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.

Family Reunion Black-Owned Wine Tasting, Presented by Lexus - Friday, August 20, 2021

Carlton McCoy, Nadine Brown, Julia Coney, and Lexus are guiding us through the most exciting Black-owned wines you should have in your collection from Delaplane Cellars in Virginia.

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.

Does Snoop Dogg’s 19 Crimes Partnership Send the Wrong Message to Wine Drinkers?

From my perspective, 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. As just one example, black men have a higher risk of being killed by police than white men, according to the National Academies of Sciences, so the perception can all too easily have real-life consequences.

How the Netflix Film ‘Uncorked’ Breaks New Ground for Black Wine Drinkers

“Uncorked,” which releases today on Netflix, is a film that represents a cultural shift. Historically, the wine industry has ignored the $1.2 trillion in spending power of black Americans. But in a cinematic evolution that touches both realms, here is a movie that finally speaks to what many black wine consumers have been saying to themselves: I’m here buying wine, studying wine, and working in the wine industry — but I’m often ignored.

I remember the first time I saw Proctor. It was in the 2012 documentary “SOMM” and I was transfixed like most black people who liked wine. Proctor’s personality came through and mentor Fred Dame’s moniker “Señor Smooth” was not to be dismissed. Proctor’s fashion style came through on the screen as well as his personality. Later, as I entered the industry as a black wine journalist, Proctor was one of the people I reached out to for guidance.

Why Netflix's Wine Movie 'Uncorked' Is Worth Savoring

Sideways caused merlot to tank based on one line in the movie and is set in picturesque Santa Barbara wine country. Uncorked, on the other hand, is set in Memphis, Tennessee, a place not necessarily regarded as a wine hot spot; it shows how wine can change the trajectory of your life in one bottle. Producing powerhouse Prentice Penny (most notably for Issa Rae's Insecure), in his directorial debut for Netflix, has made just the movie the wine world didn’t know we needed. 

Italian Wine Podcast with Monty Waldin
Recorded at wine2wine in Verona, Italy - November 2019

In this episode Monty Waldin interviews wine journalist Julia Coney to explore issues of race and language in wine communication in the US. Julia, whose work has been featured in Wine Enthusiast, Forbes, Plate Magazine and others, tells Monty how she got into wine writing after a career as a paralegal and blogging about beauty. Julia discusses her advocacy work that challenges limited assumptions about wine consumers and ethnicity in the United States and encourages further awareness of diversity among American consumers. Tune in to learn how to avoid stereotyping in wine advertising and how to communicate in a more mindful and inclusive way to consumers in the U.S.

The Other Wine Balancing Acts

"I've learned that if I give myself time and space to focus on me for at least one hour a day through exercise, reading a good book, or catching up with friends, my work is better when I'm taking care of myself," she says, additionally highlighting the importance of not feeling guilty when taking these moments for oneself.

Speaker: Assemblage Symposium, McMinnville, OR - January 2020

Panel: Ally: It’s More Than a Buzzword

The Best Wines To Drink In 2020

Women-Owned Wineries — Julia Coney, Wine Writer

I am interested in supporting more women-owned (specifically women of color), made, produced, and in-charge wines. I want to sip Jen Pelka's new champagne Une Femme, drink more La Caravelle Champagne from Rita Jammet, and Petit Syrah from Theodora Lee of Theopolis Vineyards. I'm going to purposely seek out these wines. They aren't in limited supply, but I feel a responsibility to support and uplift them as much as possible. 

Responsibility in Wine Communication at wine2wine in Verona, Italy - November 2019

Topic: Understand the key categories of diversity in the U.S. market, the benefits of diversity for a successful business, simple guidelines for the use of appropriate language. It also means being able to understand the perceived prejudices in wine marketing, sales and presentation. Language varies both within the USA - from one ethnic sector to another - and between the USA and other markets. 

Eight Years Of The Women In Wine Leadership Symposium: A Look Back

"I thought wine was changing like the beauty industry had, where you have people understanding that change is happening and you can't put out a foundation unless you can say more colors are coming forth because that's what the consumer is looking for but also because that's the way the world looks, right?" she says. "Coming into wine, I expected racism, but the blatant racism to my face I did not expect. 

Women in Wine Leadership Symposium

The panel “Navigating Success Throughout Your Career,” led by Jessica Milli, featured Ariel Arce, owner of Air’s Champagne Parlor, Tokyo Record Bar, Niche Niche, and Special Club, wine writer and consultant Julia Coney, and author, consultant, and television host Leslie Sbrocco.

