Episode 2 - Benita Johnson of The Vine Wine Club

In this episode of The Color of Wine, we speak to Benita Johnson of The Vine Wine Club, about her path to wine, her annual Exclusive Blacklist event, her journey to becoming a Sommelier and so much more! Sit back and enjoy Benita's story and share in plenty of laughs.  Cheers! Benita's Bio I started drinking wine like most of us…sneaking wine from your parents' house and believing all of it was disgusting. But because I'm no quitter, I kept trying. By the time, I got to college, I realized that I could actually finish an entire glass all by myself. Then one became two and two became the bottle and so on and so on. In 2005, I decided to walk away from a "glorious" career as an Accountant to open a wine shop. It was definitely a gutsy move because I knew little about wine. I knew that I liked it. But I had also chosen an area that folks dared to open "upscale" shops. It was very close to the neighborhood where I had grown up and far from the areas that you would expect to find such a shop. "Grapes & Barley" became my love. It was where I knew that wine would forever be a part of my life. So in 2007, I attended classes with the Court of Master Sommeliers and earned my pin. From that point on, teaching people about wine and celebrating its nuances became my passion. Fast forward to 2014. A lot had changed. The grocery store scene had changed dramatically in Richmond, I no longer had the security of a husband with a steady paycheck, and I had overcome the fear of failure. With the help (and badgering) of my partner "G", The Vine Wine Club was launched as an online wine club and retail shop. We "deliver the best pours to your door". We also offer educational experiences and grand events such as our signature, The Exclusive Blacklist. In short, I'm a regular girl with a discerning palette and willingness to share what I know. Catch me each Friday at 3pm as I host my radio show, "Off The Vine with Benita and Terricinia" on Blogtalk and Google Play.   Here's where you can find Benita: Website: www.thevinewineclub.com Facebook: The Vine Wine Club Instagram: @vine_wine_club Twitter: @TheVineWineClub Pinterest: @thevinewineclub