Last month I had the extreme pleasure of attending the Maryland Wine Festival at Westminster. I'd spent a week tasting around Maryland, both wines and spirits. But it was at the festival that I made my biggest discovery - a new movement in East Coast wine. Maryland had given birth to five new craft, micro-wineries - all of them founded and run by black women. And more importantly, for East Coast wine, they were all very good! It was among the most refreshing and important new development in wine in a very long time.
One of the real drawbacks of East Coast wine for many years was the affliction of home winemakers making the leap to commercial winemakers. Sometimes their transition was successful. Many times it was not. What makes these new start ups so impressive is that this cadre of women have either worked in the industry or hired or partnered with people who had. Thus, the releases from these small garagistas were all of terrific quality.
The first and easily most impressive of these wineries was Philosophy, and urban winery owned by the super duo Kimberly T. Johnson and Denise Roles Matthews. This was the first black woman owned winery in Maryland. Philosophy helped to pave the way for others. “Sometimes it takes one to do it,” , said Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks told journalist Robert Stewart. “It illustrates to others that they can enter the space.”
Philosophy was not just happenstance...Johnson had worked in Maryland wineries and been a wine blogger. Matthews is a sommelier. Both had the necessary connections and knowledge about the industry before they made the commitment. They started immediately winning awards. Today, Johnson is the President of the Maryland Wineries Association. Loved their wines! The Pet Nat was delicious! Noire was gorgeous!
Maiyeshia (in the purple shirt) is the owner of FLYgirl Winery (FLY=First Love Yourself). Five years ago, she began hosting intimate wine tastings, that in turn, led to a certifications including WSET 1 and 2 from Napa Valley Academy. She also earned a Winemaking Certification from Cornell University.
FLYgirl Rose is a bright and sumptuous blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay. FLYgirl Daisy is a bright and aromatic blend of Chardonnay, Viognier, and Petite Manseng. Super drinkable.
Clyopatra Winery The First African Immigrant Owned Winery & Vineyard in the USA. Ifeoma Cleopatra Onyia owns Clyopatra Winery and Vineyard in Laurel, MD. Onyia is an African-born vintner who grew up in Nigeria and attended school in England. She started a nursing home care company in Maryland before pursuing her dream of owning a winery. The winery is located on a six-acre property off Brooklyn Bridge Rd.
Absolutely loved the SJ's Pami, a semi-sparkling moscato! The rose' was also very good. But the reds were big, bold, and intense! Sheba, a Cab Franc, was big fruit forward, but with tremendous balance and complexity. Naijaitalia was an intense red blend, The Tribe was a classic Bordeaux-styled red blend, and among my absolute favorites, and finally The Grande Dame, a luscious Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sharmaine Taylor, founder of Noir Sunshine Wines, is a pioneering BIPOC Black, Indigenous, people of color) winemaker and self-described “Mom-preneur”. Taylor is a Health Scientist with a background in Chemistry and Microbiology, so important in the world of wines, beers, and spirits. She is also a certified sommelier. Noir started off as an exclusive, luxury wine club, and success soon followed.
Sisters Dalia and Cyndi Narcisso, from the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, grew up in Washington, DC. It was Dalia who first started making wine in the beginning.
Loved the lineup of Narcisso Wines, including the lovely, and bright semi-sweet Fiesta and the terrific, dry and complex Vidal Blanc. And I also liked Midnight, a 96% Barbera, and 4% Natural Cranberry fruit - a scrumptious wine.
Firstly, I've rarely had this much fun tasting at a wine festival. All of these women were smart, sharp, welcoming, open, and talkative - and we all laughed and drank great wine! I hope this is a trend that continues. Both in Maryland and throughout the East Coast!
FURTHER READING:
PAUL VIGNA - PATRIOT NEWS
CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE
https://marylandmatters.org/2024/09/13/black-women-winemakers-are-breaking-tough-ground-in-maryland/
BALTIMORE MAGAZINE