Patti LaBelle with the McBride Sisters, Andra (left) and Robin (right) / Photo by Jared Soares. We were completely unaware of one another growing up, as I had moved back to my mother's native home in Marlborough, New Zealand when I was very young, and Robin stayed with her mother in Monterey, California. In 2005, the sisters found themselves together in California, fueled by a shared passion for all things wine, wine-making and a desire to shake up the industry with a blend of old-world elegance and new-world finesse. Fluker: Share your experience as two African-American women vintners. Robin McBride: It was 1999 and I was 25 and Andrea was 16. There's a lot of family lineages that still run things. Or you can raise a glass to sisterhood with my favorite McBride wine, which is their excellent New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Before he died in 1996, he asked his family to find and connect his two daughters. 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. We acknowledge that we alone as a company cannot change the wine industry, but it is our hope that weve inspired women to embark on careers in the industry and that weve also inspired other companies and wineries to follow suit, Robin says to TZR. After connecting for the first time in 1999, we realized we had this shared passion for wine and it became such a central part of our bond, and we knew the universe had put us together for a reason to make a future together out of our separate pasts. / CBS News. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) McBride Sisters Wine Company, San Luis Obispo, CA. & D.H.H.). 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. Both sisters were born in the Los Angeles area to different mothers but to a mutual fatherColen McBride. The story of the McBride sisters is nothing like anything you've ever heard of before in the wine industry. [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. In March, they launched a new initiative that funds scholarships for women in agricultural programs at Southern University, a historically Black college in Louisiana. Whats yourfavorite thing aboutros right now? The process was a grind. "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. Andra and Robin grew up on separate continents, each one believing they were an only child. 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 describe our signature style as old world style with new world finesse. Matriarchies all the way! After meeting in 1999, their curiosity for wine became a true passion as the sisters began a wine import business, importing unique New Zealand wines into the US Market. And theyre growing. Another challenge was not having any investors or advisors at the onset and how the wine industry is "notorious for its gatekeeping," said Robin. Through their core values: sustainability, empowerment, innovation, and community, the McBride sisters were able to curate a unique wine experience for their customers for more than 13 years. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Fluker: As the first African-American sisters to own a wine company, share your journey with establishing your mission statement for McBride Sisters wine? The "S" is styled to look like a loc of our curly hair. 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. Following a lengthy search by his family, Robin and Andra met for first time in 1999 at LaGuardia Airport in New York. Since the inception of their namesake brand in 2010, they've turned it into the largest Black-owned and. Breaking into the wine business isn't easy, especially if you're a woman or a minority, but two half-sisters who hadn't met for the first halves of their lives did just that after uncorking a crucial part of their past, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller. They're black women in a field dominated by white men. Changing the Game for Dance Creatives : A Q&A with the Talented Taja Riley. The House of Pure Vinin downtown Detroit will host winemakers Robin and Andra McBride today. There is always something more to experience and learn about wine so were constantly trying to educate ourselves and perfect our skills! The process was inspired bytips from aprivate detective as seen on an episodeOprah, which Robin and Andras familyhad watched. The McBride Sisters continue to withstand the elementsin both business and in life. Black Girl Magic has always been synonymous with our culture and consumers love and appreciate that, Andra tells TZR. 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 it turned out they both grew up in small agriculture towns known for winemaking and they were both passionate about wine. Dont miss the food event of the year. The movie is all about the McBride sisters who reunite in Alaska to celebrate Suzanne's birthday and connect their past to the present. McBride Sisters Wine Company is a Black-owned female-led wine company in the United States.12 The company was founded in 2005 by African American. Because we started in New Zealand, our wine-growing philosophy is rooted in sustainable farming and not diluting the purity of the fruit in the winemaking process, by covering it up with too much oak or other flavors that are winemaking tricks of the trade! For Andra and Robin, the company's success feels like the culmination of their journey as sisters. They each thought they were only children.. The sisters launched their newest brand in February. The largest Black-owned wine company in the United States, McBride Sisters can now be found everywhere from Trader Joe's to Target, but the journey to building the thriving family business is even more impressive given that Robin and Andra didn't even know about one another for the first half of their lives. Among the bestsellers of the McBride Sisters roster are the wines in the Black Girl Magic Collection, which include a bright ros packed with notes of raspberry. Andrea: Our wines are from two regions. "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. They told TODAY Food in an interview how they connected in a fairytale-like story to form The McBride Sisters Wine Company and discuss how they're making the wine industry more accessible to marginalized communities. Newly found sisters who had been raised across the world from one another, Robin and Andras love affair with wine was planted within them from an early age while growing up in two of the worlds most iconic wine-growing regions. As the work began, so did their reality as two fierce, female and forward-thinking leaders in an industry historically defined by tradition and gender. 