Wanted: Female Winery Owners!

Once a month, a group of women and I try to get together for dinner and wine.  We select restaurants that are new to most of us so where we can celebrate together the experience of trying something new.  Our group consists of very discriminating diners who range from the most carnivorous to vegetarians.  Our ages range from late twenties to mid-sixties.  The cross-generational gathering provides a depth to the conversations that can only be present among groups with various experiences.  But what stands out to me the most of the reasons that we may not ever have our full core group.  We (women) have so many things that keep us busy and many times away from what we want to do.  We are caregivers, we work, we lend shoulders to the bereaved, we are taxi drivers, we don't have sitters...the things that keep us from taking care of our own needs run the gamut.  So I want to raise my glass to women...we truly are "every woman"!

Sidenote:  I'm not a food critic so I won't mention the restaurant unless the food was slammin'!  Yesterday's choice was alright...just alright...so I won't give the name.  But the Riesling was awesome with the Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich and the Crab and Shrimp Nachos.

With March being Women's History Month, The Vine Wine Club wants to highlight wineries that are owned by women.  To do this, we need your help!!!  Of course, we have Shoe Crazy Wine in our cellar but we invite you to send us other wine brands that are woman-owned.  We want to feature them on our site and do something to honor these phenomenal women over the next few weeks.  Please send those names to our email at thevinewineclub@gmail.com.  Don't hesitate!  March will blow by quickly.

Join us this Friday with our California friends "The Grape Girls".  Off The Vine with Benita and Terricinia at 3:00 pm on the May We Help You Radio Network (woman owned).

Ladies, Let's Wine!

I was recently reading an article about the importance of women communities.  What I was reading evoked images of screened in porches with swings where women came together to talk about their children, families, and celebrated one another's victories.  It was a communion of sorts where they were free to be themselves.

When my friends and I get together, we have great conversations and wine (and food) are always included.  It's comfort!!!  We laugh, cry, and laugh some more.  We connect on a different level, without competition.  It's authentic, and it's real.

March is Women's History month.  The Vine Wine Club is going to do its part to celebrate that history by kicking off  powerful programming with topics and activities to inspire and empower women and fosters sisterhood.   We are also kicking off "Ladies, Let's Wine", our monthly social gathering for dinner, wine, and great conversation on March 18, 2016.  If you attended The Exclusive Blacklist, you have a free admission to one, compliments of Indigo Salon.  Our special guest is none other than 2016 People's Choice Award winner Gwen Hurt.  The topic is "Changing The Game:  Walking Away from the Job and Into Your Dream."

Our radio show "Off The Vine with Benita and Terricinia" (airs every Friday at 3:00 pm on the May We Help You Radio Network) will feature powerful female guests all month including fan favorites "The Grape Girls".  Spirit Journeys Radio (airs at 8:00 pm on MWHY Radio) will devote March to exploring positive female relationships.

Be ready!  Whether you are a Beyonce "Formation" kinda girl or "I am Woman, Hear Me Roar", March is bringing it for the ladies!  So raise your glasses and let's wine.

The Exclusive Blacklist...A True Story

I want to tell you a true story.  Just a little over a year ago, I called an old friend who had been one of my wine reps when I first got into the industry.  I called him because I was looking for a particular brand of wine that I knew his distribution company carried.  How did I know that they carried it?  Two reasons.  Our ABC board has a website that will list every wine, spirit, and beer that is approved in the Commonwealth.  I also knew because I had reached out to the winery owner to find out which distribution company had it and just how many cases they had in its warehouse.  I called my friend because I was surprised when I was told by another person at the same company that they didn't carry it.  Because I knew that my friend would tell me the truth, I called him.

At first, my friend told me that they didn't have it.  When I explained to him how I knew that they had it, he asked for some time to look into it.  The following day, he called me back to tell me that they had it in a warehouse in Norfolk and no one was interested in getting it here to Richmond.  Because my friend realized that it made no sense and wanted the sale, he made sure that his company transported my order to the Richmond warehouse so that I could pick it up.

I've always wondered had this wine not been owned and produced by an African-American would I have had to jump through such hoops.  I could understand if it didn't sell well.  But it seemed to be selling just fine in Total Wine and other big box stores.  Hmmm.

I do not believe that this story is unique.  So what can we do about it? I know, it's wine.  Doesn't seem that important.  But it is important.  The Exclusive Blacklist is important and events like it are lifelines for those brave souls who dare enter this tough industry.

I've charged myself with hosting an event to celebrate African-Americans in the wine industry.  The purpose is to introduce these wines to my family, friends, and colleagues and passing the assignment on to them.  If we like the wines, we should buy the wines and ask the wine retailers and restaurants that we support to make these wines available.  Just how much Yellow Tail can we drink?  We deserve the best!  And many of the wines that you will taste at The Exclusive Blacklist are rated high and receive critical acclaim by wine aficionados everywhere.  We invite you to be the judge!

This year, cast your vote to decide who goes home with our beautiful People's Choice award.  In order to vote, you must be present.  Here's how:

The Exclusive Blacklist
The Shoppes at The Renaissance
101 W. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23220

Call 804-993-4130 for tickets or email me at thevinewineclub@gmail.com for more information.