In the world of winemaking, where traditions run as deep as the vintage wines themselves, the path from grape to glass is often marked with challenges. Wine, with its primary focus on vineyards of California, France, and New Zealand, carries an aura of prestige that frequently excludes those who do not fit the mold. This exclusivity makes it a particularly challenging feat to break into, especially for women of color, where black-owned wineries constitute less than 1 percent of all U.S. wineries.
Amidst these hurdles, Ingrid Best, formerly an executive vice president at Combs Enterprises’ Spirits division, has embarked on a journey to reshape wine culture, infusing it with a blend of art, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. With her inaugural venture, the founder and wine negociant of IBest Wines is positioning South Africa firmly within the conversation of stellar wine regions.
Prior to launching her own wine brand, Best held her own in a white-male dominated industry as the marketing powerhouse working for major suppliers such as Diageo, Moët Hennessy, Bacardi, and Combs Enterprises.
Best’s experience in the wine and spirits industry spans over two decades where she started her career at Diageo when they had one of the industry’s leading impressive wine portfolios. She then went on to Moët Hennessy where she worked on some of the world’s most iconic spirits brands and its wine and champagne portfolio before spending time at Bacardi and Combs Enterprises. Best became the only marketing executive to manage both joint venture spirits partnerships for cultural icons Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter with Bacardi and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Reflecting on her journey, she shares a poignant moment: "I experienced a full circle in my career by working with Puff, who really was a huge inspiration for me, and the reason why many of us got to sit at the table in the wine and spirits industry after his deal with Diageo. Working for him and just seeing how relentlessly passionate he is about building his legacy. It fueled me.”
With that inspiration and example, Best knew it was time to make a decision that would lead her to new territories. It was an invitation to South Africa from her best friend that opened her eyes to the continent’s distinct beauty. She had realized that her work with the industry’s most prestigious brands had taken her around the world, but never to Africa.
Touching down in Johannesburg for this pivotal journey, she underwent a series of profound realizations. She recalled, "Setting foot on South African soil made the underrepresentation of this region in the world of wine even more apparent, particularly when compared to Napa, France, and other more widely recognized regions that get the shelf space and talking time. Instead of drawing comparisons, my focus shifted to discovery. I felt like I had discovered something truly incredible."
Charting a new course takes partnership
After her transformative journey to South Africa, Best recognized the time had come to channel the same magic she had harnessed while supporting the world's largest brands into her own entrepreneurial endeavor and embrace ownership. In an era when Africa has been in the global spotlight for its contributions to music, food, fashion, and makeup, Best believed it was only fitting for South Africa to become the next prominent wine region on everyone's lips. As a wine negociant, Best collaborates with local producers to bottle blends under the IBest brand name.
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