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. For an industry as complex as the wine industry, family-owned-and-operated businesses are commonplace. Though they were raised in the far-flung, enormously iconic wine regions of Monterey, California and Marlborough, New Zealand, both sisters were destined to share a love of the grape. Their. "I remember being just so excited. They had a dream between them, of making wine. You know, I was 16, and I have a big sister," Andra said. In 2005, the sisters found themselves together in California, fueled by a shared passion for all things wine, wine-making . While Andra knew about Robin, Robin didnt know she had a younger sister, much less one across the world in New Zealand, and the two eventually connected in 1999. 2023 SheMedia, LLC. He died not long after that, but his dying wish was for his older daughter to be located. "Both of us were growing up thinking we were only children-- completely, you know, opposite ends of the Pacific Ocean.". This is a BETA experience. "We had to like figure out how do we introduce new people to wine and then pull through this chain in business versus the more traditional way, which is kind of buying your way up to get access to the consumer. Before he died in 1996, he asked his family to find and connect his two daughters. . 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Our story is proof that a bond can form over a bottle of wine; a truth that comes to life with every McBride Sisters wine. By then, the family had been looking for Robin for five years and doubled down on their efforts after finding Andra. McBride Sisters: You can't pick between your children! The McBride Sisters logo is so much more than just a logo. Today, more than 13 years from their entrepreneurial start in the wine industry, the sisters have worked to bring wine lovers the best of both worlds with their third collection, The McBride Sisters Collection. We are everywhere our consumers are, it's important for us to never be detached from that experience. And eventually, they decided to start their own wine company together. 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. When she was 2,. Includes digital magazine access + a free gift. Figuring out which bottle of wine to buy is always difficult, so you might as well pick one that comes with a good story. The other two are Chardonnay from the central coast of California and a red blend of Petite Shiraz and Merlot Zinfandel. [1], Robin and Andrea McBride started their business as a boutique import firm with a limited selection of New Zealand wines. After Robin's mother and their father divorced, Robin . The McBride Sisters Collection wines are offered across the United States and New Zealand. The lionesses and peacock represent the Sisters' mothers and father, and together, they have the McBride Sisters Collection. The sisters shared a biological father, Kelly McBride, whom they had had little contact with while growing up. Andra McBride: We share the same father, but were raised separately by different mothers. August 7, 2021 by Kiri Tannenbaum Director of Culinary Relations. A Sauvignon Blanc and Sparkling Rose from New Zealand. And so obviously for us coming in as opposite really of everything that, to that point had been successful in the wine world, which was an older white man we definitely were looked at as not just not belonging, but really incapable of being successful.". according to Nielsen data cited by Wine Spectator. James stated, "I asked if I was black or white. The entrepreneurs encourage women with a passion for wine to fully immerse themselves in the industry, from following brands on social media to participating in industry-related programs and conversations. That we have our very own! Its a great wine drinking city and we wanted to connect with people that weve connected with on social platforms. 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. Total production stands at about 30,000 cases. "And now we do.". 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 . We just went around all of it and created demand," explained Robin. We still don't see a lot of women, a lot of people of color," Andra said. " Andra said the aforementioned phone call was the first time she'd spoken to her dad in six years. Enjoy Responsibly. For their part, Robin and Andra have doubled down on supporting Black and women-owned small businesses through their SHECAN initiative. The sisters said their current career goal is to help usher in a more diverse generation of winemakers. For the McBrides, success is not just about selling wine, but also creating a sort of sisterhood among their mostly female staff. Love you, Mom and Mums! Her estranged dad shared his terminal diagnosis of stomach cancer and how he wanted to use his remaining energy to help her find Robin. "I think we actually underestimated that." The strong and empowered lionesses on the sides of the Sauvignon Blanc and Ros cans pays tribute to the women who encouraged and inspired us throughout our lives. [1][2] The company was founded in 2005 by African American winemakers Robin and Andra McBride, who first met as adults and bonded over a shared passion for winemaking. Robin said the industry is "very complicated" due to heavy reliance on gatekeepers wholesalers, distributors, retailers and more before it's greenlit into production. First published on July 2, 2015 / 7:24 AM. Their father, a