How the McBride Sisters Are Building a New Legacy in California Wine Country
How two wandering winemaking sisters finally found their vineyard.
Aubrie Pick
Often, real estate is about budget, timing, and — in California wine country — connections. Predestination isn’t usually part of the equation, but for winemakers Robin McBride and Andréa McBride John, it was hard to think of the estate they found in Carneros as anything but an act of divine intervention. It’s a theme that the half sisters are quite familiar with: They didn’t know each other growing up, but when they connected when Andréa was a teenager and Robin was in her 20s, they found they both shared a passion for winemaking. “We saw this enormous bronze letter M propped up against these eucalyptus trees,” Robin tells me, pointing to a weathered 50-foot sculpture that almost blends in with the overgrowth behind the estate’s tennis court. “That just kind of sealed the deal for us.”
Purchasing the 12-acre ranch is about finally building a home base for McBride Sisters Wine Company, the business the sisters cofounded in 2005. Robin grew up just a two-hour drive away in Monterey and gravitates more toward the operational side of the business. Andréa is a vocal promoter of the beautiful wines from New Zealand, where she was raised. In person, their chemistry and respect for one another is obvious with every conversation, whether it’s about sparkling wine, fashion, or interior design, making it impossible to overlook that this is, first and foremost, a business rooted in family.
Since 2014, the sisters have worked in tandem with winemaker Amy Butler to build a portfolio with impressive range, using grapes sourced from California and New Zealand vineyards. Among the many wines they make, there’s an $8 canned rosé meant for sunny days; a crispy, grassy $17 Sauvignon Blanc that plays nicely with oysters; a $25 Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend under the Black Girl Magic label; and soon, there will be a small-production reserve label to be known as Legacy. Andréa and Robin intend for there to be a McBride Sisters wine for every kind of drinker, and that genial, “come as you are” ethos is core to how the sisters intend to renovate M Ranch. It also drives their goals for the industry as a whole. “Seventeen years ago, people referred to us as ‘girls,’ and they would tell us who drank wine and who didn’t drink wine. They told us our ideas were stupid,” Robin says. “We’re doing what we can — as business owners who have a voice in the wine space — to make positive change.”
Aubrie Pick
In 2019, they directed those feelings of frustration with the industry into a line of canned wines (aptly named SHE CAN) from which a portion of the proceeds support a fund that has, to date, awarded cash and services valued at more than $3 million to help women — especially women of color — pursue educational and professional opportunities in winemaking and sales. Last year, they partnered with the school of agriculture at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to kick off a viticulture and enology program; this year, the fund is focusing on helping women secure certifications with organizations like the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.
Related: 16 Programs That Support a More Diverse Wine, Beer, and Spirits Industry
“We would love for this space to be a home base for those students,” Andréa tells me while her 4-year-old daughter, Meursault, runs behind us to pick wildflowers. Between the main house, two guest houses, and a pool house, the property — only the second Black-owned wine property in all of Napa Valley — is the perfect place for their friends, family, and SHE CAN fund recipients to come together. There’s also distinct potential when it comes to making wine from fruit grown on the estate; its proximity to San Pablo Bay especially excites Andréa, who grew up running through Sauvignon Blanc vines in the coastal region of Marlborough, New Zealand. Robin adds, “There are some good Chardonnay vines on the property that are about 20 years old. And I’d love to plant Pinot and some other light red varieties — anything that lends itself to sparkling.” She sounds less like someone about to embark on an intense renovation project than she does like a kid in a candy shop.
“I think we’ve actually kind of done everything backwards,” she says, gesturing toward the main house. “Most people start making wine with their high-end offerings. We didn’t really have the luxury of starting there, and our whole focus has been on how we can make high-quality wine as affordable as possible, so we started broadly, in grocery stores ... and then we got more confident.”
Ultimately, the McBride sisters have, along with the audience for their wines, come into their own; they’ve developed a sharper sense of what they want to drink and, through their activism, who they want to drink it with. “This property, to us, signifies the evolution of wine, as a business and as a product,” Robin says. “We didn’t have a place to call home before now.”
McBride Sisters wine pairings
We sent bottles of McBride Sisters wine to five talented chefs and invited them to create perfect recipes for pairing. Here are the delicious results.
