Interview by Jonathan Cristaldi / photo by V. Sheree Williams
Alicia Kidd, the founder and CEO of The Wine Noire and Co-founder of CoCo Noir Wine Shop & Bar is a student of Napa Valley Wine Academy.
Kidd was Born and raised in Oakland, California, and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in public administration from California State University, East Bay.
In 2016, she worked as a Boisset Ambassador for St. Helena-based Boisset Collection and a year later, founded The Wine Noire, “after taking notice that there was a lack of diversity and inclusion in the wine industry,” according to her biography, “with very little
to no representation of women and people of color producers.” Her business partner, Mari Kemp, previously worked for prominent technology companies like Google, and Fortune 500 companies like Globant.
Together, they plan to open CoCo Noir Wine Shop & Bar during the first quarter of 2021. Situated in Oakland, at the intersection of 13th and Webster, the store will focus on BIPOC and women-owned brands paired with a curated menu of small bites by local Black chefs.
We spoke to Alicia about her education journey and asked for her take on issues facing the BIPOC community in the wine industry.
Q: How did your journey into/interest in wine begin?
Alicia Kidd (AK): My journey of wine started in my late 20s early 30s as a consumer. My social setting and lifestyle was centered on wine, food, and art. Years later, my love for wine evolved into career and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Q: When did you decide to pursue a wine education? And how did you discover Napa Valley Wine Academy?
AK: My wine educational journey started in 2017 reading different wine books, and then eventually led to taking a few sommelier classes at SF Wine School. I discovered Napa Valley Wine Academy earlier this year during my online search.
Q: What courses did you enroll in and since taking them how have you benefited?
AK: Currently, I am taking the WSET series. Prior to the WSET series, I knew that I wanted to own and control the different supply chain and retail side of the wine industry. What I have learned so far in the WSET is the viniculture side of the wine industry. Also, I am taking the Business of Wine Online classes.
Q: Do you recommend others take WSET classes and if so, why?
AK: New and experienced wine professionals should take WSET and other wine classes to enhance their knowledge in the wine industry.
Q: You launched your own distribution business called The Wine Noire focused on promoting BIPOC and Women-owned brands. How has gaining an education/certification helped you in launching your business?
AK: Taking additional wine education courses has helped me expand my wine business to include new strategies and technologies.
Q: What do you think are some of the biggest challenges facing BIPOC and women entrepreneurs in the wine business?
AK: The challenges I face, as a Black woman entrepreneur are: access to capital, and racial and gender discrimination. The future of the wine industry needs to be adaptive and be reflected of its consumer audience. The wine consumer audience is multicultural, female, and GenX, millennial, and Gen Z.
Q: Most of the brands you’re promoting are not “name brands” and so what is the basic challenge of simply promoting brands that are new to most buyers (on and off-premise)? What challenges do you face there?
AK: I promote brands that are not well known or not highly promoted by major distributors. Women and minority winemakers own the wine brands I have in my wine portfolio. Since I have launched my wine business these brands that I represent have amassed a great following.
Q: Do you find that critic scores are still incredibly helpful in getting wines placed in the on- and off-premise? And do you think that BIPOC and women-owned businesses are helped or hurt from chasing points? Do they even go after scores?
AK: Personally, I think the current wine rating system needs to change. Instead of wines being judged by wine industry professionals, wine consumers should be the judges. Also, there needs to be more diversity in the judging of wines.
Q: Let’s highlight a producer you help distribute. Give us the scoop on their brand and what are we missing? How do we find their wines?
AK: FLO Wines is a brand that I distribute. Musician Marcus Johnson owns FLO. It stands for “For Love Of.” It is a Sonoma-produced brand currently with a Red Blend, Chardonnay, and Moscato.
To follow Alica’s activities and to be in the know about CoCo Noir Wine Shop & Bar get in touch:
And be sure to check out their WeFunder page and consider donating — https://wefunder.com/coco.noir.wine.shop
