The Big Sip

Victoria Coleman is currently the Director of Winemaking and winemaker for Lobo Wines. While she passionately loves this industry, it wasn’t always on her radar. Originally, Victoria was studying Computer Science but was exposed to the world of wine through a friendship founded in Mexico while on vacation. Needing a change of scenery, she moved out of Seattle and headed to Napa to take a chance on love and explore the wine industry, getting her feet wet as an administrative assistant at Stags Leap. Shortly after, a breakup put her at a crossroad point—go back home and continue focusing on Computer Science or stay and really harness this passion for wine, and a different, newfound love in Napa—the vineyard. Now entering her 17th vintage, Victoria's passion for winemaking continues to be inspired by those who were here before her and those who will come next. Not only was Victoria the first black woman to enter UC Davis’s Wine & Viticulture program, she’s also worked alongside some of the greatest mentors in the industry, like Michael Silacci and Celia Welch, and prior to COVID had been traveling throughout China and Canada providing wine consulting and directing since 2010.

Victoria is truly married to the vineyard and passionately believes this is where you have the biggest impact. While she focused on making 100% Cabs for a large portion of her time, Lobo is the first place where she’s been able to explore other grape varietals and discover her love for blends and rose’s. Winemaking has continuously sparked a passion in her that is now extending outside of herself and inspiring her family and nephews to see themselves in the industry. "I want people like me to see what I'm seeing and to taste what I'm tasting, so that inspires me to keep going." Currently, she is working to develop a program with a few other key BIPOC leaders in the industry to create scholarships for people of color to get a higher education in anything related to food and beverage, as well as mentorship, and continues paving a path forward.

May you be inspired to pave your path and unapologetically pursuit that which sparks a fire inside your soul. 

Follow along on Instagram: @vc_davis | @lobowines

The power of the internet is truly amazing! Two strangers connecting from opposite sides of the Coast through technology, both on a mission to amplify and elevate the BIPOC experience in wine. That's exactly what happened when I met Angela McCrae, powerhouse woman and founder of Uncorked & Cultured, a media company and lifestyle brand that curates original content, e-commerce and global experiences to consciously connect consumers with brands that share the same ideals. Uncorked & Cultured is unapologetically connecting BIPOC culture and the diaspora to wine, wellness, culture and adventure!

Prior to launching Uncorked & Cultured, Angela was living in Los Angeles and producing work for NBC Universal. She has also managed communications and marketing for three PBS Documentaries and hosted events at Sundance Film Festival! The knowledge and experience she brings is truly unmatched! Throughout her life experiences she has realized there are three key elements that have led to her success: recognizing the importance of understanding the "self," alignment (everything being aligned in your life!), and a "now or never" mentality. This notion of living with intention in every space you operate in creates opportunities for growth and learning, leading to a realization that anything is possible! By creating a destination for people of color to see themselves in wine, wellness, culture, travel, and adventure, she is paving a path for those living in this present moment, and the generations to come. 

From the virtual world to in real life, it was truly an honor to connect and celebrate with Angela for all she's done and continues to do, and I am forever inspired. Her work has garnered the attention and financial investment of reputable organizations such as the African American Vintners Association and Napa Valley Vintners Association to continue amplifying the BIPOC experience and create waves of change in an industry where it's long overdue. It's because of this collective movement that we're able to be elevate and celebrate!

Grab a glass, Sip Consciously, follow Uncorked & Cultured on social media, invest in black businesses and enjoy Episode 20!

Each story has its abstract nuances, and without words, it's a visual artist's language. Sakhon's language and soul is global and boasts with curiosity. Having extensive experience, education, and training in both Interior Design & Photography, this phenomenal human has collaborated with major corporations like Pottery Barn and small "mom and pop" shops locally in Napa Valley, including BottleRock and Napa Valley Film Festival!

Sakhon, a first-Gen American and descendant from the vibrant artistic culture of Cambodia, is worldly down to her roots and continues to passionately create through her new Napa Studio! It is here where Interior Design, Photography for food, wine, & lifestyle collide and magic moments are brought to life.

Follow her on Instagram @sakhonnhek

Check out her webpage: https://www.sakhonnhek.com/

"Un brindis por aquellos que nos miran y sonrien desde el cielo!" Those are the words you'll find on La Cheve's webpage, an homage and cheers to those that have come before us, who watch over us and are smiling down from the heavenly skies. 

