Get To Know Our 2020 Alumni

Raul Toscano

How did you get into wine, what made you decide to pursue a career in it?

I took some time off from school to reflect on what I was passionate about and while working at Hudson Greens & Goods in the Oxbow Market, and during my time there I befriended Helen Keplinger. After seeing the passion she had about making wine and realizing that it was an industry I wanted to get into, I asked her for an internship and immediately knew that this was meant to be.

What is your favorite wine, what do you like about it?

My favorite varietal would have to be Syrah. I love the magnificent quality of wines it can produce and the generosity it also gives.

If you could sip wine with anyone in the world who would that be and why?

There are so many! Everyone at Wine Unify - from the board of directors to the advisory board to my fellow Welcome Award recipients. I would also love to sip wine with Beyoncé, Nina Simone, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Al Green, Bill Withers, the list goes on!

Lastly, what are you looking forward to seeing in the future of the wine industry?

I am looking forward to seeing the diversification within the wine industry. I'm also looking forward to all the great things my friends do in this industry whether it be starting their own labels or opening up their own retail space. Good things are coming, I can feel it!

Natasha Lorick

How did you get into wine, what made you decide to pursue a career in it?

My interest in wine started right out of college. I was always that family member or friend who would bring a bottle of wine to fancy dinners, special occasions, or a casual event like a Super Bowl party. After many years of working in corporate America, I decided to get serious about my wine education and exploring opportunities in the wine industry.

What is your favorite wine, what do you like about it?

My favorite varietal is Cabernet Sauvignon. I love the rich flavor & full body and how well it pairs with some of my favorite foods. But recently I have been exploring the world of Rieslings - I am a Southern girl who loves spicy, bold-flavored food which complements Rieslings very well, so I think I have found a close second!

If you could sip wine with anyone in the world who would that be and why?

I would definitely choose Michelle Obama. She is someone that I admire tremendously and I know that popping a bottle of champagne while sitting on the couch and watching tv would lead to some GREAT tea...excuse me..."conversation". Lol

Lastly, what are you looking forward to seeing in the future of the wine industry?

I look forward to seeing more and more Black women in positions of leadership, influence, and decision-making in the wind industry. There are so many talented and knowledgeable Black women in this space that just need an opportunity to shine. I have been so proud of how many wonderful women I have met so far on my wine journey. The future of wine is definitely female!

Crystal Johnson

How did you get into wine, what made you decide to pursue a career in it?

Five years ago, I was living in Delaware, and I applied on a whim to work at a winery, I was hired to be a tasting room associate. I later moved to Northern California and continued working in wine at a few wineries in Napa Valley! Now, I run a wine Instagram and Facebook page, I am awarded WSET level 1, and a contributing writer of wine column for a Charleston based lifestyle magazine.

What is your favorite wine, what do you like about it?

Right now I’m feeling Zinfandel. It’s my vibe. My tasting notes are always described by a mood. But, I like the body and subtle berry juiciness to it.

If you could sip wine with anyone in the world who would that be and why?

My best friend in New York, I miss her. Sza, I feel like we’d get each other. Oprah, I could use a good conversation with her.

Lastly, what are you looking forward to seeing in the future of the wine industry?

I would love to be a part of creating more culture when it comes to wine and food pairings. My parents are from the islands of Jamaica and Antigua. I love the food of our culture, and I think it would complement wine so well.

Amber Brown

How did you get into wine, what made you decide to pursue a career in it?

I got into wine by accident. My first job was at a petite wine bar in the burgeoning neighborhood of Fishtown in Philadelphia. I walked in one day and told the owner I thought I’d be a great bartender. It turns out I hate being behind the bar but I loved being table-side and sharing the stories of these amazing winemakers/artisans. Nevertheless, I think the reason I have stayed in wine this long is because the same things I have taken with me from dance - passion, physicality, story-telling - are the same traits I see in my peers/mentors.

What is your favorite wine, what do you like about it?

It’s hard to choose just one varietal...but I would say my wine birth chart looks like this: Franciacorta Rising, Gamay Sun, Chenin Moon. I’m also in a deep love affair with Northern Rhone Syrah right now (which Alicia Towns Franken warned me about as I got deeper into my wine studies)...I adore a lot of expressions from Cornas because you can taste the intensity and passion so clearly in the glass...and being from Philly it is also in my nature to be just as intense and passionate.

