It’s not easy for a woman to break into the male-dominated wine industry, especially a woman of color. The Wine Institute & Women Winemakers of California reported in 2016 that even though 90% of wine made in the US is produced in California, only 10% of those wineries are owned by women. Andrea and Robin McBride are two making black history with their vineyard: McBride Sisters, making them the first African-American sisters to found a wine company. Their winery staff notably boasts a 80/20 female/male split.
The McBride Sisters’ wines come from New Zealand and Monterey, California with the latest release being Truvee, inspired by French verb trouver meaning “to find.” “Finding” accurately describes their journey to co-founding McBride Sisters Wineries. Their story is similar to that of The Parent Trap: long lost sisters separated by an ocean; each living with a parent unaware that they had a sibling. Andrew and Robin eventually reconnected in 1999 at the ages of 16 and 25 (their shared father’s dying wish was for the family to help connect the two daughters), and discovered a shared passion for wine!
“It’s our vision to be the leading provider of premier sustainable wines that enrich celebration of life, beauty and optimism for the betterment of humankind” say the McBride Sisters via their Facebook Business Page. Be sure to catch them Thursday, March 2nd at the W San Francisco for a panel discussion and networking event featuring Andrea and Robin telling their tales to “motivate the next generation of female travelers.”
