Black-owned wines sold in Arkansas, a short list

I had originally planned to use this week’s column to feature several Black-owned wineries, but when I began doing my research, I found out that — as far as I could tell — there were only two such wineries available in Arkansas.

Surely that couldn’t be the case, right? Surely it is.

Of the two, Mouton Noir Wines (“black sheep” in English), the Oregon-based label from sommelier Andre Houston Mack is my favorite. You might have noticed their distinctive black and white graphic labels. Their rosé, Love Drunk ($24), is full of striking strawberry and watermelon notes that make it the perfect foil to both the dull Arkansas winter and our sweltering summers. I’m a big fan of the Other People’s Pinot ($20-$24) wines, of which they make both a pinot noir and a pinot gris. They both capture the spark of perfectly ripe fruit that makes Oregon one of America’s most exciting wine regions. You’ll find the red to be earthy and floral, while the white is exuberant with notes of apples, pears, and the unmistakable joy of getting a pay raise.

The McBride Sisters Collection comes from two half-sisters who grew up in major wine regions (New Zealand and California) but never knew each other existed until after the death of their father. Today, the McBride Sisters Collection is the largest Black-owned wine company in the United States. You can find bottles of both their Black Girl Magic label (which covers everything from riesling to red blends) and their classic McBride Sisters label (I’m a big fan of their sparkling rosé.) across the state.

As good as both wineries are, it’s still odd that only two Black-owned wineries are available here. The issue certainly isn’t that there aren’t enough Black-owned businesses. I could easily rattle off a dozen fantastic wineries that I wish were available for you to drink (and don’t get me started on how difficult it would be to have them shipped to you …).

Whatever the issue, the way to solve it is simple: Next time you’re in your local wine shop, specifically ask for Black-owned wines.

It may take a little work, but our capitalist society will ensure that where there’s a demand, there will eventually be a supply.

During my research for this column, I met someone who’s already working on expanding Arkansas’ access to these wines and is reshaping how Black Arkansans talk and drink. I’ll have more on her next week.