I love going to wineries and vineyards. Not just because I love wine, but I also really get into the stories behind the select wines – who are the makers, what was the motivation behind their winemaking path, what drought or flood did they overcome that impacted the grapes and eventually, the flavor of the wine. I want to learn about it all while wine-tasting away, surrounded by rolling hills of vines on a sunny day. It’s just so relaxing and engages all of my senses.
With NARY a vineyard open during COVID-19 (until recently), I took to the interwebs and was so interested in the stories I found about black winemakers. I gravitated to the stories of two wine companies enough to pause the Drizly online orders to try the wines of the McBride Sisters and Le Fete du Rosé.
The story of the McBride Sisters was one of the most intriguing I’ve heard in a long while, wine-related or not. Is someone working on a documentary about these two ladies?
So these two sisters, Robin and Andréa, share the same father, have different mothers, and grew up in different countries – one in Marlborough, New Zealand and the other on the central coast of California. Many years later, as adults, they found their way to each other and realized they have the same love for wine in common, remarkably both growing up in places known for amazing wine and winemaking. They turned their shared passion for wine and into the largest black owned winery in the country, blending “old-world elegance with new-world finesse.”
I purchased the McBride Sisters Certified: Balanced and Blessed Collection, which includes a brut rosé, chardonnay, “Black Girl Magic” rosé and red blend. I took delight in each bottle, but I must say I was surprised by what I enjoyed the most. I usually love a rosé and any kind of a deep red blend. While I enjoyed those, I really savored the chardonnay, a wine I long gave up ordering years ago. It was smooth, and a bit oakier than the typical oaky chardonnay, and that made me love it more. I usually don’t drink brut rosé, but I drank it as I was toasting a dear friend’s wedding (drinking during the ceremony – things you can do when you zoom into a virtual wedding, and it was as beautiful as if I was there in person – love you Jess!). The brut rosé was crisp, flavorful and as celebratory at the moment required. Next on my list is to try their collection that includes a sauvignon blanc – that’s my favorite white wine, anytime, and the Black Girl Magic red blend, that is worth the purchase by the title alone.
The collection was incredibly enjoyable and I think you would find something that satisfies your palate as well. The story alone is a great conversation piece, so take a bottle or two to share at your next dinner party (when that becomes a thing again).
What a fun name for one of the best, crisp, refreshing bottles of rosé I have enjoyed in a long time. I’ll definitely be putting in another order for this delightful treat. It’s perfect for this time of year, made for backyard hanging or relaxing on a patio.
The overarching goal of Le Fete du Rosé is simple: have people come together peacefully from all walks of life to enjoy and appreciate each other.
With good proof of achieving that goal, Le Fete is also working to help the next generation. A percentage of every bottle purchased goes to programs that send minority, low-income youths overseas to help them develop language and leadership skills in a globalized world. And now, with the current and very real racial climate, Le Fete is donating $2 from every bottle to the civil rights advocacy organization, Color of Change, and other organizations that serve as a resource for minorities pursuing careers in the wine & spirits industry.
Kudos to Donae Burston, Founder & CEO, for using his platform to support and uplift our people and communities where it’s needed most. Le Fete du Rosé definitely a wine to try, and even better to know that you are supporting a worthy cause with your purchase.
If you have any stories of unique winemakers I should know, please comment below! I’d love to share in a virtual wine tasting experience with you.
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