We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nicole Mallari. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nicole below.

Alright, Nicole thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Though I had been a wine drinker for over twenty years, I was unaware that people who looked like me were making wine until 2018. Black owned wine brands make up less than 1 percent of the business. I wanted to create an opportunity for wine lovers to experience the enjoyment of wine while supporting Black winemakers, negociants and merchants. I knew that consumers would be just as excited as I was to discover these wines and the stories behind their brands. VINTNOIR was created to meet this need and to celebrate the culture of wine. Our quarterly wine box features three wines from different wine brands. We are inspired by Black winemakers and dedicated to supporting BIPOC wine brands.

Nicole, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been a wine enthusiast for over twenty years. After discovering wines from Theopolis Vineyards and McBride Sisters I was inspired to learn more about wine and wanted to carve out a space in the industry that celebrates Black wine brands. My journey began with pursuing education in wine and earning a WSET level II certification. It was important for me to have a good foundation in understanding wine and building trust with consumers. I’m proud that I stepped out on faith and took the leap into creating a business that is centered around something I love. VINTNOIR is a play on the word vintner, which is a winemaker or wine merchant. For me, VINTNOIR is defined as a Black wine merchant or winemaker, natural leader who embodies excellence. I want wine lovers to know that the wines curated in VINTNOIR’s quarterly wine box are amazing and so are the people behind them. The goal is to celebrate the culture of wine with all consumers. VINTNOIR showcases wines that most enthusiast may not have access to in their local wine shop or grocery store.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Getting out of my head about whether I could pursue the dream of owning a wine business was a challenge. Imposter syndrome is real and was something I had to push through. I’m grateful that the dream was louder than the self-doubt because there were many excuses I gave myself on why I couldn’t move forward. I’ve learned that taking the risk of starting a business is a valid concern, however, moving forward and supporting the dream with mentors and gaining business acumen helped to build confidence.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

After doing substantial research I put together capital to get the business off the ground using a combination of self-funding, small grants and business credit. I took advantage of local Small Business Development Center programs and learned a wealth of knowledge about what is required to start a business. Working with a mentor and scheduling bi-weekly meetings helped to guide my research and business planning.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.vintnoir.com
• Instagram: @vintnoir
• Facebook: facebook.com/vintnoir
• Other: Tik Tok – @vintnoir

Image Credits
Photo in the yellow dress is credited to “Leone + Gray Photography”