Broad Appeal

How pioneering Black winemakers are changing the industry—and reaching a new audience

- JUSTIN GOLDMAN

CARLTON MCCOY would prefer not to be defined by his race. After all, the Washington, D.C., native's achievements—he became a Master Sommelier before age 30, and CEO of Lawrence Wine Estates and Heitz Cellar before 40—would be impressive regardless of his skin color. On the other hand, he acknowledges that his position as a leader in the wine industry carries extra weight because he's Black.

“I remember the first time I saw a Black person in a Tide commercial,” McCoy says. “You go, Whoa, that whole time I never saw myself in that. And you start realizing that, when you achieve something—especially in a public light, where I am—it empowers other people to feel that it’s possible.”

Wine can be intimidating regardless of one's background—think back to the first time you looked at a restaurant wine list—but the industry remains especially daunting to people of color. Only two percent of wine professionals and 11 percent of wine drinkers identify as Black. There are, however, a growing number of Black winemakers and winery owners who are opening more inclusive hospitality spaces and helping to create career opportunities in the industry.