The wine industry has long been dominated by white men—an estimated one percent of wineries are Black-owned, and less than two percent of wine professionals identify as Black. In recent years, however, more Black entrepreneurs have broken into the market with new brands. Not only does more diverse ownership bring new perspectives and innovations to the beverage industry, but it also better reflects the diversity of emerging consumer generations...
Aslina
Ntsika Biyela, the first Black woman winemaker in South Africa, launched Aslina in 2016. After working for a boutique winery in Stellenbosch and collaborating with Napa Valley winemaker Helen Keplinger on a line of wines, Biyela made the move to open her own project, named for her grandmother. From the winery’s home in Stellenbosch, Biyela sources grapes from across the Western Cape; the lineup now includes three whites (Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc), two reds (Cabernet Sauvignon and ‘Umsasane,’ a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot), and a sparkling Cap Classique.
Bodkin Wines
After interning at a number of Sonoma County wineries and landing a full-time gig at Medlock Ames, self-taught winemaker Chris Christensen founded Bodkin Wines in 2011. He became known for making the first sparkling Sauvignon Blanc in the U.S., and this experimental mindset carries through all of the wines in Bodkin’s portfolio. The Healdsburg winery sources grapes from both conventionally and sustainably farmed vineyards in Northern California, working to make handcrafted wines that remain highly affordable.
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