Black Vines
Black Vines is a cultural infrastructure platform that runs curated wine events — including the country's longest-standing Black wine festival, monthly Black Wine Wednesday tastings, and the Vines in Paradise Belize experience — to create economic access and visibility for 50+ Black-owned wineries and Black cultural experiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersBerkeley Springs, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Black Vines does
Black Vines is a cultural infrastructure platform that creates economic access, visibility, and institutional belonging for Black-owned wineries through a year-round calendar of curated event experiences. Founded in 2010 by Fern A. Stroud, a former Silicon Valley technology professional, the company operates the longest-standing Black wine festival in the United States (16th annual edition scheduled for February 27, 2027) and serves as a distribution and marketing channel for 50+ Black-owned winery partners including McBride Sisters Wine Company, JSL Wines, Indigène Cellars, Fatherhood Wines, Hendersons' Harvest, and Flo Wines. Its core product suite includes the signature Annual Festival in Berkeley, a monthly Black Wine Wednesday tasting series held at Black-owned restaurants across the Bay Area (May–September), a Summer Vines outdoor sparkling/rosé soiree with editions in Napa and Los Angeles, and the international Vines in Paradise wine and jazz experience in Placencia, Belize (now in its fourth year in partnership with the Belize Tourism Board). The platform is anchored by the JaaS (Joy as a Service™) service philosophy — trademarked and inspired by SaaS/PaaS nomenclature — which frames all programming as curated, intentional cultural experiences.
The company's technology stack is conventional for an event-driven small business: a Squarespace-hosted website and e-commerce store for ticketing and membership sales, supplemented by TicketStripe and Eventbrite for select events, plus Google Calendar .ics integration for event scheduling. No proprietary software platform, AI/ML capabilities, or mobile applications are disclosed. The company's IP consists of registered trademarks for the Black Vines® brand, the JaaS™ service concept, and Vines in Paradise. Marketing is community-led and earned-media-driven, with coverage in Forbes, The Guardian, EBONY, Wine Enthusiast, ABC7, KTVU, and KRON4.
Black Vines generates revenue through three streams: (1) recurring annual membership subscriptions at $200/year providing 50% event discounts, a personal wine concierge, and partner discounts; (2) per-event ticket sales ranging from $40 (Black Wine Wednesday) to $310 (Vines in Paradise Belize bundle), with the flagship festival at $200 non-member/$100 member; and (3) corporate sponsorships from Alaska Airlines, Lexus, Visit Berkeley, Wine-Direct, PJS Consultants, and BlackFemaleProject. The flagship festival draws nearly 1,000 attendees annually, and the organization has served thousands of guests across hundreds of varietals over its 15-year history. The company operates as a privately held, founder-controlled entity with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or acquisition activity.
Black Vines firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Black Vines
- Legal name
- Black Vines
- Website
- https://blackvines.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Black Vines is a cultural infrastructure platform that runs curated wine events — including the country's longest-standing Black wine festival, monthly Black Wine Wednesday tastings, and the Vines in Paradise Belize experience — to create economic access and visibility for 50+ Black-owned wineries and Black cultural experiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Black Vines industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wine Events & Cultural Experiences
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Wine Bars (THAFAEAF)
Keywords
Where Black Vines is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berkeley Springs
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Black Vines business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Annual Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership at $200/year offering 50% off events, discounts to 50+ winery partners, a personal wine concierge, and access to exclusive experiences. This is a recurring revenue stream with annual billing cadence.
