Ninety percent of the wine produced in the U.S. is made in California, but only 10 percent of the state's wineries are led by a female winemaker. Robin and Andra McBride, founders of McBride Sisters Wines, are the first African-American sister duo to found and establish a wine company. Robin was raised in Monterrey, Calif.,and Andra, born 9 years later was raised by her mother in Marlborough, New Zealand. Enjoy Responsibly. Plus, get the exclusive Robb Report tote bag FREE. We are often met with skepticism and automatically dealt a lack of credibility. [6] Starting in 2017, all their wines from New Zealand and California were brought together under the McBride Sisters Collection, and sold in grocery stores across the United States. Not just because they bear a striking resemblance from their trademark curls to their nearly identical smile and eyebrow shape, but the duo navigate a room in lockstep and have an unmistakable energy that is often only detectable when youre among siblings. A father's dying wish brings these sisters together - Detroit Free Press Now we want to make the kind of wine we fell in love with.. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Once united, an affinity for wine and wine making were among the things the sisters discovered they had in common. Culture Conversations: Amplifying the voices of the McBride sisters and Both areas are naturally beautiful and leaders in environmental protection so sustainable farming and winemaking practices are key to us. The Collection, launching in more than 1,500 retail locations nationwide, consists of four wines crafted in the McBride Sisters signature style, a blend of old world elegance with new world finesse. The perfect tummy control bodysuit, a popcorn gadget, more bestsellers starting at $8. OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- McBride Sisters Collection, Inc., the largest Black-owned wine company in the U.S., today announces that it has received a . Our Story | McBride Sisters Collection Meaning, all those people have to buy the idea, granting access to the next in line, until the product finally makes it to shelves, where the profit can be made. Since 2005, The McBride Sisters mission has been clear - to transform the industry, lead by example, and cultivate community, one delicious glass of wine at a time. He told her he was dying of cancer and wanted to do one last. "She wrote on the letter 'I'm your aunt, and I'm sorry to tell you that your dad has passed away, but you have a little sister,'" Robin said. August 7, 2021 by Kiri Tannenbaum Director of Culinary Relations. Wine is agriculture, says Robin. IE 11 is not supported. . two connected over their shared experiences while exploring wine regions, wine brands, who have historically positioned wine, hope will make pursuing a career in wine a little easier for the next generation of women. The Story Behind the McBride Sisters Winery - Fodors Travel Guide Raised among the vines of Monterey, California and Marlborough, New Zealand, one could say that the McBride Sisters path to winemaking was destiny at work. Explore the prestigious Santa Lucia Highlands, where we hand selected rows of vines for this exclusive McBride Sisters Collection Reserve Pinot Noir "Cocky Motherf*cker" 2019. And eventually, they decided to start their own wine company together. These wines, priced between about $12 and $17 a bottle, became available at Kroger-owned stores this fall. Robin said the industry is "very complicated" due to heavy reliance on gatekeepers wholesalers, distributors, retailers and more before it's greenlit into production. After graduating from high school in New Zealand, Andrea attended the University of Southern California to be near her sister. I cover dynamic women of color and their careers. There is always something more to experience and learn about wine so were constantly trying to educate ourselves and perfect our skills! Now more than ever, social media has become an important vehicle for reaching young and diverse consumers, Andra says. In making wine inclusive and inviting for everyone, Andra and Robin have found a way to attract and retain a loyal consumer base that has translated from social media following to loyal, repeat customers. They each thought they were only children.. It also has attractive price points and can match up to a lot of different cuisines. The success that the McBride sisters have experienced is impressive for any business, but its almost unheard of in the wine world, where the barrier to entry is high financially, culturally, and socially. . Please enter valid email address to continue. StyleCaster is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Or you can raise a glass to sisterhood with my favorite McBride wine, which is their excellent New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. "Losing our father, he was one of 12, meeting family and a lot of people that I'd never seen before but looked a lot like me. They did pretty well until 2008 when economic woes hit the country. ", Robin remembers feeling more surprised than Andra. All rights reserved. [6] In October 2020, Wine Spectator reported that McBride Sisters had $5.43 million in annual sales. So the two sisters immediately talked and decided to meet at LaGuardia Airport in New York the next day. Quality and quantity! But like, what are the chances we're going to find this person out in the world?". That search was carried out by his siblings using a method they heard about on an Oprah Winfrey Show featuring a private detective. After all, lionesses are the true leaders of a pride. Join our community of wine lovers & be the first to know about virtual events and new wine releases. Raised on opposite sides of the globeNew Zealand andMonterey, California the sisters equally fostered a unique appreciation for the craft of winemaking. We are everywhere our consumers are, it's important for us to never be detached from that experience. Culinary Masters Therefore, its much more than a single serving. