Sisters Changing the Game: The McBride Sisters

“Break the Rules. Drink the Wine.”- Robin & Andréa McBride

Robin McBride, left, and Andréa McBride John learned from winemakers and grapegrowers as they started their company as a boutique import firm. (Courtesy McBride Sisters Collection)

Sisters Robin and Andréa McBride grew up half a world away from one another between Monterey, CA and Marlborough, New Zealand. Both had a passion for all things wine, and once united in 1999, they decided to break into the industry by creating an import company to bring their favorite New Zealand small wineries into the US. By 2005, they shifted gears and launched the McBride Sisters brand as two forward-thinking, strong women in an industry defined by tradition and gender. It is their mission to transform the industry, lead by example, and cultivate community. With talented women winemakers- both their Head and their Assistant Winemakers are women- their projects are truly collaborative. Robin and Andréa constantly lift up other women, celebrate other women, support BIPOC women and women in business. The McBride Sisters Collection has several lines: the McBride Sisters Collection, which encourages people to “break the rules, and drink the wine”, the Black Girls Magic Collection, which celebrates the sisters’ culture and story inspired by the magic and resilience of Black women, and the SheCAN collection, which are canned wines and spritzers. Their brand marketing is truly supportive of the beauty of each person’s unique spirit.

In 2019, the sisters created the “The McBride Sisters SHE CAN Fund” to “promote the professional advancement of women in the wine industry in a concerted effort to help close the gender and race gap. In the first year, the fund awarded scholarships of nearly $40,000 to empower women to strive for change and to create opportunities for themselves and others, where there had not been before.” As noted by Robin, “We know first-hand how hard it can be for women to break though in traditionally male-dominated industries and want to open as many doors as possible for the next generation of women leaders.”

McBride Sisters now not only the largest Black-owned wine company in the United States, it is also one of the most inclusive, sustainable, accessible and socially aware. The women behind the brand are inspiring agents of change, and leaders for a brighter future for all of us.

https://www.mcbridesisters.com/Trade

The Queen of Bubbly in the Languedoc: Françoise Antech Gazeau

Raising a glass with Françoise on the first day of the 2019 harvest.

It was in Limoux, France in 1544 at a Benedictine Abbey that sparkling wine was created- 150 years before Dom Perignon claimed to “see stars”. Maison Antech is the premier house making beautiful sparkling wine in Limoux in the Languedoc region of Southern France. Yes, they are made in the same traditional method as Champagne, with their second fermentations in bottle, which lends elegance and complexity to the wine. The Antech family has been making wine since the late 1800’s; it was in 1970 that brothers Georges and Roger Antech decided that Maison Antech would highlight Limoux’s unique history by only making sparkling wine.

Hand-painted mural at the winery of the six generations of Masion Antech.

Françoise Antech Gazeau is the 6th generation powerhouse at the helm of her family’s winery today. She works to honor the terroir which makes Antech’s wine so special - Mauzac, an ancient varietal native to this part of the world, is a key component in the Maison’s wines. Françoise’s Crémants continue to win accolades year after year around the world, as a result of her commitment to an authentic winemaking style which respects the environment via eco-friendly viticulture.

Émotion Rosé waiting to be labeled and packed for shipping.

In addition to her passionate love of family and her work, Françoise is an advocate for social and cultural change. She is an active member of the ViniFilles, a luminous group women winemakers in the Languedoc which support each other in their endeavors, joyfully celebrate life together, and honor their heritage. Their mission? “To get things done!” Their goals? “To share their knowledge and develop mutual aid between winegrowers, to preserve the terroir, landscape and environment they love, and to transmit the culture of wine, conviviality, and gastronomy by involving people from all walks of life”. Cheers to Françoise, the ViniFilles, and to celebrating life!

Women’s History Month: Spotlight on Women Winemakers & Industry Changers

March 8th was International Women’s Day, “a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.” This year’s theme was “#ChooseToChallenge”. What does this mean for us today and each day? “We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.” 

In this spirit, I am choosing to highlight 4 women over the course of the next few weeks who challenge the status quo of a global wine industry that continues to be dominated by men. In the United States, barely 15% of winemakers are women, and fewer than 5% of wineries are owned by women. Outside of the US, more women are taking the reins and while slow, signs of progress are happening as women become proprietors, head winemakers, and chef de caves. The future looks bright too- women are the largest number of students graduating from viticulture and enology programs around the world. Each of the featured women in these pieces is active in unique ways in compassionately supporting others within the wine industry.

The Grande Dame of Napa Cabernet: Cathy Corison

Cathy Corison was the first woman Winemaker-Proprietor in the Napa Valley. After graduating from UC Davis with a Master’s Degree in Enology, Cathy made wine at many now-famous Napa Valley properties, such as Chappellet, Staglin, and York Creek, and in 1987, she founded Corison Winery. After more than 35 vintages of Corison, and 45 years in the business, Cathy continues to stand apart from other Cabernet producers in Napa Valley by crafting elegant, restrained wines which delicately tell the story of their vintages and of the terroir from which they come. Her wines are not flashy or crafted for accolades and points from critics, yet they are powerful, most definitely age-worthy, and wonderful at the table. Despite being rewarded the distinction of Winemaker of the Year on multiple occasions, Cathy is a down to Earth, kind and curious person who is inspired by wines from all over the world. Beyond the wines she creates, Cathy eagerly tastes and explores wines from far outside of the Napa Valley- France, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, South America, and beyond. She finds inspiration everywhere. Cathy is guided by her belief that winemaking and wine appreciation are timeless, creative celebrations of life.

Sustainable viticulture and winery practices are an important part of Corison, which seeks to reduce its environmental footprint and care for the Earth. In similar stewardship, Cathy actively gives back to others in the wine business through the Bâtonnage Mentorship Program. “The Bâtonnage Mentorship Program serves to create a pragmatic, positive, inclusive course forward wherein individuals who have traditionally been overlooked or spoken over achieve equal opportunities, equal representation, and especially equal leadership positions within all sectors and tiers of our industry”.

A true pioneer in the wine industry, Cathy is the ultimate Grande Dame of Napa Valley. As Hugh Johnson said, “Cathy Corison is a national treasure”. I’ll raise a glass to that!