McBride Sisters Collection Sauvignon Blanc

WWMD: What would Margaret drink?

Margaret Pearman is a certified sommelier under the Court of Master Sommeliers and is responsible for curating the award-winning wine list at Charlie’s Coastal Bistro. Here is her sipping suggestions for February:

Like the feeling of Christmas morning, I look forward to opening the Wine Spectator’s publication of the Top 100 Wines of the Year. Often the wines are unattainable by the time they make it to print, and most are out of my everyday price range. Number 27 stood out. For one, it is a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc under $20. Moreover, the winemakers are two Black women. By the numbers, there are only three Black master sommeliers worldwide. One in a thousand people working in the wine industry is Black. 

These two young women are leading the way as the largest Black-owned wine company. For them it is all about breaking down barriers with a modern approach. Since 2005 the McBride Sisters’ mission has been clear — to transform the industry, lead by example and cultivate community, one delicious glass of wine at a time.

To top it all off, their story is one for the books. Robin and Andréa grew up apart, unaware of each other; one in Marlborough, New Zealand, and the other in Monterrey, California. As adults they found themselves together working in the California wine industry. 

Creative labels and catchy names like “Black Girl Magic” and “She Can” (canned wine spritzers) make the brand accessible, but it’s not where the brand ends. McBride Sisters Collection Sauvignon Blanc offers loads of grapefruit and grass on the nose. It is medium to light weight on the palette with a texture of lime curd and pithy note of zest.