According to a report by 15 Percent Pledge, more than 40% of Black-owned businesses have been forced to close their doors during the coronavirus pandemic. As we celebrate the end of this year, there is no better drink to have in hand than a quintessential glass of bubbly. Whether you’re a champagne purist or love a rosé prosecco, there is a perfect glass for you to ring in the new year with. While stocking up for your celebrations, it is important to support Black-owned businesses, so shop one of these four Black-owned bubbly brands.
Stuyvesant Champagne
Marvina Robinson stands out as one of the few Black women to own a champagne brand. Hers is inspired by the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn where she grew up. Robinson recalls how her love of champagne started in college when she would pool her money with friends to purchase a bottle of Moët & Chandon White Star. Stuyvesant Grand Reserve Brut is a crisp, dry, pale golden color with sea-green highlights and fine bubbles.
Billionaires Row
Created by Miami residents Patrick Ductant and William Benson, Billionaires Row is valued at $600 million across all of its brands, which include champagne, a signature cognac, clothing, and other goods and is a luxury lifestyle company that is on track to becoming one of the most recognizable Black-owned conglomerates. Billionaires Row champagne is of the highest quality with a distinct and modern taste, unlike any other champagne. The brand has a Cuvée “Magnifique” Brut and Cuvée “Glamour” Rose Brut.
Lapin Rouillé
Nichole Johnson has launched a 100% Pinot Meunier champagne called Lapin Rouillé in the UK – the first female Black-owned champagne brand to go on sale in Britain. Meaning ‘rusty rabbit’ in French, the champagne takes its name from Johnson’s drinks distribution company, Rusty Rabbit International. Lapin Rouillé champagne is a traditional style champagne, crafted from hand-harvested Pinot Meunier grapes from Massif de Saint-Thierry, Reims.
House of BNG
South African celebrity Bonang Matheba launched her very own luxury beverage brand with the introduction of the House of BNG and its Brut and Brut Rosé Méthode Cap Classiques. The House of BNG followed up soon after with the release of its Prestige Reserve MCC. Matheba made a specific decision to originally make MCCs with Cape grapes rather than a champagne, made from region-specific French grapes, and involved the careful crafting of a unique blend by acclaimed Cape Wine Master Jeff Grier, selecting the finest grapes from across the world-renowned Stellenbosch wine-producing region. The brand became the country’s favored celebration partner from the Presidential Inauguration to Miss SA and Matheba also became the first Black woman to become a member of the Cap Classique Producers Association.
Source
Boitumelo Masihleho is a South African digital content creator. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes University in Journalism and Media Studies and Politics and International Studies. She’s an experienced multimedia journalist who is committed to writing balanced, informative and interesting stories on a number of topics. Boitumelo has her own YouTube channel where she shares her love for affordable beauty and lifestyle content.