What started out as a fun experiment and beautiful bonding activity with Cinthya Cisneros and her dad in their garage, has quickly expanded and resulted in one of the most talked about Mexican restaurants in Napa Valley. A place servicing up more than just food, but revolved around family. Filled with authenticity that transports you back to a little pueblito and casita in Mexico, the old adobe house still carries more than 75% of the original wood that first housed Don Cayetano Juarez, Maria de Jesus Higuera and their 11 children, built by Cayetano himself, in 1845 (yes, you read that right...1845, five years before California was part of the United States!). As Cinthya put it herself, this casita is the oldest representation of Napa's Mexican era...goosebumps! 

For Cinthya, who immigrated to Napa Valley at a young age, opening up La Cheve is a direct result of what can happen when we not only dream, but do. The journey however has been far from easy. Now a resident of the United States, Cinthya has had to navigate a variety of challenges throughout her life, yet met every opportunity with grace and humildad, showing herself (and to all dreamers out there!), that just because you don't know how to do something, doesn't mean it has to be out of reach. With passion, hustle, and determination anything is possible...or as our parents like to say "simplemente es la chinga!"

A true Xingona breathing love and light into her community, Cinthya is now a part of history-in-the-making herself. Over the past five years, the number of womxn-owned businesses increased by 21%, in addition to LatinX-owned businesses increasing by 34% in the last 10 years. Not only is she breaking barriers, Cinthya is successfully preserving a part of her world and culture during a pandemic. Initially set to open her doors in 2020, COVID-19 was the last thing she was expecting at the launch of her new business venture. Refusing to let a pandemic prevent her from realizing her dreams, she opened up the doors to La Cheve on May 14th for pick-up. A year later, the casita that feels just like your abuelita's house is not only surviving through a pandemic but thriving.

To whom does she credit the strength and passion that's carried her through this tough industry? Grab a glass and sip with us to find out ;) .... but I will say it all comes full circle, to la familia--a tribe, a union of gente.

His mother would say his love and passion for food and creativity started with binging Food Network (long before binging was a legit thing@), entice by Emeril Lagasse, but he'd tell you it started with his dad, serving up a signature dish for Howard County's community fundraiser, "Man in the Kitchen," benefitting the Museum of African Culture.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute's Hyde Park, Chef Aaron LeRoi has had a series of successes in the culinary industry working as Chef for Disney's 5-star Artist Point Restaurant in Orlando, FL, showcasing his craft at Bottlerock Napa Valley Music Festivals since it's first year inception, and creating his own private chef/consulting business in Napa Valley, granting him access to some of the biggest accounts throughout the Bay Area (can you say "Oakland Raiders?")! Looking back, he credits his successful roots and career build up in Napa Valley to the wonderful family behind Wine Country CrossFit, who helped bridge two of his favorite worlds: fitness and food!

In Episode 16 of The Big Sip, we get to dive in and sip from Tamer Hamawi's cup--incredible entrepreneur, humble human, world traveler, and all-around eclectic individual whose goal in life is #chasinghappiness. It's his joy for bringing happiness and genuine connectivity to others that's led towards his success of establishing four restaurants ranging from the East Coast to the West Coast (and even a nightclub in Melbourne, Australia!). 

How exactly does one sustain and thrive a handful of businesses in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic challenges? With a great team/support system and a beautiful community that's embraced him along the way. When the focus is joy and bringing others happiness, people listen and follow. The connections are genuine, and quality and connectivity is never sacrificed for something as trivial as money.

Covered by Bloomberg, Eater NY, Thrillist, New York Times, and voted Best Mexican Restaurant by North Bay Bohemian and Zagat's Best Brunches in NYC, #SipWithUs and learn all abut this eclectic Egyptian, Australian-born pioneer. Through his worldly travels, his deepest affinity lies in the excellence of Mexican culture, cuisine, and mezcal, leading him towards amplifying the voices/businesses of mom and pop mezcalerias and distilleries by directly investing and importing their beverages, and spotlighting them through his educational Agave Club program and extensive mezcal portfolio. Who's hungry, thirsty, and ready for la cultura?

