02/23/2025
This is Wine Wednesday and the 19th day of American History Month, when we shift our attention to the accomplishments of Black Americans. John June Lewis, Sr. was born in 1894 to a slave mother and slave owner and Confederate soldier father. He inherited 10 acres of land from his father on a Clarksville, VA plantation, began growing grapes in 1933 and opened Woburn Winery in 1940, soon after Prohibition ended. His passion and interest in winemaking was cultivated while serving in Europe in 1919 during WWI. He is thought to have been the first winemaker to produce wine from grapes grown in the state of Virginia and the first African American to own a winery in the U.S. Marketed under the Virginia-Carolina brand, he had capacity for 5000 gallons. Lewis died in 1974 and his son closed the winery in the 1970s. As we lift our glasses tonight, in our weekly online gathering, we will be grateful for our late founder, Sly Taylor and also for the inspiration of Mr. Lewis. There are countless wines created by Black men and women available today. We appreciate the small, independent retailers like the one below who sell these wines locally, and hope large stores will continue to offer these options for all to enjoy. Cheers!
