If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that support for small businesses is essential for any community. Good news is, whether or not you’re a local or just visiting, you have the opportunity to support the Willamette Valley and the small businesses that make it thrive! There’s a lot of great businesses to choose from, in honor of Black History Month, we are taking the opportunity to feature a list of Black-owned businesses that are open, taking all the COVID precautions, and making the Valley a great place to explore! Make sure to check out their websites and add them to your itinerary when you stay at The Dundee or when you are traveling through the Valley.
Chevonne of Dirty Radish Travel Company (also pictured above with guests)
Dirty Radish Travel Company
Owned and run by Chevonne Ball – AKA your new best (wine) friend – Dirty Radish Travel Company offers all things wine. Each experience is personalized for the client with an emphasis on visiting boutique wineries that value diversity, sustainability, and organic growing practices. Every trip includes transportation, as well as a locally made and sourced lunch. Learn about viticulture, terroir, and technique. Meet with winegrowers, and learn the secrets of PNW Pinot Noir as you walk through the beautiful scenery of the Willamette Valley.
Chevonne’s love for wine first stemmed from her uncanny ability to bring people joy by gathering them around a table. Honing her skills in both Oregon and France, Chevonne is a certified Sommelier and French Wine Scholar. She’s recently been named one of Wine Enthusiasts, “Top 40 under 40 tastemakers of 2020,” as well as “a rising star” by SevenFifty Daily. In addition to tours, Chevonne offers wine consulting services, educational seminars, and an adorable line of Dirty Radish merchandise (available in the spring of 2021).
André Mack Hueston esteemed sommelier and founder of Mason Noir
Mason Noir
Founded by sommelier André Hueston Mack in 2007, Maison Noir embraces the unique flavors and creativity that can evolve within the subculture of garage wines (meaning a small production). Making sure every bottle is both distinctive and complex, Mack derives his inspiration from his time as sommelier in New York, studying the trends and evolution of wine culture. Beyond that, he adds a fresh artistic perspective to his labels and merchandise, with designs inspired by the punk and hip-hop styles of 1990’s skateboard apparel. With wines that range in names from Love Drunk and Bottom’s Up, to Touché and Bourgeois, you can’t help but want to sample them all. Yet if you’re local, you may make up your mind the moment you spot Mack’s Oregogne.
André Hueston Mack is the first African American to win Best Young Sommelier in America by the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs (in 2003), an international society of gastronomy, and placed as runner-up for the distinguished title of Best Sommelier in North America. He believes the lack of people of color in the wine industry is not because of a lack of interest, but a lack of accessibility, a narrative that Mack hopes to help change. Want to know more? Check out his book, 99 Bottles: A Black Sheep’s Guide to Life-Changing Wine, where he dives into what inspired him to create wines that are an authentic representation of him, his experiences, and where he came from. Mack currently owns several properties and restaurants, but Maison Noir in McMinnville (just a short drive from The Dundee) stands as the flagship and soul of his Oregon Pinot Noir.
A local favorite, G&W Caribbean serves up delicious BBQ, featuring many ingredients from local farms.
G&W Caribbean Smoked BBQ
After a long year of quarantining, you may feel like you’ve eaten nothing but the same 5 meals a thousand times. Well that can change with G&W Caribbean Smoked BBQ, Newberg’s top BBQ food truck. Enjoy the mouth-watering flavors of the Caribbean right here in Oregon. All you have to do is order and let their signature smoked mac-n-cheese take you on the vacation we all need and deserve. Ingredients are purchased from local farms and made freshly for your daily enjoyment.
Not planning a trip to Newberg quite yet? No problem! You can purchase a gift card online, support the community, and have a delicious meal to look forward to in the future!
Check out Oregon Black Pioneers for engaging digital exhibits on Black Oregonians throughout history.
Want to learn more about Black Pioneers in Oregon History? we recommend checking out Oregon Black Pioneers, a non-profit based in Salem preserving the history of and telling the story of Black Oregonians in a variety of platforms, including engaging digital content.
Curious about diversity in Oregon’s wine industry? Watch Red, White and Black, an award-winning documentary that shines a spotlight on the lives of Oregon’s minority winemakers, filmed by Bertony Faustin, Oregon’s first recorded Black winemaker (of Abby Creek Vineyard). It’s available to rent on Vimeo, so grab a bottle of Pinot and some popcorn!
Building your itinerary to Oregon Wine Country? We’d love to help you incorporate visits to these great businesses during your next stay with us!