Trailblazing the Pan-African soulfood diaspora in the Bay Area, you'll find Chef Solomon Johnson bridging Jamaican, Puerto Rican, and West African foods and flavors to delight every foodie lover's cultural palate. Not only is he creating delicious and aesthetically pleasing soulfood dishes, he's pushing the cultural palate and narrative further by educating his consumers along the way, integrating and highlighting food products that are indigenous to West Africa, while healing a community that is often left out of the food literacy conversation.

Originating from Maryland, Chef Solomon Johnson finds comfort in the sacrifices his ancestors made, knowing history has provided him the ability to craft exceptional dishes for the rest of the world while also being an oasis in the midst of a food desert for his Oakland community. From jerk chicken to their ever-evolving picked program, their fine-dining takeout operations at The Bussdown is a must try elevated food experience (currently the second hottest and trendies place to order food from on Yelp)!

#SipWithUs and join the plate-full and playful conversation spotlighting Chef "Swoop" (as he's known to those closest to him), his journey to the West Coast, the creation of The Bussdown with his partner Mike Woods, and countless other entrepreneurial programs and experiences he's embarked on including his upcoming feature in the competitive Food Network show: Chopped420, streaming on Discovery+ April 20th. For Chef Swoop, cannabis infusion is all about breaking down the stigmas surrounding the industry. To him, it was important to show the world that cooking with cannabis has far more finer nuances than just "getting high" and it's all about conscious consumption.

Order The Bussdown via your favorite delivery app (DoorDash, Postmates, UberEats, etc) and get a taste for yourself! Follow Chef Swoop on IG by tapping in to the following links:

@thebussdown510

@chef_swoop

@spicetribesf

Check out their webpage (https://www.thebussdownoak.com/) and don't forget to tune in to Discovery+ streaming platform for the debut of #Chopped420!

Dale, like so many words and expressions in Spanish, has a fluid definition that varies. To Chef and creator of Dale Bars, Caroline Rae Green, Dale is a way of life. in one of the most challenging years, Dale also served as a reminder to go ahead, keep going. 

Dale was created with the intention to provide active and busy #foodie lovers with deliciously satisfying treats. Having struggled with work-life balance in a laborious industry, boundaries, and mental health, Caroline knew the importance of bridging ingredients that fuel individuals to feel good, without sacrificing flavor.

On Episode 14 of The Big Sip, we dive into the challenges and struggles she encountered moving to Napa in the wake of wildfires and a pandemic, mental health, the mindset behind "Dale" and how it pushed her to break away from society's expectations of what a career should consist of. Ultimately the goal should be happiness, and she's always found it at the core of food and all that it brings - community, conversation, and creativity.

Aside from her entrepreneurial focus on Dale Bars, Caroline is also currently the Assistance Kitchen Manager at La Saison, Napa Valley and resides in Angwin with her two cats, Malbec and Whiskey. Who's thirsty? We've got a winefull and mindful conversation!

Episode 12 of The Big Sip officially kicks off our Culinary Spotlight Series, with none other than Executive Chef Sean Streete. Of West Indian heritage, Sean and his family migrated from Jamaica when Sean was a youth. In his early adulthood life he encountered an "Into the Wild" moment, yearning to discover the meaning and purpose of life, ultimately leading him to Miami. Upon completing his Associates Degree at the Culinary Arts from Le Cordon Bleu in Miami, Florida, Sean was given the opportunity to work for the illustrious "95 Cordova" in St.Augustine, Florida. After receiving a call from a legendary California chef inviting him to come back West, Sean returned to Northern California's wine country where he spent his time refining his craft in some of the world's finest kitchens including Bouchon Bistro, Iron Chef's Morimotos, Auberge du Soleil and Meadowood Napa Valley.

Having worked for multiple Michelin-Starred restaurants, Sean has cultivated relationships with local farmers and established regionally inspired menus all whilst honing his craft. Besides numerous awards and accolades, Sean has yearned for the modernizing of the cuisines that represent those of his West Indian heritage. He uses a blend of both classical French and modern molecular gastronomical cooking techniques while continuing to place primary emphasis on sourcing the best ingredients. He describes his food as "modern-French" due to his organic approach to preparing food which reflects his respect for the growing seasons.

Chef Sean has continuously made efforts to give back to the various communities that aided him in becoming the Chef he is today. This obligation to feeding his communities lends additional support to his reasons for stating his non-profit organization, "Out of Necessity." #SipWithUs and dive into Sean's cup of wisdom and whirlwind journey!

Stay up-to-date by following him on Instagram @mr.streete