When the Black Lives Matter movement took hold The wine industry, which came to prominence a few years ago, was one of the business sectors to reassess itself and reassess its commitment to diversity and exclusivity. Some were fleeting. Others have tried and it didn’t work.
Two years ago I wrote an article here highlighting companies and individuals large and small who are striving to do more than just #BLM tag their social media. They understood that people of color needed not just to enter the industry, but to be recognized and visible and to be sustained over the long term. I was thinking. Recent Posts Vinography.com challenged the representation of wine stock photography. He argues that given that his 29% of American wine drinkers (2016 Nielsen Survey) are not white, stock photos of the wine drinker should be a better representation of the population. there is
His work perfectly reflected what I was thinking. To connect the dots here, if we know that 29% of American wine lovers are non-white, let’s take a look at them. Don’t just watch, listen to the story.
When I spoke with Julia Coney, founder of the online resource, black wine expert, in 2021, she said: I created this to help people in business get more recognition,” she said. Connie is an excellent case study of how this should work. her activities are wine lovers 2020 magazine.Last year, the Wine Industry Network named her Wine’s Most Inspiring PeopleShe is currently a wine consultant for American Airlines, a coveted gig often given to master sommeliers and wine gurus.
Connie has obviously heard, but she says, “There’s more to do.”
Julia Coney, a visible force in the wine industry
Courtesy, Julia Connie
“There are still some locations that haven’t actually participated or performed well [activism],” she said. He said more representatives were needed.
“But with that said, there are still positive things to come out of it,” she said. “Tonya Pitts was named Sommelier of the Year by Wine Enthusiast I don’t think that was the case in 2019. It’s great to see people like her getting flowers while they’re here.”
Connie also said she’s been using her database and wine regions to hear from a lot of people asking for more diverse representation in trade presentations and classes. “They always took advantage of the same people and didn’t give opportunities to others, but I see that changing.”
I’m not going to be flying around to give these speeches for the next 10 years, but if it’s necessary for me to do well in the future, I’ll do it now,” Connie said.
All of this came to mind this month for Black History Month. I think I’m among the hundreds of wine writers who get numerous pitches about black owned wineries and wine stores, or black sommeliers and winemakers. All this attention is great, but you need a deeper reason to be interested in someone. I want to know that there are people working in authentic ways that showcase their talent, creativity and passion, regardless of their race or ethnic background.
I’d also like to know that it’s not just the February range that we’re thinking about this. That’s why I’m posting this on the last day of the month. Because we don’t think about all black history, heritage, culture, and contributions. time?
To help you get started, here are some starting points:
Organization and list:
African American Winegrowers Association
Survey of Black Wine Entrepreneurs
Vinography, The Definitive List Of Black-Owned Wineries Around The World
read:
Explore South Africa’s black wine scene
Blacks in Canadian wine industry want more representation
What does it mean to be a black wine pro?
A Guide to Black-Owned Wineries in the U.S. and Around the World
A History of America’s Black Wine Growers
Black Winemakers You Need to Know
The Black Community Breaks Down Barriers in the Wine Industry!
Black wine business fosters community
African-American winemakers are changing the face of the wine industry
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