The holiday season is the perfect time to express appreciation for those you love with a bottle of wine from a Black-owned winery.
To help you out, we sourced award-winning and Black winemakers from the Association of African American Vintners. From Black girl magic with the McBride sisters to bold red wines with Okapi, we recommended some of the most popular Black vintners and their wines to help you pair with holiday meals or gift purchases.
You can shop their wines on their websites, buy their bottles in stores, and visit their tasting rooms during the holiday with your family.
We have enough options to get you into the holiday spirit!
01
Free Range Flower Winery, Founder Aaliyah Nitoto
Free Range Flower winery makes wine from organic flowers, not grapes, and offers special holiday savings on gift sets. Their wines offer a luxurious, juicy, ruby-red blend of organic roses and hibiscus flowers with raspberry and tart cherry notes. Small bottles of Lavender Sparkling wine (lightly effervescent, aromatic, crisp, and dry) make budget-friendly stocking stuffers.
02
OKAPI Wines, Founder, Dan Johnson
Okapi’s Proprietor’s Blend red wines, Alkimmy, or Dan Rouge, are perfect for red wine lovers. To pair with holiday hors d’oeuvres, serve Bacon-wrapped Stuffed Dates with Okapi Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon. Kwanza Suppers are best with Okapi Proprietor’s Blend Dan Rouge. Favorite toast: The African blessing “Khotso, Pula, Nala” (Peace, Rain, Prosperity).
03
P. Harrell Wines, Founder, Paula J. Harrell
Both novices and connoisseurs love P. Harrell’s Three Fifteen Zinfandel for its sleek and elegant packaging. If you throw a New Year’s Eve Party, have their Broadway Street Blanc de Noirs Sparkling for your guests.
04
McBride Sisters Wine Company, Founders Robin And Andréa McBride
Black Girl Magic Sparkling Brut is McBride Sisters’ go-to for holiday gifts, as it signals a good time and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
05
Theopolis Vineyards, Founder, Theodora Lee
The 2019 Theopolis Vineyards Estate Grown Petite Sirah is a very classy gift. Bold complexity balanced with velvety light tannins. It pairs well with all your favorite holiday meats, from smoked brisket to braised short ribs. Pair their 2021 Theopolis Vineyards Yorkville Highlands Symphony with seafood.
06
Ikavina Wine And Spirits, Founders, Zachary Marcus Cesare Harris
Try Ikavina’s Caesura Taurasi and Aether Veneto red blend for the holidays; both options are full-bodied wines with aging potential. New Year’s Eve guests will love Afeni. It’s a frizzante effervescent wine made from the Otrugo grape of Emilia-Romagna, with its subtle aromas of rose petals and apples. Purchase Aura unoaked Chardonnay for your loved ones.
07
Fifty Leven, Founder, Kindra Dionne
Toast Fifty Leven’s Vibranium Port at celebratory gatherings or during reflective holiday moments. With aromas of smoke and hickory, followed by blackberry and vanilla, it’s fortified with locally sourced brandy. Dulce Zaiya is a perfect sweet red wine, which is deliciously mixed in a holiday sangria.
08
Sipwell, Founder, Hilary Cocalis
Sipwell specializes in sparkling wines, so our bubbles (white or rosé) will help you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, or ring in the New Year, and their canned wines make great single servings and stocking stuffers. High Point Pinot Noir goes well with soulful foods – greens, black-eyed peas, or BBQ.
09
Mermosa Wines, Founder Desiree Noisette
Pair your Christmas ham with Mermosa Bubbles, their orange and pineapple-infused wine, for a match made in heaven. Their Mermosa Mersecco Blanc De Blanc has a twist of lemon and a clean citrus tang that brightens fish.
10
Longevity Wines, Founder Phil Long
Longevity Wines’ Phil Long Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon richness works well alongside the decedent holiday meal flavors. Try their Debra’s Cuvée Rosé of Pinot Noir.