As a middle-aged African-American woman, Coney described the constant feeling of being unwelcome, recalling numerous experiences of being treated as an employee at tastings that she was attending, even once being told she looked like “the help” by a fellow taster. Coney continues to advocate for diversity within the wine industry through her writing, tours, and consulting business.

Why Is the Wine Industry Ignoring Black Americans’ $1.2 Trillion Buying Power?

Why would the wine industry want to leave what a 2018 Nielsen report asserts is the $1.2 trillion buying power of black American consumers on the table?

Wine writer Julia Coney uses Moscato as an example of the rare wine with tangible connections to black Americans. “When Nicki Minaj and Rick Ross rapped about it years ago in a mixtape? That was it. That’s the whole Moscato thing,” she says.

Plate Magazine: Why White Burgundy is the World's Most Versatile Wine by Julia Coney

Burgundy wines have always enjoyed a somewhat mystical admiration from sommeliers and wine directors. Their allure is usually associated with the pinot grape, but when it comes to building a food-friendly wine list, consider white Burgundy, an easy-drinking wine produced in various regions within Burgundy.

Seven Fifty Daily - New Year’s Resolutions from 7 Industry Leaders

In 2018, Julia Coney, a wine and travel writer based in Washington, D.C., led an initiative to help women of color secure scholarships to attend the inaugural women’s forum Bâtonnage in Napa Valley, California. Through her efforts, five scholarships were granted to women of color; there were 320 attendees altogether.

The scourge of “wine teeth,” explained

“I like to say the darker the wine, the darker the teeth,” Julia Coney, a wine writer based in Washington, DC, tells me. A pinot noir, for example — less tannic, and less physically dark than a soulful cabernet — is also likely to be less staining. “If I think of cabernets, I’m going to have purple teeth at night. Malbec, I’m going to have purple teeth.” So if you are trying to avoid the telltale mulberry stain, you might be better off with a nice pinot noir, or an elegant gamay.

A Latino Wine Company Is Challenging Perceptions in Washington, D.C.

“What’s great about Grand Cata is showcasing the vastness of wines and spirits from the region and different producers,” Julia Coney, a Washington, D.C.-based wine and travel writer and educator, says. “Their selection is a great curation of passion and exploration, which is what wine is all about.”

"It's Like Mansplaining, But For Race": What The Wine Industry Can Learn About Black Consumers

What more does the wine community need to know about African American consumers?

This was the question racing through my mind as I sat and spoke with Julia Coney in Washington DC a few weeks ago. Coney, a lifestyle writer and consultant with a focus on wine, is a colleague and also a friend who good-humoredly tolerated my earnest questions that still rung, even to my own ears, of naiveté and being out-of-touch with an entire segment of the wine consuming public.

Diversity in the World of Wine by Julia Coney

“Excuse me, you look like you work here.” “Are you sure you’re in the right room?” “I’m sorry, I thought you were the help.” “How do you afford to travel like you do?”

I grew up in a house where words meant things. And not just the words themselves; “it’s not what you say, but how you say it,” echoed daily. I used to mock my parents for saying it until I became an adult and realized the adage’s simple truth. The questions and statements below are just a few things that have been said to me while I attended wine tastings.

Podcast Interview

Pineapple Collaborative Radio, Episode 6: Wine All the Time with Marissa A. Ross, Wine Editor, Bon Appétit

Wine Judge. Féminalise World Wine Competition in Paris, France.

Jury members are selected among the female members of the wine network on the basis of their faculty to taste wine: producers, oenologists, technicians, wine-traders, wine-brokers, and wine representatives.

Podcast Interview

Speaking Broadly with Dana Cowin, Episode 45: “Wine's Glass Box”

Can a Perfume Lover Find Acceptance in the World of Wine Tasting? by Julia Coney

The first thing you learn in wine education is how much you don’t know about wine. The second thing you learn is the value of scent and the ability to smell.

In his book, Perfume: The Alchemy of Scent, famous Hermès perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena says, “Perfume is a story in odors, sometimes a poetry of memory.” The term “odor” is similar in the world of wine. Every wine has a distinct odor, but the scent imbeds itself in our memory.

Equity At The Table (EATT) is very much inspired by the aphorism that it’s better to “build a longer table, not a higher fence.” EATT is a practical and proactive response to the blatant gender and racial discrimination that plagues the food industry. EATT is an easy-to-navigate database for food industry professionals featuring only women/gender non-conforming individuals and focusing primarily on POC and the LGBTQ community.

Women in Hospitality United. to build community by creating safer spaces to gather; to foster leadership and champion the equitable advancement of all people through connection, mentorship, and resource sharing; to empower our members by providing tools, training, advocacy, and support; and to develop solutions and provide policies that set new standards for equity, accountability, and transparency in the industry.