Tuna Tartare with Coconut and Jerk Peanuts by Nina Compton
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
The pairing: McBride Sisters Collection Reserve Chardonnay
Avoiding the heavily oaked style of many California Chardonnays, the McBride Sisters Collection The Great Escape Reserve Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands highlights the natural elegance and brightness the grape can offer. Chef Nina Compton of Compère Lapin in New Orleans pairs it with Tuna Tartare with Coconut and Jerk Peanuts, a flavor-packed, refreshing-yet-assertive tartare of finely diced raw tuna tossed with a tamarind-spiked coconut- lime dressing and topped with jerk-spiced peanuts. “The crisp nature of the wine and the fact that it has just the right amount of acidity lend a great contrast to the richness of the tuna and coconut milk,” says Compton. The Chardonnay’s clean, fresh flavor and light creaminess, Compton says, mean that “with each sip, the wine cleanses the palate for the next bite of savory richness.” — Paige Grandjean
Blackened Scallops with Charred Corn and Brussels Sprouts by Saint K.P
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
The pairing: McBride Sisters Collection Sauvignon Blanc
To Pair with the McBride Sisters Collection Sauvignon Blanc, Saint K.P., a chef based in New Orleans, created a dish of seared scallops served over a colorful bounty of roasted and sautéed vegetables seasoned with a smoky and spicy homemade blackened seasoning. “This crisp, dry wine’s floral and citrus notes make it the perfect choice for a delicate seafood dish of scallops and fresh vegetables,” K.P. says. “The bright acidity also balances the buttery goodness of the fresh corn and enhances the earthiness of the brussels sprouts.” The sweet and briny sea scallops also showcase the wine’s mild mineral finish. K.P. further plays up the subtle herbaceous notes natural to Sauvignon Blanc with the inclusion of dried thyme and oregano in this late-summer stunner. Taken altogether, it’s a crowd-pleasing combination that you’ll want to enjoy over and over again this season. — Paige Grandjean
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Warm Plum Vinaigrette by Claudette Zepeda
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
The pairing: McBride Sisters Collection Central Coast Red Blend
“Pairing red wines to me isn’t exclusively reserved for beef or chocolate—acidity and smoke help me showcase how versatile both the wine and Mexican flavors can be,” says chef Claudette Zepeda of Vaga in Encinitas, California. To go with the bold cherry-and-plum character of the McBride Sisters Collection Central Coast Red Blend, Zepeda made a pork tenderloin with a warm vinaigrette of bacon, mashed dried plums (aka prunes) and raisins, and pungent cider vinegar. “Prunes and raisins work great and invoke the winter soul food we crave,” Zepeda notes. A crisp made from ground ancho and guajillo chiles and crushed tortilla chips is sprinkled over the sliced pork tenderloin for a crunchy, spicy finish that highlights the earthy undertones of the wine. “This red blend lends itself to both sweet and savory pairings,” Zepeda says. “So I knew I could walk the line between them both and add in my personal touch of chiles to have all the notes combine harmoniously.” — Paige Grandjean
Lamb Pastelón (Puerto Rican-Style Plantain Casserole) by JJ Johnson
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
The pairing: McBride Sisters Collection Reserve Pinot Noir
“This wine is filled with so much spirit — you can feel the sisters’ smiles in each bottle,” says JJ Johnson, chef and owner of FieldTrip in New York City. With a deep garnet color, fresh cherry aroma, and hint of warm baking spices, the cheekily named McBride Sisters Collection Cocky Motherf*cker Reserve Pinot Noir has an unwavering vibrancy that stands up to the richness of Lamb Pastelón. “Once I tasted the wine, I was craving lamb and wanted to create a homey, classic dish I grew up eating.” This popular Puerto Rican casserole features ripe plantains that are baked until tender and lightly caramelized and then layered with a spiced lamb filling and melty mozzarella cheese. Pairing it with this wine, which was created by Robin and Andréa as an ode to their father, who exuded both confidence and understated elegance, showcases the earthy and fruity notes of the dish. — Paige Grandjean
Rainbow Panna Cotta by Kwame Onwuachi
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
The pairing: McBride Sisters Collection Sparkling Brut Rosé
“With the instant aroma of berries and cream followed by some toastiness and spice, there are so many points that connect this Rainbow Panna Cotta with Andréa and Robin’s sparkling brut rosé,” says Kwame Onwuachi, Food & Wine executive producer and chef-owner of Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi in New York City. Finely grated chocolate and chopped dukka-spiced almonds sit atop a sheet of apricot-raspberry jam and layers of silky tricolored panna cotta infused with almond flavor in this whimsical dessert. “The shaved bittersweet chocolate and red berries in the jam will match any sparkling rosé, but with its spice and the time it spends on the lees, the wine’s connection is reinforced to the dukka and almond throughout.” A brut rosé from Hawke’s Bay, a coastal region on the northern island of New Zealand, the wine bursts with notes of juicy peach, raspberry, and cranberry. Its acidity and its bubbles also refresh the palate between bites of the rich panna cotta. — Paige Grandjean
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