rakish, Alabama-born 6-foot-6-inch wanna-be actor with 11 siblings, had a way with the ladies. When did you meet? Andra: In the hills looking down on Queenstown in New Zealand. Barbecue, grilled fish, meats, and veggies, burgers, French fries, fish tacos, fruits, cheeses, grilled cheese, and coastal cuisines like Mediterranean dishes and Spanish tapas. Seeking to buck that trend, the sisters have assembled a team that's 80 percent women, including their head winemaker and vineyard director. And the farming she describes is sustainable, the wines made with minimal intervention, designed to showcase the place. It was amazing. Now, the company offers products across the United States and New Zealand and raked in over $5.5 million in sales for fiscal year 2020, according to Nielsen data cited by Wine Spectator. She was. This venture launched their first production, eco.love Wines a sustainable wine company from New Zealand. "So I didn't know I was going to be talking to my sister as soon as I make the initial phone call. Q: How would you describe your wine-making style? It was then that the McBride Sisters Collection was born. Anne Schamberg is a freelance writer who lives in Waukesha. 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. What they unknowingly had in common was that they both grew up in wine country: Robin, in Monterey, California, and Andra inMarlborough, New Zealand. Enter the McBride Sisters Collection Reserve wines: a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir from Montereys cool Santa Lucia Highlands. Whats each of yourfavorite places to drink wine in the world? The McBride Sisters Collection, launched in May 2017, is composed of four wines, including a Chardonnay and a red blend from Central Coast, California and a Sauvignon Blanc and a sparkling brut . The African-American sisters are scheduled to launchtheir McBride Sisters Collection to Detroit and Michigan. In just the past 12 months, McBride Sisters Collection has sold more than 35,000 cases of wine in retail outlets, according to Nielsen, up 40 percent from the previous year. "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. "It's definitely an old boys' club," Robin said. And so they collaborated on a delightful ros, just when thirst for pink was surging. Robb Recommends: This Napa Cab Is the Best Wine to Drink With Your Burger This Summer, On a Tiny Tuscan Island, Inmates Work to Rehabilitate by Making Delicious Wine, One of Americas Most Interesting Winemakers Just Debuted New Central Coast Rhne Varietals, The 10 Best Rieslings to Buy Right Now, From California to Australia, Humans First Started Growing Wine Grapes 11,000 Years Ago, a New Study Shows, How to Make a Bijou, a Gin and Green Chartreuse Cocktail That Packs a Complex Punch, McBride Sisters Collection 2019 Reserve Chardonnay ($40), McBride Sisters Collection 2018 Reserve Pinot Noir ($50), Why Its Time for Fine Wine to Ditch the Cork and Embrace Screw Caps, Brad Pitts Ros Champagne Will Be the Oscars Official Bubbly This Year, The 9 Best Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons From the Storied Howell Mountain Appellation, The 10 Best Bottles of Bubbly to Pop This Valentines Day. The origin story behind the McBride Sisters Wine. Now more than ever, social media has become an important vehicle for reaching young and diverse consumers, Andra says. When kid sister Andrea was 11, in 1995, she received a call from the father she didnt know. At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case, Breaking into the wine business isn't easy, especially if you're a woman or a minority, Sisters build winery after discovering each other, Ukraine says it's ready if Russia tries to invade again from Belarus. Q: What attracted you to sell your wines in the Detroit area? Robin and Andra are generous in their success, with a She Can Professional Development Fund donating part of the proceeds from their She Can wines this year to women entrepreneurs. So when I found out about Andra, I knew my life was about to change. This piece originally aired July 2, 2015. 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. But, like countless groundbreaking women before them, Andra and Robin saw every obstacle as an opportunity to chart their own path rather than follow the standard formula. wine for the new world. "We have this vision, and we have this goal, and everybody is passionate about it and wants to get behind it and see it be successful," Andra said. "He was a 'Hollywood guy' who had rough relationships," said Robin. [9][10] They soon discovered a shared interest in winemaking. But instead of backing down, they forged ahead, starting their own wine company using the knowledge they had gained about winemaking and the business of winemaking while working as importers. Corporate sponsors of the fund include Morgan Stanley, the Wine Institute and Silicon Valley Bank. Join our community of wine lovers & be the first to know about virtual events and new wine releases. We started to see we were not like the average wine makers. It's how you feelwhat you see, smell and hear as you prepare to taste the wine. Now the largest African-American-owned wine company in the United States, McBride Sisters Wine Collection includes Chardonnay and Red Blends from Robin's home state of California, as well as. Hannah is hiding a life-changing secret, and Beth is weathering her own personal crisis. From the time we met and when Andrea moved to California to go to USC, thats the time we got to know each other. Following a lengthy search by his family, Robin and Andra met for first time in 1999 at LaGuardia Airport in New York. The McBride sisters and their staff make the wines at custom crush facilities in California and New Zealand. Sign up today and save 15% on your first purchase! In meeting, the bond between Robin and Andra was instant, and intensified when they realized theyd both grown up as often the only mixed-race children in small, mostly white agricultural communities known for producing wine.