If you could sip wine with anyone in the world who would that be and why?

This is a hard one, but first and foremost I would love to drink a beautiful glass with my Grandma. She passed in 2015 and she never got to see my journey in wine. It would have been exciting to work to expand her palate and see what she would have loved (but I have this gut feeling she would have fan-girled for Riesling) Similarly I’d die to drink alongside Martha Graham, Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine, Igor Stravinsky, and Ernest Hemingway.

Lastly, what are you looking forward to seeing in the future of the wine industry?

I’m looking forward to returning to lots of travel and full dining rooms. Likewise I am so happy that during this time women and persons of color have demanded to have their voices heard. It’ll be nice to know that when we return to our new normal there will be a lot more people on the floor/tastings/sales/winemakers who look like me.

Allie Kuo

How did you get into wine, what made you decide to pursue a career in it?

My freshman year of college, I decided I wanted to learn more about wine and know more about it than any of my friends — so that's what I did. I got one book about it, read it cover to cover, and fell in love with both the science and art that goes into winemaking. I've also always loved food and cooking, and this world of beverages and flavors was awaiting me that I couldn't wait to keep learning about. Last summer, I realized that there was no wine education geared towards college students or younger millennials, and this felt aligned with the gatekeeping that has long plagued the wine industry. I wanted to change this, so I started an Instagram account that was aimed at democratizing wine, and also took this as an opportunity to continue educating myself about wine. While I haven't made any professional pivots towards a wine career (yet), it's something that I am so excited about exploring further!

What is your favorite wine, what do you like about it?

It's so hard for me to pick favorites, since it all depends on the food, the time of day, the vibes — even the weather! But my recent go-to for casual drinking has been Vinho Verde. I love anything with a bit of carbonation, and its light acidity and fruitiness makes it feel like the seltzer of the wine world. Plus, it's perfect for my college budget.

If you could sip wine with anyone in the world who would that be and why?

My mom — she's so particular about her wine (aka nothing that tastes too much like alcohol but also isn't too sweet) so if we're sipping together, that means I've found another rare bottle that she enjoys.

Lastly, what are you looking forward to seeing in the future of the wine industry?

A lot more women. A lot more BIPOC. And a lot more young people. Wine is fun and fascinating and delicious, and this shouldn't be something that only a select few get to learn about and enjoy. Places like Wine Unify and The Urban Grape in Boston are creating this shift already, and I hope that this will become the standard for the wine industry. I also hope that wine education can become more mainstream and accessible, because it's something that so many people enjoy and yet, don't know very much about. I'm all about democratizing wine and encouraging others to do the same.

Reggie Leonard

How did you get into wine, what made you decide to pursue a career in it?

I got into wine through food, and was hooked by the opportunity for endless inquiry. As someone who deeply enjoys finding nuance in complexity, discovering the world of wine for myself, through free wine tastings at a local shop, is something I am eternally grateful for. I get to literally taste someone's interpretation of a grape in the context of geography, that year's growing season, politics, the winery's business model, and so many other factors. Whenever I open a bottle, I am unlocking the opportunity to explore a variety of intersections, in a material way; and, I often do. Encounters with beautiful wines, and even more incredible people who spoke so evocatively about their experiences in wine made me keep showing up to every tasting I could find. Shop owners, sommeliers, wine reps, and servers became friends, and I couldn't help but to be drawn to wanting to be a part of this industry in some way.

What is your favorite wine, what do you like about it?

I'm in learning mode (which is lifelong, I know), so I'm tasting as broadly as possible, including varietally. However, the wines that I can't stop sneaking into my stash are Rieslings, with my favorites being from Germany. I love acid (in wine and food), and I love variety, so, in retrospect, me digging German Riesling was inevitable.

If you could sip wine with anyone in the world who would that be and why?

If I could sip wine with anyone in the world, it would be my younger brother. We're close (in relationship, age, and geography), but don't get to see each other often. He's raising a family, managing an organization, and working on building a business with my sister-in-law. I love that dude, and would love to have a slow, drawn out conversation over wine. We'd learn a lot from each other, and get to process some of the life lessons we've been too caught up living to realize we've picked up along the way.

Lastly, what are you looking forward to seeing in the future of the wine industry?

