The world of fine wine is built on prestige, exclusion, and perceptions of difference (differences in class, differences in quality, differences in provenance…), and while wine has been around for thousands of years in some places, and for centuries in most others, the reigning classifications and rating systems have been around for far shorter durations. Whether reigning classification and rating systems reify these differences or somehow simply report on them is an open question. However, at the very least, it seems clear that “equity”—premised on a notion of equal access and fairness in opportunity—may be hard to achieve in a space designed to create distinction and difference.
So what does equity look like in fine wine?
One step in the direction of equity is related to fairness and accuracy in naming and assessment. The recent decision by the Court of Master Sommeliers-Americas to do away with the terms “Old World” and “New World” in their exams and materials—a move that aligns with other similar organization’s actions, though they were quieter about it—is one way this could look: Namely, a shift in industry-wide standards to accommodate new knowledge and understandings in wine production and consumption.
Another way a change in the industry might manifest is through its people and practices. In “Wine gone Woke,” I described the evolution of TEXSOM and the steps that organization was taking to level the playing field and bring more equity into their operations, but there are ripples of change occurring across the industry—as evidenced by the proliferation of diversity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives and organizations, as highlighted in Maryam Ahmed’s (2020) “Call to Action for the Wine Industry.”
For the Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum (founded in August 2020), a commitment to diversity means “seeking to open doors to more people, creating easier access to resources for success, and not only including but welcoming people of diverse backgrounds and experience,” and the pursuit of equity entails “increas[ing] access to resources needed for inclusion and success…; uncover[ing] and undo[ing the] root causes of disparity…; promot[ing] justice, impartiality, and fairness…; and ultimately seek[ing] to include more diversity at the decision-making levels of the wine industry.”
Wine, in all its diversity.
Be the change, and “Do The Work”
With an acknowledgement of both progress made and the gravity of the work still to be done, the Forum has stepped up to assist wine professionals with its “Do The Work” education series, aimed at the industry leaders hoping to guide progress in DEI within the wine industry. The first set of three classes occurred in Fall 2021; since then, over 200 global wine professionals have participated. The next iteration of the series is planned for late Spring 2024. But even if you have not yet joined the Do The Work cohort, you can still be a part of the wider change in the industry.
Some ways to “be the change” include being mindful of how you talk about wine, being intentional about who you include in decision making and action, and being purposeful about resource sharing. To this end, the Somm Foundation is working closely with the Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum to solicit donations, which are divided evenly among member organizations to support their ongoing separate and collective diversity, equity, and inclusion missions.
In sum, while there is still a lot to do to encourage diversity and fairness in fine wine—not least because the industry rests on ensuring its distinction—more inclusive worlds of wine are possible. What will you do to make (fine) wine more equitable?