Sebastopol event showcases Black wine pioneers

Dennis McCarter wants people of color to step into their dream.

With a nod to Black History Month, he and a band of others initiated Tasting Diversity, an event to showcase the bottlings of Black pioneers in the wine industry,

The goal of the event at Sebastopol’s Fog Crest Vineyard, set for Feb. 25, is to recognize the current leaders and inspire the next generation of wine professionals, McCarter said.

“We want to highlight that the wine industry in Sonoma County is not limited to one demographic segment,” he said. “And there are so many interesting positions with our wine industry that people may not even know about.”

The lineup of speakers includes:

Chris Christiansen of Bodkin Wines, owner/winemaker and creator of America's first sparking sauvignon blanc; Dan Glover of L'Objet Wines, owner/winemaker; Rosalind Manoogian of Fog Crest Vineyards, winery owner and host of the event; Angela McCrae executive director of the Association of African American Vintners; and Brenae Royal of Monte Rosso Vineyard, vineyard manager of this historic vineyard.

The moderator will be Jay Jackson from WineNewsNoir.com.

Representing the future of entrepreneurship in Sonoma County, these professionals — like McCarter — were inspired to take a leap of faith by the mentors who preceded them.

The Sonoma County native got his start making 5 gallons of wine out of his garage. Inspired by his annual award wins from the Amateur Wine Competition of the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, McCarter decided to go professional. In 2022, as he put it, “I stepped into my dream.”

Today the 43-year-old vintner makes award-winning pinot noir, sauvignon blanc and rosé of pinot noir. Most recently his pinot noir took double gold in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Producing about 4 tons a year — or 200 cases — McCarter’s wines can be found at Bottle Barn and local restaurants like Jacksons Bar & Oven, Grossman’s Noshery & Bar, and the Bodega Bay Oyster Company.

In his spare time, McCarter is a board member of the Sonoma County Public Library Foundation. In his role there he initiated Tasting Diversity, a collaboration with the foundation, the Sonoma County Library and the Sonoma County Wine Library Association.

With a pulse on the wine industry, McCarter talked about the progress it has made with people of color, his vision for true diversity and what it will take for it to be realized.

Question: How far have Black pioneers come in the wine industry?

Answer: Hands of all colors have been making wine for centuries. In the U.S., we have come far but we are still less than 1% of the wine industry. Currently, we are seeing growth in Black-owned labels, Black winemakers and more places where the face of diversity can be seen in the industry, but we are still occupying a sliver of the segment. But there is visible growth happening today. There are wineries, growers, winemakers coming up all over the country. Progress is slow, but the space is there. The distinguished panel represents our leaders in the segment and lights the way for others to follow.

Q: What’s your vision for a truly diverse wine industry?

A: ‘Truly diverse’ means, first of all, an inclusive environment that hires or grows talent that is not restricted to a narrow demographic. ‘Truly diverse’ means representation in the industry that reflects all people, male and female, and encourages those who wish to grow within the industry. ‘Truly diverse’ means recognizing the different pathways that people may enter the industry — through formal education or accumulated knowledge. ‘Truly diverse’ means that anyone can dream of a job within the wine industry and not feel like they'd have to overcome bias to fight their way in.

Q: What needs to happen so your vision can be realized?

A: People need to be receptive, to think beyond the marketing image they've been exposed to. There are attitudes and biases that need to be evolved out of.

You can reach wine writer Peg Melnik at 707-521-5310 or peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @pegmelnik.