyone is comfortable singling out women winemakers, French winemakers, Italian winemakers, why not black winemakers?" says Julia Coney, a wine writer, educator and consultant who has been advocating for inclusion and diversity in the wine industry well before everyone else decided that Black Lives Matter.

Seven Fifty Daily: What Being an Ally Really Means

In the end, being an ally indeed comes down to will and sacrifice. Many people know what they can do to make a difference, but they’re weighing the risk that taking action may pose to the career or business they’ve worked hard to build. Yet that’s actually shortsighted and bad business: According to a 2017 Boston Consulting Group study, companies with diverse teams are more innovative and produce 19 percent more revenue.  

 Seven Fifty Daily: Being Black in the White World of Wine

Inclusion simply is not on the minds of many in this industry. At large wine trade tastings, I still have to elbow my way to get a splash because way too often the white male pourers figure they need to impress or entertain the white men next to me. 

Does The Wine Industry Have A Racism Problem?

As wine writers and educators, we are proud to see many of our colleagues and peers rise to the occasion this week in support of increasing awareness of discrimination in the wine industry. One of the leaders of the crusade is Julia Coney, who created a list of black wine professionals and hosted two Instagram Live sessions discussing racism in the wine business.

Drinkers are supporting black-owned wine businesses right now. Will it last?

At the same time, the perception that there aren’t enough black wine professionals can often lead to the perception that there aren’t any — and that’s a problem too. The wine writer Julia Coney recently complained on Instagram of this misperception, and began to list the handles of black wine producers, growers, sommeliers and more. She’s now launched a separate Instagram account, @blackwineprofessionals, which will highlight their work.