The airline announced a partnership with Brown Estate Winery during a wine tasting at the San Francisco Delta Sky Club. Brown Estate Winery is the only and first black-owned winery in the wine capital of the United States, Napa Valley.
The idea came from Carlyne Scott, a member of Delta’s black community business resource group. Originally, wine from the estate was supposed to be a special for Black History Month but ended up being the beginning of a long-term partnership. “Partnering with innovative, diverse suppliers from certified small, minority- and women-owned businesses like Brown Estate is fundamental to Delta’s strategy to keep climbing year-round,” vice president of supply chain management Heather Ostis said. “Seeking employee perspectives and leveraging unique ideas brings us closer to meeting that goal while creating the highest quality experience for our customers.”
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A number of wines from Brown Estates were picked and given to the airline’s master wine steward, Andrea Robinson, in hopes some reds and wines would be considered for the menu. They were a hit as two of Brown’s wines made the cut. The competition is tough. Robinson goes through 1,500 bottles per week.
Brown Estate wines will help passengers turn up on the 2019-2020 winter menu with two options. One is a 2017 Betelgeuse Sauvignon Blanc, with a tropical fruit taste the other being a 2017 Chaos Theory, a red blend of Merlot, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. Your wine knowledge is definitely being tested.
Both Delta and Brown are excited about this new venture. “We are delighted to partner with Delta Air Lines,” president of Brown Estate Deneen Brown said. “Delta’s all-in commitments to the spirit of inclusion and to their wine program are perfectly aligned with our core values at Brown Estate.”
Brown Estate’s tasty wines already made their first appearance on Delta Airlines earlier this week. The winery got rave reviews from customers flying on a flight from San Francisco to New York.