We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tuanni Price a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tuanni, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

First off I wanted to start a business because I wanted to make extra income. My first idea was to start a personal assistant business called Atus (all things under the sun). Then the wine bug hit me. I was dining at a 5 star resturant and got embarrassed when the snobby sommelier walked me through the tasting ceremony without saying a word. I decided right then and there that I wanted to learn as much about wine as I could. I wanted to be able to speak wine language and function in wine culture like a pro. I studied and started to entertain friends at my house pairing wine with foods and sharing anything new I learned about wine.
One night one of friends said “you know you are really good at this” Good at what I asked? She responded, “making wine fun and explaining things in a simple way, you should do this for a business” . So that is what I did and I still do.
I created my first product modeled after what I was already doing. It was Private In Home Wine Tastings. I started my business, Zuri Wine Tasting in 2010. Shortly after, I was they very first wine vendor in the Los Angeles market on Groupon when it first launched in 2011. I was excited! My customer base quickly expanded. I sold 200 units on Groupon and spent the entire summer traveling to people’s houses teaching wine classes. It was great idea wine entertainment! I did not sale wine I simply sold a service that was the perfect addition to any party, or girls night in, couple get togethers and even open houses for real estate.
My motto has been from the start “wine is complicate, we make tasting simple” That is exactly what I did. I made it easy for neighbors to get together drink at home and not worry about childcare nor driving. In my classes I explained wine in simple terms and shared common wine terminology so that my customers would feel less intimidated. It was perfect doing this in the safe space of home where there is no snobby sommelier judging you because you do not know the difference between a Bordeaux and Burgundy wine.
The more customers thanked me and said they had learned more in just one of my sessions than they had tasting in some of the best places in the world the more excited I got and still get.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Tuanni Price is a wine lifestyle curator and CEO of Zuri Wine Tasting. She is on a mission to make the complicated world of wine simple. In 2010, she founded Zuri Wine Tasting, a business that hosts private tastings, teaches wine tasting classes, and hosts wine tours. Tuanni also produces small to large scale wine experiences both virtual and live for corporate and non-profit clients.

Tuanni is passionate about sharing her love of wine with others. She believes that everyone can enjoy wine, regardless of their background or experience. She is also committed to promoting diversity in the wine industry. Tuanni is a passionate advocate for diversity in the wine industry. She believes that the wine industry needs to do more to reach out to people of color and other underrepresented groups. She is committed to using her platform to educate people about the importance of diversity in the wine industry and to promote the work of black winemakers and wine professionals.

She earned a certificate in wine with the WSET Level 2 with merit, and she has also studied with the Society of Wine Educators and North American Sommelier Association.
In addition to her work with Zuri Wine Tasting, Tuanni is also a member of the board of directors of Black Cellar Club and volunteers for Pinotage Youth Development Academy. Tuanni is a regular contributor to wine publications and websites.

Have you ever had to pivot?

It was 2020, I had transitioned from local tours to hosting international tours in Cape Town, South Africa. Then Covid hit. At that point the first decision was where to shelter in place? Back to the USA or stay in South Africa. Next I had to determine how to survive financially. All my potential future earnings were based on in person tours and classes. I was able to quickly decide to stay in South Africa and transitioned to online classes. I had the model, script and the data base to do so. I posted a couple classes and started a virtual tasting group that met once a week with guided instructions on how to deductively taste wines. I was able to earn income and stay connected to my customer base while acquiring new customers.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social Media is key. Most of my customers think that they know me. I am essentially selling a lifestyle. The more I post the more clients I acquire. Having a positive social media profile helps clients get to know your business values and expectations. Sometimes the return can be as quick as someone forwarding your profile and a customer books. Other times it can be a customer than has followed your journey for years. The later is how I acquired Gabrielle Union and Dewayne Wade. Their “person” who plans their travel and events had been following my work via my Instagram page since I lived full time in Los Angeles. When she found out the Wades wanted a Cape Town experience she first contacted me on Instagram, vetted me through another client she knew (she saw the pics on IG) and then we connected and I was able to plan two awesome days for the Wades while they were in Cape Town, South Africa. I find Facebook and IG to be the most useful, although I have heard I need to do more on Tiktok. My demo group is strongest 35-55 , I am not completely sure Tiktok is where they scroll and buy.

Contact Info:

• Website: zuriwine.com
• Instagram: @ZuriWinetasting
• Facebook: @zuriwinetasting
• Linkedin: @zuriwinetasting
• Twitter: @zuriwinelife
• Youtube: @winewithtuanni
• Yelp: Zuri Wine Tasting