Wachira Winery

Wachira Wines Is Breaking Barriers While Winning Accolades

Dr. Chris Wachira founded Wachira Wines to cultivate a greater community, blending expressive vintages that nod to European varietals in homage to the relaxed friendliness of her native Kenya. Like its founder, the executive director of the Institute for Clinical Excellence – Africa, the combination performs brilliantly. Dr. Chris Wachira founded her label, Wachira Wines in 2017 as a celebration of Kenyan culture and values as well as a testament to her family's experience as Kenyan Americans. The independent, woman-owned, family-run winery is breaking barriers not only in its ownership but by introducing wine that conveys forward-facing fruit in the Kenyan tradition; vintages that are proving ideal for sipping with friends and family in a casual setting. As a thought leader in constructing integral partnerships that help bridge the economic divide, Dr. Wachira knew she would need a trusted distribution network to complete her goal of developing a successful winery. So, she created one. SOKO (“Marketplace” in Swahili) provides an inclusive distribution enterprise that showcases producers in the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) community.

The Wachira Wine Clubs also benefit the local community. The winery is the Official Sponsor Wine Partner of the Oakland Symphony. Ten percent of all Wine Club proceeds are also donated to the Gamma Sigma Sigma Chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. The Alameda-based winery recently received four medals at the prestigious 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The Wachira Black Label 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, what Dr. Wachira considers the Rhino of her “wine safari,” received a Double Gold Medal. The Black Label Chardonnay (the “Buffalo”) received a Silver Medal, and the Lion, the Black Label Sparkling Wine, took pride in a Bronze Medal. Dr. Wachira produced a light-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon by merging grapes from three distinct California wine regions: Napa, Lodi and Paso Robles. Youthful with berry notes, this playful vintage suggests cocoa and vanilla on the nose, producing a flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the party and pairs equally well with a meat stew and more gamey meats like goat, as well as poultry.

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Wachira Black Label Sparkling Wine

Wachira Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon

Wachira Black Label Chardonnay

Rose Gold Label, Rosé of Mourvèdre

The Wachira Black Label Chardonnay, this year’s Silver Medalist, travels away from the buttery, oak-forward chards we associate with California. This Buffalo (Dr. Wachira names her wines after the Mighty 5 mammals from her native Kenya) blends crisp notes of pear and green apple with butterscotch and baking spices. The citrus finish, like the body itself, contains great structure and medium intensity, ideal for shellfish, fish fry or an afternoon of patio entertaining. Ditto for the Lion, Wachira’s Black Label Sparkling White (and SF Wine Comp Bronze Medalist), which adds a light effervescence to any occasion. This is a ripe fruit festival on the palate, combining lemon peel, pear and raspberries with a nose of candied apples, mango and red cherries, among other summer specialties. Taken together, this dry brilliant blend adds freshness to brunch and brightness to a lingering weekend afternoon.

Woman-Owned, Black-Owned, Immigrant-Owned, Family-Run Local Winery Gets Noticed at SF Chronicle Wine Comp

Bay Area residents and visitors can try these award winners and others, including the spirited Rosé of Mourvedre, by making an appointment to visit the KARIBU Wine Lounge. Located on Park Street in downtown Alameda, Karibu (“You’re Welcome” in Swahili) resides among six other women-run businesses. The wine lounge’s inviting ambience is curated with gallery exhibits and cultural artifacts that radiate warmth across the intimate room. The Lounge has swiftly become a community destination, hosting local musicians, chefs, and a monthly “Financial Literacy” event. Now in its fifth year, the Wachira wine safari featuring California fruit with a Kenyan accent is clearly producing a great wine trail. True to its name, the KARIBU Wine Lounge welcomes all visitors by creating an instant living room ambience filled with new best friends and family. SOKO provides distribution for Wachira and other underrepresented clients, and the Wachira Group incubator program will no doubt inspire more nontraditional winemakers to come forward and share their talents. Taken together, it’s obviously a very exciting time to discover Wachira Wines. Visit the website to book your tasting, join the Wine Club and order award-winning wine today.

SHOP WACHIRA

Dr. Chris Wachira