Melanated Wine & Spirits: Durham’s First Black-Owned Winery Opening Oct. 22

DURHAM, NC – In a Southside industrial park, the flora of innovation has borne her sweet fruit. Though Durham has a rich tradition of African American enterprise, the city has not had a Black-owned winery within its bounds – until now.  LaShonda Fort Modest will shatter the wineglass ceiling on Friday, October 22 by officially opening Melanated Wine & Spirits. We heard it through the grapevine, folks!

Modest has a voguish yet affable presence and is a keen sommelier. Her Pinot noir-hued heels and top (and complementing blazer) were a befitting ensemble. Modest, in defiance of her humble surname, possesses a distinct air of confidence and optimism. She is invigorated by stories of Black women blazing trails in viticulture and other fields. “It needs to be a part of the norm,” she says.

Modest has striven to ensure, “When you’re tasting our wine, you’re taking a sip of our culture.” Congruously, the company’s motto is “Uncork the culture.” Modest seeks to “de-complicate” wine by cleaving it from its Eurocentric, bourgeois connotations. She envisions a wine scene that is fun and accessible. When asked what significance wine has in her life, Modest remarked that wine is there with us from cradle to grave – we drink wine at baby showers, graduations, weddings, promotions, retirements, and, finally, funerals. Such is la vie en rosé.

Once upon a time, the North Carolina General Assembly forbade enslaved Black people from selling “spiritous liquors” under penalty of lashing (original document here). Though not a spirituous liquor, wine is an alcoholic drink – and alcohol law has its own historical relationship with racism. During the Prohibition era (1920-1933), the crackdown on alcohol disproportionately victimized minorities and dovetailed with the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. There is even a Wikipedia page dedicated to racism in the wine industry.

Other intersecting forces such as sexism and classism have dissuaded many from venturing into viticulture. Ever the individualizer, Modest maintains that her heretofore biggest obstacles have been “self-inflicted.” She has her moments of doubt. Soon after entering the industry, the plucky proprietor faltered under “information overload.” Nevertheless, she persisted. She remains grateful for the “welcoming” spirit of the winemaking family.

Melanated Wine & Spirits currently has four varietals, including a white blend (a Chardonnay-Riesling concoction). Modest aims to “change people’s minds on wine preferences.” If you’re insistent on a Zinfandel, Modest will serve you a Grenache with panache. That is, as soon as she carries Grenache. 

Upcoming MelaNation events include weekly “paint & sips” and weekly tastings. The MelaNation will erect an embassy of sorts at Blacktoberfest 2021 (Sat., Oct. 9), and there will be a “Hallo-Wine” Tasting Party on Sat., Oct. 23. The pre-sale period lasts until Sun., Oct. 31. Melanated Wine will ship all orders in the first week of November.

Melanated Wine & Spirits will have its Grand Opening from 12-3 pm on Fri., Oct. 22. The address is 4608-F Industry Lane in Durham. Mazel tov, y’all!

Photos: Lawrence Davis III