- Event Ticket Sales: Tickets sold for individual events including Black Wine Wednesday ($40), annual Black Vines Festival ($200 non-member, $100 member), Vines in Paradise Belize ($160-$310 bundle), and seasonal activations. One-time per-event revenue.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Official sponsors including Alaska Airlines, Lexus, Visit Berkeley, PJS Consultants, Wine-Direct, and BlackFemaleProject provide financial and in-kind support for events and activations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership — $200/year |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Black Wine Wednesday Event Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Annual Black Vines Festival |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vines in Paradise Belize Experience |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Estate Farms Sacramento Event |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Black Vines product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Black Vines is a cultural infrastructure platform that organizes and curates wine-centered festivals, tastings, and cultural experiences highlighting Black-owned wineries and diverse art. Its core offerings include the annual Black Vines Festival (the country's longest-standing Black wine festival), the monthly Black Wine Wednesday tasting series, the international Vines in Paradise Belize wine and jazz experience, and Summer Vines outdoor events. The platform is anchored by an annual Membership program priced at $200/year and guided by its trademarked JaaS (Joy as a Service) philosophy.
Product overview
Black Vines is a cultural infrastructure platform that creates economic access, visibility, and institutional belonging for Black-owned wineries through event-based wine experiences. The company operates a platform of interconnected products: the signature Annual Festival (the longest-standing Black wine festival in the country, now in its 16th year), the recurring Black Wine Wednesday monthly tasting series, the international Vines in Paradise Belize experience, and the Summer Vines seasonal event. The JaaS (Joy as a Service) philosophy underpins all offerings. Additional products include the $200/year Membership program (offering 50% event discounts, partner discounts, and wine concierge services), Toast to Black Bubbles sparkling wine events, and FRIDAY FLO jazz experiences. The company also operates a merchandise/ticketing store. Black Vines connects over 50 Black-owned winery partners with wine enthusiasts through curated cultural events throughout the year.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- JaaS - Joy as a Service™: Signature service offering representing the company's philosophy of delivering unpretentious luxury cultural experiences focused on Black love, Black joy, and Black excellence
- Black Wine Wednesday
- Summer Vines
- Vines in Paradise
- FRIDAY FLO
- Toast to Black Bubbles
Products and services
- Black Vines Annual Festival The country's longest-standing Black wine festival and preeminent curator of Black wine experiences. An annual celebration of culture, art, and wine education held in Berkeley/Oakland during Black History Month, bringing together Black artists, musicians, winemakers, and vintners with tastings from 20+ Black-owned wineries.
- Black Wine Wednesday
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 1,000 attendees at the annual February festival; thousands of guests served to date
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Black Vines
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Black Vines technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
Black Vines partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.
- Belize Tourism BoardcoreThe Belize Tourism Board is a core strategic partner for the Vines in Paradise international experience. The partnership creates an annual multi-day wine and jazz immersion in Placencia, Belize, combining Black Vines' Black winery curation with Belize's tourism infrastructure. The partnership includes JSL Wines, WineSmith, NAIA Resort, Little Wine Bar, and other local partners.
- Alaska AirlinesflagshipAlaska Airlines is a flagship official sponsor of Black Vines, supporting the organization's events and connecting Black wine experiences to travelers. The partnership has included McBride Sisters wine featured in first class and broader Black Girl Magic marketing activations. Alaska's DEI Director James Thomas has worked to increase diversity across the airline's business partners.
- LexuscoreLexus is an official sponsor of Black Vines 2026, providing automotive partnership support for the organization's events and activations.
- Visit BerkeleycoreVisit Berkeley is an official sponsor supporting Black Vines' annual festival in Berkeley, California. The partnership promotes Berkeley as a culinary and cultural destination while supporting Black wine experiences.
- CIEL Creative SpacecoreCIEL Creative Space (2611 Eighth Street, Berkeley, CA) is the primary venue for the annual Black Vines Festival. The partnership provides the event space for the flagship annual celebration of Black wineries and diverse art.
- McBride Sisters Wine CompanycoreThe McBride Sisters Wine Company (the largest Black-owned wine business in the US) is a featured partner winery and has provided grant support through their She Can Fund to Black Vines founder Fern Stroud. The partnership includes co-marketing with Alaska Airlines featuring McBride Sisters wines onboard.
- Wine-DirectsupportingWine-Direct is an official sponsor of Black Vines, providing wine direct-to-consumer technology and fulfillment support for partner wineries.
