When it comes to balance, body and a good buzz, Deneen, Coral and David Brown have you covered. No we’re not talking about getting your Ciara-esque back bend on at the club after a shot of dark liquor. However, we are talking about Brown Estate, Napa Valley’s first black-owned winery run by three siblings who took over the original investment made by their parents in 1980.
The Fab Gab reports that Brown Estate began when Bassett and Marcela Brown bought some land in Napa Valley and sold zinfandel grapes to other winemakers. Shutting down any type of Queen Sugar type of sibling rivalry, 16 years later the Brown children decided to take the grapes they’d been selling and bring them in house to create their own wine. But taste isn’t the only sense here that’s getting stimulated; the winery space itself is a designer’s dream.
The siblings called in Catherine Kwong, a designer well-known in San Francisco, to create a space that’s a departure from other wineries that have a light-airy feel them. Brown Estate is rich in warm, sexy blue and black tones that mimic a New York City bar reflecting the chic sophistication of the city. Deneen Brown tells 7X7 the décor serves a very distinct purpose: to create a space where “everyone is welcome and wine is not so stressful”.
Brown Estate successfully makes wine-tasting accessible and not intimidating by incorporating the concept of family. Behind the bar sits “Duppy Conqueror” a drawing by the Browns’ Uncle Buntin, who’s described as “a wanderer, and a “dashing guitar-slinging charmer. He left the drawing behind in the estate with no explanation years ago. A nod to the family’s Jamaican roots, “Duppy Conqueror” translates to “ghost buster” in Patwah. The Browns share they hope the painting will encourage folks from beginners to experts to summon their inner conqueror and explore the world of wine tasting with ease.
Brown Estate is regarded as one of the best zinfandel producers in that region, receiving a score of 91 points by Wine Spectator. A few celebrities have even taken notice to its novelty such as Cookie Johnson who hosted a book signing in the space with special guest, Tina Knowles.
Ready to make Brown Estate a stop on your next trip to Napa? You can preview the space in the pics below. You can also learn more about Brown Estate here.
