When the poems do what they do... 🙏🏾✨🤎 #browndowntownnapa #urbanwineoasis #itsanapavalleything #bdtletterboard #ajamonet #blackjoy #whenthepoemsdowhattheydo
Thanks to @visitnapavalley for a very nice feature in this year's Napa Valley Visitor Magazine. The 2026 issue is chock full of info/intel on where to go & what to do if you're heading this way for respite/recreation — a necessary indulgence wherever, whenever, however & to whatever extent possible in these trying times... 🙏🏾😮💨🤎 #brownnapavalley
Day two in Napa started exactly how it should have, slow, intentional, and full of good energy.
I woke up and made breakfast for the ladies, French toast, chicken sausage, fruit, mimosas, and bacon that somehow never made it to the photos 😭 And my French toast really is the best French toast to exist.
Then we got dressed in rich red wine inspired shades for one of the moments I was looking forward to most, our visit to Brown Estate, the first and only Black owned estate winery in Napa Valley.
I loved every second of it.
From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warmth, wine, smiles, and hospitality that felt genuine. The property was beautiful, the cave tasting felt intimate and luxurious, and the storytelling behind every wine made the experience feel personal and intentional. Even their sweet dog came to visit us during the tasting 😭
What stood out to me the most was how rooted everything felt. Nothing about Brown felt overly commercial or performative. It felt intentional. Curated. Preserved with care.
You can tell this is a place that values quality, history, experience, and staying true to who they are over simply trying to serve large crowds. And I deeply respect that.
As someone who is constantly inspired by Black owned businesses, creativity, legacy, and intentionality, this experience meant a lot to me. And knowing that the family has Caribbean roots honestly made me love it even more. I truly felt connected to the experience in a deeper way.
There also wasn’t much service out there, which ended up being one of my favorite parts. It forced us to be present. To slow down. To actually sit in the moment, enjoy the wine, the conversation, the views, the pairings, the laughter, and the experience without distraction.
Experiences like this remind me how beautiful it is to witness people build something meaningful, intentional, lasting, and excellent.
I left feeling inspired, grateful, and excited for everything I still hope to create in my own life one day. 🤎
#brownestate #napavalley #winetasting #blackownedbusiness #girlstrip
From "On a New Year's Eve" by the poet June Jordan (07/09/36 - 06/14/02), whose layered legacy includes prolific published works and — via her Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley and beyond — a cadre of Student-Teacher-Poets versed in the love, fury, humility, and humor that informed all she did as a steward of the written and spoken words, and of truth-telling as liberatory practice... 🗣️✨🤎 #browndowntownnapa #urbanwineoasis #itsanapavalleything #bdtletterboard #junejordan
Brown Estate Winery 🍷 = Black Excellence 🖤
Not all wine tastings feel like this!
I’ve been to several wineries in Napa and some just pour wine.
So I can attest that Brown Estate poured culture, intention, community, connection.
From the shelves lined with Black books 📚, from the walls displaying Black art 🖼️,
to the music that wrapped around the room like a familiar hug, to every sip 🍷that told its own story.
This wasn’t just a tasting, this was an experience that spoke directly to my soul.
In a space curated for us, by us, I didn’t just visit… I belonged 🖤
Thank you @brownestate for the amazing experience and wine.
My favorites: Zinfandel, Rose, Chaos Theory, and The Big Dam (a reserve wine 😆).
Make sure you all add @brownestate to your bucket list and let me know which ones will become your new favorite!
#BlackOwnedWinery #NapaValley #BrownEstate #BlackLuxury #boldebooks
Our BDT besties up in the air this morning with @nvaloft for a li'l team treat (clockwise from front: Farae w the group selfie skillz, Anahi, Dani, Christian, Lex, Shelby, Cinthya, Joe, Maggie; Marco in spirit)... 🎈✨🤎 #brownnapavalley #browndowntownnapa
Just gonna leave this here with thanks to @ciscosips + @vinepair . A little love for an unsung varietal (haha) that around here at least tends to live in the shadow of our Zins.
~
We're allocating our last remaining bottles of this vintage to our Library Club members this fall... 🫡🍷🤎 #brownnapavalley #cabernetsauvignon
