**. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, the two connected over their shared experiences while exploring wine regions up and down the California Coast, and before long, it became clear to the two that they wanted to turn their love of wine into a business. [8] Andra was raised in Marlborough, New Zealand. Robin was raised by her mother, Karen, more than 6,500 miles away in Monterey, California. Although their father, Kelly McBride, was not much part of their lives, it was his dying wish for the two sisters to be united. Or, for more information, visitRR1. Often times, brands miss the mark because they arent reaching their target consumers correctly by meeting them where they are, or they arent participating in conversations and topics they are passionate about.. [5] The Black Girl Magic 2020 California ros was awarded "Best for TV Binges" by the editors of Cosmopolitan magazine in the Second Annual Cosmo Wine Awards. Since launching McBride Sisters Collection in 2010, the entrepreneurs have been at the forefront of making wine more inclusive alongside Black-owned wine brands like Napas Brown Estate Vineyards, but the sisters are quick to identify where the industry falls short. Contact Susan Selasky: 313-222-6872 or sselasy@freepress.com. And it was after college that their dreams of going into the wine business began to take shape. The family had been sending letters to every Robin McBride in the phone book until finally one made it to their intended recipient in Monterey, California. The McBride Sisters continue to withstand the elementsin both business and in life. 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. They each thought they were only children.. The movie is all about the McBride sisters who reunite in Alaska to celebrate Suzanne's birthday and connect their past to the present. For the first time, we will be opening a tasting room that will be open to the public and releasing exclusive reserve wines over the coming years. 2023 SheMedia, LLC. "A large part of the industry is run by a very small group of older white wealthy men. Q: Do you both like the same kinds of wines? 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. Robin: Detroit is a great wine making community. 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. "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. In making wine inclusive and inviting for everyone, Andra and Robin have found a way to attract and retain a loyal consumer base that has translated from social media following to loyal, repeat customers. We first wanted to make wine affordable and accessible, says Robin. We've decided to honor our mothers in the packaging for the SHE CAN line. The McBride sisters started their wine business in 2005, six years after meeting each other for the first time. ", Robin remembers feeling more surprised than Andra. "We've been in the business so many years. 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 . Sign up today and save 15% on your first purchase! Therefore, its much more than a single serving. McBride Sisters: We united in 1999 and it became clear to us that despite the fact that we grew up on opposite sides of the world we shared an appreciation for wine and were closely tied to the wine regions that we grew up in. "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. Our Newest Wines from the Most Southern Winegrowing Region in the World - Aotearoa New Zealand! And as it turned out, they shared more than an avant-garde father in L.A. You have to have an extreme case of optimism and thick skin to be successful in this business. Raised among the vines of Monterey, California and Marlborough, New Zealand, one could say that the McBride Sisters path to winemaking was destiny at work. Expect a Gamay and a Pinot Noir from New Zealands Central Otago region to join the Reserve tier soon. A Sauvignon Blanc and Sparkling Rose from New Zealand. We are continuing to expand where our wines can be found and enjoyed nationwide with some exciting collaborations. "When we first started, (the wine world) was definitely a place where we felt like we didn't belong," said Robin. Gender: Female. We are often met with skepticism and automatically dealt a lack of credibility. [15], The SHE CAN wine collection also sponsors a professional development fund, which awards scholarships to women. "I'm walking down the jetway, and I see what I think is my reflection at the end of the jetway in a mirror. The collection also includes merlot, zinfandel, and a red blend, as well as a zesty sparkling brut thats perfect for toasting to special occasions. The story of how the McBride sisters, Robin and Andra, reunited and started the McBride Sisters Collection, the largest African American owned wine company in the country, is something straight out of a movie.The sisters, born of the same father but unaware of each other until they reached adulthood, finally found each other in 1999. [12] The most popular set is a trio of Black Girl Magic wine featuring bottles of riesling, zinfandel, and ros. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Both sisters were born in the Los Angeles area to different mothers but to a mutual fatherColen McBride. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. "We had these dreams and had we not met, we probably wouldn't be in the wine industry, but we kinda felt like the stars lined up," Andra said. It's called Truve, which is derived from the French verb "to find" and reflects their personal journey finding each other. "It was just kind of like one thing in my mind was like, OK, yeah, yeah. Our mothers led us to where we are today, and for that, we are so grateful! "I left there and had grown up in pretty tough circumstances, so didn't really hope too much about it," Andra said. And I definitely lost my breath," Andra recalled. It was a runaway success, and the two have since amassed a McBride Sisters Collection that includes a Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris from Marlborough, as well as a sparkling ros from Hawkes Bay, New Zealand; and a California Central Coast Chardonnay and red blend. But also compelling is that for a good part of their lives the sisters lived thousands of miles apart, on two different continents, not knowing about each other. Their story is proof that a bond can form over a bottle of wine; a truth that comes to life with every McBride Sisters . Thanks to one icebreaker question, Robin and Andra McBride are now closer than ever and running a multi-million dollar company together. Robin and Andra McBride, founders of McBride Sisters Wines, are the first African-American sister duo to found and establish a wine company. Birth State: Kansas. This collection is inspired by the beauty, power and resilience of Black women and offers a variety of wines to suit any palate, to be enjoyed by all., Andra and Robins upbringing in prominent wine regions helped them to understand each other and the industry on an intimate level, but (according to How I Built This), they quickly realized that their vision of building a wine company would have to involve them making a visible effort to change the face of the wine world as a whole. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Robin and Andra McBride, founders of McBride Sisters Wines, are the first African-American sister duo to found and establish a wine company. Was it difficult? Q: What lead you to the wine business? Since the inception of their namesake brand in 2010, they've turned it into the largest Black-owned and. Birth Year: 1966. Birth date: July 29, 1966. Andrea: The profiles of wine we like to taste are similar. 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. And so the realization hit that that was the first time that I'd seen my sister, who happened to look a lot like me at that time," Robin said. Robin: When Andra was a junior in college, we both began working in the wine industry, our first business was as wine importers to gain experience and expertise in the business of selling wine, and then later launching eco.love wines from New Zealand and now Truve Wines. "We laugh to this day because Andra was very excited because, of course, she's known about me for a long time. Anne Schamberg is a freelance writer who lives in Waukesha. In honor of their brand-newTruveros launcha 2015 Grenache ros from the Paso Robles region of Californiawe spoke with the sisters on drinking pink, food pairings,and the ethos of their sisterly wine labels. The name they gave their McBride Sisters Collection 2019 Reserve Chardonnay ($40)The Great Escapethrows a smidgeon of shade on big, fat, over-oaked versions of the grape. This is a Pinot thats bold enough to show a delicate, light-bodied side even in its opulence. Most of the options from theirtwo labels, eco.love andTruve, retail for under $20 and are sold around the country at more than 1,000 retailers. Both women were born in Los Angeles, but Andrea McBride spent much of her childhood in Marlborough, New Zealand, first with her mother, Pauline, who passed away, and then with a foster family. 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 we knew that we were both biracial, Robin said. [3][1] The brand uses grapes from both California and New Zealand,[4] and is focused on providing quality bottled and canned wines that are affordable and "celebrate inclusivity". Working in the industry with our first wine import business surrounded by wine, winemakers, and wine professionals certainly helped too, so weve learned a lot along the way and have also taken classes to further deepen our knowledge. The other two are Chardonnay from the central coast of California and a red blend of Petite Shiraz and Merlot Zinfandel.