This Black-Owned Vineyard In Georgia Is Rooted In History As It Makes Way For Diverse Wineries

Arabia Mountain Vineyard hopes to produce its first batch of wines this year

Within Metro Atlanta lies an establishment unique to its suburban footprint, a Black-owned vineyard that honors its history.

The current owner of Arabia Mountain Vineyard, Tim Starks, bought the land three decades ago. Stark’s new property, located within the Georgia city of Stonecrest, was initially planned for growing grapes.

Instead, Starks planted trees on the grounds. It was not until after a trip to Napa Valley that he decided to use the area for a vineyard. Despite the transition, his love for cultivating the land never wavered.

“I developed a passion for the outdoors, I developed a passion for growing, and I’ve embraced that passion,” the Georgia native told WSB-TV.

Starks grew up around farmers and wants to pay homage to his communal and cultural history. He believes Black people have a special connection to the soil they once picked crops like cotton or tobacco from, especially during the time of enslavement.

However, a lesser-known history is that Black people also picked grapes. Starks wants to reclaim this facet of Black agricultural history and now does so through his own vineyard.

“This is what we used to do. It is not only picking cotton or rice in those Savannah regions, it was grapes. We grew grapes,” Starks said.

Despite this, Black people remain marginalized within the wine-making industry. Black owners make up less than 1% of all wineries within the United States, as confirmed by the Association of African American Vintners through NapaValley.com. However, Arabia Mountain Vineyard hopes to make way for Black ownership of a crop they once grew.

“We are standing at a place that’s not just about history, but we’re currently making present-day history,” shared Hakemia Jackson, a family member of the vineyard.

Stark plans to produce his first batch of wines this year, while his entire family honors those who paved the way before them.

“We are walking in the footprints of our ancestors, cultivators of the land,” Jackson added.