I am looking forward to the wine industry including, centering, and amplifying an array of voices that are as diverse, and uniquely expressive as the wines themselves. When more people talk about wine, more people are hearing about wine, and hopefully are doing so in ways that are familiar and contextual to them. I'm also looking forward to more wine and food pairings that acknowledge the entirety of our collective diaspora as equally valid expressions of humanity. So, I'm looking forward to seeing tasting notes include things that are relatable to more palates. Something else I'm looking forward to seeing is more stories being told through winemaking and viticulture, by way of these spaces continuously becoming more diverse, and more inclusive. We've barely scratched the surface of what the industry can become, and I'm looking forward to a bright, and inclusive future.

Vannessa Scott Allen

How did you get into wine, what made you decide to pursue a career in it?

My journey into wine was born of necessity as an extension of being immersed in all things fine dining. Over the course of the pass decade has evolved into a full-fledged love affair. Navigating through the great world of wine there is always so much to continue to learn with an abundance of compelling, exciting, and fascinating examples to keep you completely engaged.

What is your favorite wine, what do you like about it?

It was quite the challenge to narrow it down to only one but.... Riesling is my favorite. It was the first varietal that truly captivated me and since then, it never ceases to amaze. It is both versatile and approachable with its many personalities ranging from sparkling, bone-dry, and those decadently sweet examples that are easy to love.

If you could sip wine with anyone in the world who would that be and why?

Oprah, because while she is accomplished and beyond extraordinary; we could talk about anything. She is the emblem of profound discussions. 

Daymond John, because he seems “down to Earth” and I find his story, his journey, and his success extremely motivational.

Lastly, what are you looking forward to seeing in the future of the wine industry?

I am excited to see how wine is approached and perceived -- as access to, and the availability of wine becomes more widespread. I am also quite eager to see how the advancements in science and technology will impact wine culture, winemaking, the service, and appreciation of wine. There is a great deal to look forward to.

Christina Faye Taylor

How did you get into wine, what made you decide to pursue a career in it?

I attended an in-home wine tasting led by a wine guide and she did not have any additional education or training. The wines were all from Europe and lack diverse representation. It was in that moment, fear and self doubt exited my being and I began my journey in starting my own wine business highlighting wines from BIPOC winemakers and knowledge. The US wine industry is worth over $70 billion. Globally, over $400 billion. I just want Black, Indigenous, Latine, and other People of Color to own some of those billions. We have the knowledge, the experience, the legacy, and the majestic voices. I am excited to see more of making space for ourselves.

What is your favorite wine varietal, what do you like about it?

ZINFANDEL! Zinfandel with its robust plummy fruits can be soft textured and have body ody ody! It is what I imagined what red wine would taste like in the movies growing up. Bold, juicy, and dark fruits.

If you could sip wine with anyone in the world who would that be and why?

I would sip wine with Diahann Carroll, Eartha Kitt, Ms. Theodora Lee, and Dorothy Gaiter. A round table of Diva royalty on the screen and in wine. The conversation and stories!

Definitely a mood.

Lastly, what are you looking forward to seeing in the future of the wine industry?

I am looking forward to seeing several multi million dollar wine companies and wineries created and led by Black, Indigenous and Latine people. I see an industry accessible to all who have the desire and fortitude to deepen their wine knowledge free of financial barriers, sexual harrassment, ableism, and racial discrimination. I look forward to seeing more voices, books, films, educators, and wine professionals of diverse backgrounds bringing their culture with them.

Dustin Owl Johnson

How did you get into wine, what made you decide to pursue a career in it?

I am looking forward to seeing several multi million dollar wine companies and wineries created and led by Black, Indigenous and Latine people. I see an industry accessible to all who have the desire and fortitude to deepen their wine knowledge free of financial barriers, sexual harrassment, ableism, and racial discrimination. I look forward to seeing more voices, books, films, educators, and wine professionals of diverse backgrounds bringing their culture with them.

What is your favorite wine varietal, what do you like about it?

Nebbiolo, I’m a big fan of high acid, high tannin wines, and I love how Nebbiolo ages in Barolo and Barbaresco.

If you could sip wine with anyone in the world who would that be and why?

Anthony Bourdain, I was a huge fan of his and still enjoy his books and shows.

Lastly, what are you looking forward to seeing in the future of the wine industry?

More diversity, for sure. Especially when it comes to visual content, every time I see more culturally diverse representation in video/wine content about the industry, I get excited.