- BlackFemaleProjectcoreBlackFemaleProject is a non-profit partner collaborating on the Black Wine Wednesday 2026 series, celebrating excellence in various industries including Black Artists, Black Doctors, Black Nurses, and Black Educators throughout the year.
- PJS ConsultantssupportingPJS Consultants is listed as an official sponsor of Black Vines, providing consulting and advisory support.
- JSL WinescoreJSL Wines (winemaker Joseph Smith, wife Lorraine, and daughter Sanaya Saignée) is a key co-development partner for Vines in Paradise Belize, working with Black Vines and the Belize Tourism Board to create the international wine and jazz experience.
- Varner PRsupportingVarner PR is the public relations firm of record for Black Vines, managing press inquiries and media relations ([email protected]).
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Black Vines competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Wine Enthusiast: A leading wine media, events, and consumer products company that runs tastings and trade events. Comparable as an industry incumbent that shapes the wine experience and education space and is the awarding body for the Future 40 recognition given to Black Vines' founder.
- ESSENCE Festival of Culture: A major multi-day cultural festival celebrating Black music, culture, and community. Comparable as a Black-focused cultural experience and brand platform, but at a much larger scale and broader scope than Black Vines' wine-centric events.
Direct peers
- The Hue Society: A wine lifestyle platform and community focused on Black wine enthusiasts, offering curated tastings, education, and content. Closely comparable in target audience, cultural positioning, and experiential product offering.
- Brown Estate Vineyards: A pioneering Black-owned Napa Valley winery that has been featured at Black Vines events. Comparable as a Black-owned wine producer that also participates in curated cultural and tasting experiences targeting the same consumer base.
- Indigené Cellars: A family-owned, award-winning Black-owned winery in Paso Robles, CA that is a featured partner of Black Vines. Comparable as a Black-owned wine producer that benefits from and co-markets through the Black Vines consumer platform.
- McBride Sisters Wine Company: The largest Black-owned wine brand in the US and a featured partner winery of Black Vines. Directly comparable as a Black-focused wine platform investing in consumer experiences, brand community, and partner ecosystems, and it has even provided grant support to the Black Vines founder.
- Wine Riot: A national consumer-facing wine tasting event series targeting younger, culturally engaged audiences. Directly comparable in event-led, ticketed, experiential wine tastings for enthusiast consumers.
Emerging players
- AfroTech Conference: A large annual conference and media platform celebrating Black innovation across technology, business, and culture. Comparable as a Black-focused cultural + business community platform, though focused on tech rather than wine.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Black Vines social profiles
Digital presenceBlack Vines financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Black Vines leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Black Vines funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Black Vines M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Black Vines
What does Black Vines do?
Black Vines is a cultural infrastructure platform that organizes and curates wine-centered festivals, tastings, and cultural experiences highlighting Black-owned wineries and diverse art. Its core offerings include the annual Black Vines Festival (the country's longest-standing Black wine festival), the monthly Black Wine Wednesday tasting series, the international Vines in Paradise Belize wine and jazz experience, and Summer Vines outdoor events. The platform is anchored by an annual Membership program priced at $200/year and guided by its trademarked JaaS (Joy as a Service) philosophy.
Is Black Vines a public or private company?
Black Vines is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Black Vines founded?
Black Vines was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Black Vines based?
Black Vines is headquartered in Berkeley Springs, United States, in the North America region.
How does Black Vines make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Annual Membership Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are event Ticket Sales and corporate Sponsorships.
Who are Black Vines's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Wine Enthusiast and ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Direct peers are The Hue Society, Brown Estate Vineyards, Indigené Cellars, McBride Sisters Wine Company and Wine Riot. AfroTech Conference is listed as an emerging player.
Does Black Vines have an API?
No public API is recorded for Black Vines.
What industry is Black Vines in?
Black Vines's product category is Wine Events & Cultural Experiences. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAGAD, Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours, with a secondary code of THAFAEAF, Wine Bars.