Nikki Thompson adds wine consultant to her many credentials

From romance novel author to lawyer to radio show host and, most recently, wine consultant, Nikki Thompson has challenged herself to learn, grow and explore different areas of study and passion projects. The latest of them is wine.A 33-year-old graduate of the Howard University School of Law, the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications and Eustis High School's Class of 2008, Thompson is now an aspiring sommelier, having earned a scholarship for her first installment of wine studies through Libby Wines' Libby U. She's one of only 10 recipients and plans to continue studying up through four levels of certification to become a master sommelier.

Contrary to popular belief, "Florida is a great climate for making wine," she said, noting its "budding wine industry,"

"A lot of Florida's Congress representatives are members of the Wine Caucus," Thompson added. "So, clearly, there's an interest there and there's going to be further investment in wine, in my opinion."

Contributing to the Sunshine State's growing wine and arts scene is among Thompson's career goals. Her family owns land in the Enterprise area and she hopes to establish a vineyard there one day. She also makes a point to drive business to Floridian, Black-owned vintners. Her favorite Florida wines include Mermosa, run by Desiree Noisette, an artist and attorney based in St. Petersburg.

Born Shaniqua Alma Thompson, the lawyer-turned-connoisseur grew up "in a family of educators," splitting her time between Eustis and Jacksonville. Her father's mother's side of the family goes back three generations in Lake County. Her great-grandmother, Essie Crawford, is buried at Mount Olive Cemetery.

"My great-grandmother's side of the family had two properties right next to each other, so I grew up in my great- great-grandfather's home that my family still owns, and I'm really proud of that," she effused.

She twirled a flag and rifle in Eustis High's band and was a Bright Futures scholar. "I was captain of the flag team in my senior year," Thompson professed with pride.

Her love of wine began during her law school years while spending time with her mentors, "super dynamic and powerful women," sipping wine from stemmed glassware. The mixers and gatherings gave her a new appreciation of the Cabernets and Rosés.

"I worked in politics for around a decade, so all my mentors, also being attorneys, you know, they had worked in that space as well. So they were closing deals. They were doing very powerful things over a glass of wine between girlfriends," Thompson recalled. "The common factor is we came enjoying a good glass of pinot, some cheese and a beautiful charcuterie board."

Before serving as director of legislative affairs at the office of Baltimore City Council President Nick J. Mosby, she worked as an aide to now U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and as the associate director of the D.C. government’s office of policy and legislative affairs. Thompson has also worked with the NAACP’s “Next Gen” program, which promoted youth leadership and encouraged involvement in local branches of the organization.

Thompson recently relocated to Atlanta, which she describes as a "hub for diversifying the wine industry."

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The 2020 movie "Uncorked" also made an impression on her:

"It was about a young Black man who is supposed to take over the family barbecue restaurant, but he ends up falling in love with wine, like me, and wanting to become a sommelier. That was the first time I knew you could do that, and being the nerd that I am, I was like, 'Hey, let's learn more about this.' "

Thompson started learning about wine and selling reds and whites in her spare time while still working as a legislative attorney. In February of this year, she took the leap to invest in a full-time career selling wine.

"It's just as an additional part of my brand," Thompson said, "Because I still am a writer and I host a radio show (#QUEENSPACE, a weekday radio show on TXTH radio, available on the Stationhead app).

The "queen who creates," as proclaimed on her website, is an intellectual property expert with a decade of policy and government affairs experience. Thompson also describes herself as a self-published Black romance writer. Her titles have been featured in "Girl, Have You Read?,"  "Black Girls Who Write" and "Sistah Girls Book Club,"

She speaks highly of Libby Wines, which is working in partnership with Tahiirah Habibi, a wine diversity advocate and sommelier featured in "Ebony" magazine. The new diversity recruitment program, Thompson said, aims to challenge an industry notorious for a lack of visibility of Black men and women. The wine company is remedying this perception problem by providing 10 WSET Level 1 scholarships and career development mentorship.

"It's a big career transition from working in politics as a legislative attorney in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore," Thompson said.

Having a full plate with her glass of pinot is not by design. Thompson meditates daily and is in "a constant state of prayer."

"Rest is radical — it's powerful," she emphasized.

"I'm way more committed to doing something to the best of my ability than I am to doing as many things as possible. I am very okay with being regular — I'm very okay with doing absolutely nothing."

Thompson's bucket list is anything but regular. "I want to go to Tuscany, to Spain. I want to study African wine. There's so much wine around the world. I think I would be foolish to limit myself or any projects or anything just to Florida and Georgia."

Learn more about Nikki Thompson at nikkiblaire.com. For more information about Libby U, visit drinklibby.com. 

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Eustis High alum, lawyer to add sommelier to her credentials