As we take December to spend some time with our families and plan 2022, we wanted to re-release a few of our favorite episodes. Carlton McCoy's was incredibly inspiring, and if you are looking for worthy causes to support, The Roots Fund is right up there on our list.

Carlton earned the title of Master Sommelier in 2013 at just 28 years old. He was one of the youngest people, and the second African American, to earn this prestigious title. Carlton worked in revered institutions such as Thomas Keller’s Per Se and Tom Colicchio's Craft Steak in New York before becoming the Wine Director at The Little Nell in Aspen before being named President and CEO of Heitz Cellar in December 2018. In 2020, Carlton was named Managing Partner of Lawrence Wine Estates, overseeing the purchase of Burgess Cellars, Stony Hill Vineyards, the Haynes Vineyard, and the historical Wildwood Vineyard  Carlton is also a co-founder of The Roots Fund, a non-profit that focuses on creating educational and employment opportunities for our BIPOC community.

Today we speak to Carlton about what it has been like to be a person of color in the wine business, and how he finds balance with all he does. We also discuss his new business venture, as well as his foundation helping people of color gain access to the very exclusive world of wine.

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Show Notes:

CIA - Culinary Institute of America

Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia

Jay Fletcher

Tula Kane 

Nico Cueva

Brendel Wines

Matt Taylor WInes

Domaine Dujac

Brenna Quigley

Meghan Zobeck

Jamie Motley

Philana Bouvier

Tahiirah Habibi

Ikimi Duboise

C-Cap Scholarship

Eric Elliot