Toasting to Another First
Donna Stoney Traces Her Path from Social Worker to Winemaker
story by Mark Stock / photos by Nick Klein
As seen in The SOMM Journal | August/September 2020 Issue | click to download PDF copy of the article here
With thanks to the team at The Somm Journal for allowing us to share the article directly with you here!
DONNA STONEY did not take a direct path to winemaking. Instead, it’s been a gradual transition fueled by gumption.
Last fall, Stoney launched her eponymous label to become Oregon’s first Black female winemaker. She operates out of the Willamette Valley, sharing a cellar with Andreas Wetzel at Chateau Bianca. Presently, her portfolio includes Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and a rosé of Pinot Noir.
It’s not the first time she’s been a pioneer in her field. As a social worker, she was the first Black female case manager for Oregon’s Department of Human Services. While she’s no longer managing cases, she’s still in the business, running Stoneybrooke Residential Services to set people with developmental and intellectual disabilities up in group homes in east Portland.
Juggling social work and wine production isn’t easy, but as her father told her early on, when it comes to business, you have to crawl before you can walk. And if her dedication is any indication, Stoney’s vision of becoming a full-time winemaker will be realized sooner rather than later. “I’m real persistent sometimes,” she says, “especially when it’s a dream and a passion like this.”
That passion was ignited during Stoney’s college years in the 1990s, when she discovered that she had a zest for wine culture and wanted to be a sommelier. “I love the extraordinary [differences in how varietals taste] and understanding the history behind the viticulture,” she says. Following graduation, she sought to purchase a vineyard but lacked the funding.
It wasn’t until about five years ago, when she retired from county work, that a friend introduced her to Bertony Faustin, who commands the cellar up the valley at Abbey Creek Vineyard and was Oregon’s first Black winemaker. Suddenly, Stoney was knocking out her WSET coursework while applying and fine-tuning her knowledge firsthand at Abbey Creek, where she learned how to prune a vine and blend a wine. “[Faustin] helped me understand the importance of building my brand and [gave me] insights on how to demonstrate what my label stands for,” Stoney says.
It seems outlandish for Oregon to get its first Black female vintner as late as 2019, but the industry has always been lacking in terms of diversity. Many barriers persist, from financing to educational opportunities. Though Stoney has been breaking them down by utilizing the problem-solving skills that she mastered during her years as a social worker—including adaptability and fierce initiative—it’s her view that inclusivity really starts with conversations and direct action. “It’s uncommon to see a person of color as the face of a wine label, let alone a woman,” she says. “I believe there need to be more mentorship opportunities, more access to scholarships, and lastly, support” from consumers as well as the trade.
In the meantime, she persists. “The one thing you must know about me [is that] I continue to study and learn until it becomes second nature,” she asserts, adding that her goal as a winemaker is “to find a balance between what I know my consumers want and what story [the wine] can tell only by its taste.” The story of Stoney Wines will continue to unfold, reflecting both its founder’s mettle and hope for an industry that’s changing for the better.