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. The S is styled to look like a loc of our curly hair. Black Girl Magic, the-phrase-turned movement started by Cashawn Thompson in 2013, celebrates community and the consumers that have supported McBride Sisters Collection since the beginning. After all, Google really wasnt a thing when the search began in 1994. "My sister and I are on a mission to transform the industry, lead by example and cultivate community," Robin McBride says. "The phone rang, and I picked it up, and the person on the other end of the phone, said, 'Hey, Andra, it's your dad.' The McBride Sisters Are Making the Wine Industry More Accessible [8] In 2019, the McBride Sisters also launched an eco-friendly line of canned wine,SHE CAN. "Andra gets on the phone and we're both pretty stunned and shocked because nobody thought that this was going to be happening at this moment because, according to the letter, she is in New Zealand, she's not in Alabama," said Robin. Robin McBride and Andra McBride John grew up on opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean, Robin in Marlborough, New Zealand and Andra in Monterey, Calif. Born in the states, Andrea's mother took her back to Marlborough, New Zealand where she would grow up believing she too was an only child. Their wines range from $16.99 to$19.99. For their part, Robin and Andra have doubled down on supporting Black and women-owned small businesses through their SHECAN initiative. Robin McBride and Andra McBride John are known for their story, two sisters raised half a world . Andra McBride was a 16 year old living in foster care in New Zealand when she got a phone call from her biological dad in Alabama. We still don't see a lot of women, a lot of people of color," Andra said. " According to Bloomberg, there are more than 8,000 wineries in the country as of 2020 and 0.1% of them are Black-owned. We took the lionesses from our McBride Sisters Collection logo and placed an enlarged version on each SHE CAN. Long-lost sisters form a thriving California wine business In an industry dominated by men, they are young minority women. But, on most days you can usually find Andrea sipping the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Robin enjoying the Central Coast Red Blend, both are amazing expressions of our hometowns. McBride Sisters Collection Combines Passion for Wine and the And the farming she describes is sustainable, the wines made with minimal intervention, designed to showcase the place. Includes access to the digital magazine. At their website, mcbridesisters.com, youll find more information, as well as wine-paired recipes. Based on the show's recommendation, the family pulled the records of every Robin McBride listed at the Department of Motor Vehicles and started writing dozens of letters. "So I didn't know I was going to be talking to my sister as soon as I make the initial phone call. The two shared the same father but different mothers, and werent aware they had a sisterly half until their father and other family members helped to unite them through an endless trail of handwritten letters and phone calls lasting five years. From that aunt, who lived in Georgia, she learned both about her fathers death and about the existence of her 16-year-old sister. Over time, McBride Sisters has grown into what is not only the largest Black-owned wine company in the United States, but one of the most inclusive, accessible, socially aware and sustainable. "We had these dreams and had we not met, we probably wouldn't be in the wine industry, but we kinda felt like the stars lined up," Andra said. McBride Sisters: The most important thing to us is to stay connected to wine lovers, to see how and where they are enjoying wine, what that experience is like, what if anything is missing and make it better for them. Two wines hail from New Zealand, the Sauvignon Blanc, and Sparkling Brut Ros, and two wines from Californias Central Coast, the crisp Chardonnay, and Red Blend, not to mention their Black Girl Magic California Riesling limited exclusive collection. In a 2019 interview, Ashley revealed how tortured her relationship with her father is, in part because of her desire to become a . In 1999, in a made-for-the-big-screen scene at La Guardia airport, Robin and Andra McBride met for the first time, each having only just learned that she had a sister in the world at all, let alone on an entirely different continent in a different hemisphere.