Three women join forces to open micro winery
For much of Phelicia Colvin’s adult life, her go-to alcoholic beverage was moscato — the Italian wine with a reputation for tasting cloyingly sweet and fruity. It was her preferred grape, what she’d drink at happy hours or during a girls trip to celebrate a friend’s birthday.
Fast forward some 14 years later, Colvin can be found in a “lab” with friends-turned-business partners Sheri Lawal Price and Tamesha Hampton making their own wine.
On Feb. 7, they are opening Wine Vibes in Missouri City, a rare micro winery in the Houston area that’s operated by three Black women in an industry dominated by mostly white men. It includes a casual bistro with no bow-tie clad sommelier roving the dining room spouting tasting notes like “you can taste the limestone on the western side of this mountain in France.” Musicians will perform live some nights, and they’ll offer classes for people who want to learn more about wine.
There’s no vineyard on-site — the business is located in a commercial development — but the women work with growers who ship them their grape juice. They will ferment the juice in white plastic or steel tanks. A few weeks later, they’ll tweak the flavors of the wine before tasting and filtering everything.
Already, Wine Vibes has about 5,000 bottles to pour and sell. The women have their own custom labels, too. Convine is their cabernet sauvignon (and one of Colvin’s favorites today). The Trio is a red blend with syrah, petite syrah and zinfandel. There’s also chardonnay, riesling, merlot, rosé, sangria and even moscato.
“Approachability is a key word,” Price said. “Everyone is welcome, whether you want a glass of wine or a case of wine.”
Wine Vibes started in
2019 over a playdate. The three women discussed what was missing in Pearland before the idea of opening a micro winery popped up.
“We were just sitting around,” Price said. “It wasn’t long before we talked about, ‘What can we do that’s missing in our community?’”
They originally wanted to open in Pearland, where they all live, but local regulations didn’t allow them to open a micro winery, Price said.
Just as their search for a new venue began, the COVID pandemic hit in March 2020 and put a pause to their plans. They eventually settled on nearby Missouri City, one of the country’s fastest-growing suburbs.
The lack of women and people of color in the wine industry was another reason to launch Wine Vibes, Price said.
There are over 11,000 wineries across America, and fewer than 100 are Black-owned, according to the Association of African American Vintners. Even fewer are run and backed by women.
The trio decided not to join a franchise, and instead, they work directly with vineyards, mostly in California, Washington state and North Carolina. Some micro wineries around the country are part of larger conglomerates that give their franchisees a cookie-cutter formula, but the women wanted more control over their wine production.
“It wasn’t easy,” Price said. “It definitely wasn’t done overnight.”
They women don’t claim to be wine experts — Price works in finance, while Colvin owns a cupcake shop — even though they are the winemakers and vintners. They are focused on creating an inclusive place where everyone feels welcome, Colvin said.
Wine Vibes aims to re-create the welcoming vineyards the women have visited over the years: a space that’s fit for family-friendly gatherings, a girls’ night out, weeknight happy hours or date nights.
A bistro headed by chef Phillip Hare, who also serves as the general manager, is less of a formal sit-down dining experience with formal wine service. It’s meant to be a place where customers can sip wine and graze on snacks.
The menu includes bites like margherita flatbreads, wings, spinach dips and charcuterie boards. Seasonal dishes, such as seafood gumbo and chicken tortilla soup, will also be available.
Spanning nearly 4,200 square feet, Wine Vibes combines rustic industrial touches with local art. The chandeliers are made from iron and hang from tall ceilings. The floors are stained brown and the room features touches of gold and brass. A barn door is used as an entrance for a private dining room.
Customers can lounge and drink wine with occasional live music or they can swing by to pick up a bottle to bring home.
“We want to make sure we have something for everyone,” Colvin said. “We put everything we have here into our wine label.”