Cyndi Campbell and her father, Wayne Narcisso, pause outside the Cheverly Community Market on Sept. 7. Campbell credits her father for the family’s winemaking passion. Photo by Robert Stewart/Capital News Service
By ROBERT STEWART
LANDOVER — Cyndi Campbell and her sister, Dalia Chambers, are working hard these days. Winemaking is laborious, weather dependent and replete with regulations, and it costs a pretty penny to start up.
But the two winery owners have got some help – other Black women owners who are also making headway in a tough industry. It’s an informal network where the women encourage and serve as a resource for each other.
“I always joke that we’re a rounding error,” said Campbell, citing the fractional percentage of black-owned, women-owned wineries.
There are about 100 wineries and vineyards in the state of Maryland, fewer than 10 of them Black-owned, according to Kimberly T. Johnson, a winery owner and current president of the Maryland Wineries Association. Nationally, more like 1% of the vineyards and wineries have Black owners, according to the Association of African American Vintners.
Last year was a big year for the group. Campbell and her sister, based in Landover, officially launched the boutique winery, Narcisso Wine Cellar, a year after harvesting the grapes needed for their seven different wines. Boyd Cru Wines, a family-owned winery in Poolesville, also opened its doors. CEO Jon’ll Boyd said she also found out that year that the company’s wines would be sold in Target. Today, Boyd Cru has broken into two big chains and several stores in Washington, D.C., and Maryland.
Clyopatra Winery & Vineyard opened the tasting room of its Black-owned commercial vineyard. Ifeoma Cleopatra Onyia owns the Laurel-based operation. (Her legal name is spelled differently than that of her vineyard brand.)
“When it comes to Black owners, we are the pioneers,” said Onyia, who believes that creating a winery and vineyard as a business is one way to create Black generational wealth. She would like to see Maryland do better at marketing its wine. “Not only do we have wineries, but we produce really great quality wines,” she said.
Vidal Blanc grapes ripen during harvest season on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Photo by Robert Stewart/Capital News Service
For Campbell, setting up a winery was not easy at first. “You feel kind of isolated sometimes,” said Campbell. From navigating paperwork to planning distribution of the wine, Campbell believes networking is key.
“You can’t do this on your own,” she said, “you need to collaborate.”
She said that’s why she got involved with the Maryland Wineries Association, a trade association representing the network of wineries all over the state.
Among its many other functions, the wineries association is a resource for helping new wineries figure out how to navigate the red tape and network with others in the field. The association also hosts several events and festivals including the Maryland Wine Festival, like their September event in Westminster.
Through the statewide association Campbell was able to meet other Black women owners. One of them reached out and invited her to get together, she said.
Earlier this month several of the women gathered at the tasting room at Oniya’s winery. They sampled each other’s wines and talked about business, she said.
Tia Clarke, based in Upper Marlboro, owns a wholesale wine business, Roman Clarke Wines. Clarke learned about the small group through Boyd. For Clarke, the group has helped her understand more about business models. Clarke aspires to get what is known as a Class 4 winery license, which means completing paperwork and ensuring at least 51% of her product is sourced from Maryland agriculture.
About five years ago, Kimberly T. Johnson and her business partner, Denise Roles Matthews, opened Philosophy Winery & Vineyard, breaking new ground as a Black- and woman-owned winery. They soon began winning statewide awards.
Philosophy has helped to pave the way for others, said Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks.
“Sometimes it takes one to do it,” he said. “It illustrates to others that they can enter the space.”
Dealing with the costs
While starting a winery is expensive, starting a vineyard is even more so. The vines take years to grow before the vineyard owner can produce wine, potentially meaning years of not breaking even.
One way wineries like Campbell’s are circumventing the steep financial barrier to entry is by entering into business with established vineyards. They buy the grapes but create their own recipes to make their own wines.
For the vineyard owner, the agreement is about income and the quality of the Maryland wine. Roy and Judy Crow own Crow Vineyard & Winery in Kennedyville, on the Eastern Shore.
“It helps with the local economy and helps the people that live and work here,” said Roy Crow. He said it’s good for the Maryland wine ecosystem if new businesses like Narcisso Wine Cellar have access to good-quality Maryland grapes.
When it comes to Black owners, we are the pioneers. Not only do we have wineries, but we produce really great quality wines.
– Ifeoma Cleopatra Onyia, owner, Clyoptra Winery & Vineard
Judy Crow said that’s also good for the reputation of the Maryland “terroir,” or the wine terrain.
“We want Maryland to be a destination where people can come and explore Maryland and enjoy the wines like they do in California,” she said. “Look at how the industry has taken off in California for tourism and restaurants and all around grapes. Virginia is the same way.”
Atticks said the growing diversity of Maryland wineries expands the market and the reach of a quality product.
“We’ve just expanded the tent. We’ve opened the wine shop a little bit further,” Atticks said. “Black consumers are seeing themselves in these winemakers for the first time, and that’s good for the industry. And that’s great for the community.”
Back in Prince George’s County, Campbell knows all about expanding the reach of Maryland wine. Before she and her sister launched the business, they did a series of focus groups and taste-testing sessions to help them better understand what people in the area would drink.
Erika Rodgers, an accountant based in Washington, D.C., attended some of the tasting sessions. Rodgers said the session helped her develop a sense of the kinds of wine she likes.
“I definitely feel like they provide a ton of information for you to feel comfortable drinking and buying wine,” Rodgers said. “It makes me appreciate wine.”
As for Campbell, she has several events lined up throughout the fall. She wants to continue introducing new consumers to wine and educating them about the product.
“For us, it’s just really guiding people through and enjoying our wines,” said Campbell, “feeling more comfortable with that, making wine more approachable.”