Behind the vine

Shevonne & Keisha May - Ebony Essence Wines - California, USA

When do you think you fell in love with wine, enough to make a career of it?

Growing up, our parents loved really quality wine so it was innate to us and our family, but we really fell in love with wine as soon as we turned 21. With Napa in our backyard, we utilized our proximity to it to explore wine and grow our knowledge. During the pandemic we were looking for a business opportunity and our experience with and passion for wine motivated us to think about creating our label - Ebony Essence.

What story does your wine tell?

Ebony Essence's story is our story, and in turn, the story of our target audience. The center of our logo features a woman - our goddess of wine, named Denise after our Mom. We developed this goddess to look like a lot of people so that when people look at our logo they see themselves and feel included.

Our mission is to create accessibility and bring 'elegance without pretention' to wine. We want to bring wine to people who think wine is only for one demographic and get them to love wine and learn more about it. We want people to have memorable moments and think about how Ebony Essence was at the table.

What misconceptions about wine do you think people should forget?

Coming from the perspective of being two Black women in wine, one misconception is that only certain people or demographics drink wine and are involved in the world of wine. Part of what we've discovered in our journey in wine is that there's a wine out there for everyone. You just have to search for the one that fits you.

What great things about wine do you think people should remember?

Wine creates memorable experiences and it has the power to bring people together. When we're out with friends, or even just drinking together, wine has the ability to create quality, vulnerable conversations. It's all about creating amazing memories and bringing people closer.

What is a piece of advice you would give to a woman interested in breaking into the wine world?

We would say jump right in. You don't have to know everything about wine to be a part of the wine world. We learn something new every day as part of building this business and we're far from wine connoisseurs - even though that's what we aspire to be one day. Wine can seem exclusive, and to some people that's appealing, but to others it feels exclusionary. It's important to know that it's OK not to know everything. You can be a part of the wine world without feeling like you have to know everything. Lastly, learn the way you learn. You don't have to go to classes or be certified if you don't want. There's a lot you can learn doing your own due diligence.

Who is a woman that inspired you?

We're really inspired by the McBride Sisters. They've created a legacy and started paving the way for women of color in the world of wine. They've shown us what being in the industry really looks like and the success and heights we can reach. It's great to see a Black, women (and sister)-owned brand that so outward about celebrating that identity with their label 'Black Girl Magic'. We want to hit home on that inclusion and help people like us feel seen in the wine industry.

Where can women find your wine?

Our wine will be released in early 2023, but in the meantime sign up for our email list by visiting our website and follow our journey on Instagram!