Marketing matters.

It is hardly a secret that the wine industry has not paid as much attention to ethnic markets as have the spirits and beer industries. Brandy marketers, for example, have done a terrific job of targeting the African-American consumer, to the point that brand name references to brandy can often

A Boston-based group called Divas Uncorked is out to put wine in the spotlight, according to Stephanie Browne, one of the 10 African-American professionals who met on a social basis in the late 1990s to explore their mutual passion for wine. Their motto: Sisters Who Sip.

"In the beginning, it was all about just getting together, having some good food and good wine. It was a social experience, hanging out with friends," she told Wines & Vines in a telephone interview. "But then we came to realize there were a lot of other women like us who loved wine and wanted to know about it, but there wasn't a lot of information out there. We wanted to learn in a nonthreatening environment, without being intimidated." Browne added that women and people of color are often ignored in wine shops.

What started as a personal love of wine has now blossomed into a business that will direct the women's shared passion for wine toward the wine market and the further education of both wine producers and wine consumers.

Browne said three steps are involved. The first is education; next is going into the market and third is the social-professional involvement of African-American women in the wine business.

The plan was put into action in 2004 when the Divas formed what they call their Collaborative Consortium, a joint business venture with three California wineries: St. Supery, The Hess Collection and the Mendocino Wine Company. At the time, Browne said, "The consortium will allow us to create a powerful force that will tackle the misconceptions that exist today. The wine industry is prime right now, and we are grateful for our winery partners. We are ready to grab this opportunity and affect real change."

It is the first time that any of the three wineries involved have entered into a marketing agreement with a consumer wine group.

In early February 2005, the Divas held the first of what they say will be an annual conference in Boston. The heart of the event was a series of workshops for women only, held during the day, and an evening dinner for both men and women. The workshops included both basic and more advanced information. San Francisco Chronicle wine editor Linda Murphy was one of the speakers. Beyond the workshop, Browne intends to take the show on the road, with one or more Divas present at other wine events throughout the country.

For example, Diva Paula Wright was a featured speaker at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium earlier this year. Wright said that the stereotypical image of the wine drinker as a white male professional is long out of date. Wright said that recent research shows that 10% of U.S. wine consumers are black. "They are younger, urban-centered and have a total buying power of $292 billion," she said.

She added that black wine buyers rely on networking and are loyal to companies that demonstrate social responsibility. "They look for targeted ads," she said. "Do they look like us, in places we go?"

Wright concluded: "We don't have a lot of knowledge, but we want to learn. And we spend money with women-friendly retailers." Now there is a powerful message.

Tim Thornhill, a partner with Paul Dolan in Mendocino Wine Co. (formerly Parducci Wine Cellars), said the company "wants to work on enhancing the lives and developing opportunities for all of our customers, especially women and communities of color." It is a natural step for the winery, which has quickly become a leader in sustainable business practices. Dolan was the first chairman of the California Sustainable Wine-growing Alliance.

Dolan said he looks forward to working with the Divas, as well as the partner wineries. "We want to help create a wine industry that reaches out to all potential wine aficionados, leaving no wine lover behind."

Michaela Rodeno, the CEO of St. Supery, is a co-founder of Women for WineSense, an international organization that promotes wine as part of a balanced lifestyle. She is also the 2005 chair of Wine Market Council. "We have committed ourselves to the Divas' unstoppable mission to improve wine marketers' neglectful attitude toward women consumers," she said.

Each winery will work on a specific program to advance women and people of color within the industry. For example, The Hess Collection will sponsor a Divas Uncorked scholarship to be administered through the Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center at Boston University. The Hess Collection will award $5,000 annually to a student entering the center's wine studies program.

Browne said the Divas will continue to look for wine partners for the Collaborative Consortium program, including retailers and distributors as well as other wineries.

"We will be glad to work with partners who share our interest and our common goals," she said, "And we will help do whatever we can to find ways to expand their brands," Browne said.