The blog post features BIPOC Wine Scholarships.
It’s no secret that the wine industry lacks diversity. I started working in wine in 2017, and there were many times when I was the ONLY person of color in the room. As a wine sales representative, I rarely worked with buyers of color. Now, this is just my experience, but it is a sentiment shared by many BIPOC wine professionals.
In 2020, when there was a reckoning of race relations in America, the wine industry followed suit. Several organizations were formed to increase diversity in wine. Leading companies in the wine industry put their money where their mouth was and started diversity initiatives.
I have personally benefited from BIPOC wine scholarships. In 2020, I was part of the first class of Roots Fund Scholarship awardees. I also earned the Women Behind the Wine Scholarship from Women of the Vine and Spirits. These scholarships helped to catapult my wine education and ultimately my career. And they can help you too!
Here is a list of organizations and initiatives offering BIPOC wine scholarships.
- The Roots Fund
- African American Vintners Association
- Wine Unify
- Black Wine Professionals
- The Veraison Project
- Napa Valley Wine Academy
- The Hue Society
- The Urban Grape
- Delicato Family Wine
- Urban Connoisseur
- Cooper’s Hawk BIPOC Somm Scholarship
BIPOC Wine Scholarships for Women in Wine
- McBride Sister She Can Fund
- Glancy Wine Education Foundations
- Women of the Vine and Spirits
- Bâttonage
Do you know about any other BIPOC wine scholarships? Let me know and I will add them to the list.
