Tahiirah Habibi won’t apologize for bringing Black culture to wine
As Tahiirah Habibi walked through Chicago’s Union Station on June 16, during a reception after the James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards, the elegant sommelier was repeatedly stopped by fans.
Again and again, she was complimented on her dress, which, made of cascading metallic blades, had stolen the show as she presented the award for Outstanding Bar. People who’d watched the ceremony at the Lyric Opera approached Habibi to say her shiny silver ensemble was the outfit of the night.
Many also shared their appreciation for her unscripted speech delivered earlier onstage.
Standing next to fellow sommelier Bobby Stuckey, who would later win the foundation’s Outstanding Restaurant award, she encouraged viewers to speak their consciences and challenged those in the hospitality business to be bold in supporting equality and fairness.
“We are in a critical moment in the world. Everyone has a part to play in this time of civil rights. You do not have to be the loudest in the room, but you do need to be clear,” she told the crowd.
“I know it’s scary, but I’m urging you not to abandon yourself, and do not abandon the people around you. Don’t be a bystander. Don’t abandon your values because you feel like you’re going to lose something if you stand up. And it probably will cost you something. Don’t let fear decide what side of history you land on. You have power; you have privilege, and I’m hoping you won’t hoard that — you will use it to free someone else. And more importantly, be who you say you are.”
After she paused to allow her statement to settle in, the crowd applauded. Just as they finished, Habibi revived the room with a bit of playful, lighthearted charm.
“Okaaaay, now back to the program!” she said, in a playful voice mimicking a far-less serious version of herself. The crowd laughed approvingly, but it was clear the Atlanta-based sommelier was no joke.
A native of Philadelphia, Habibi is the founder and CEO of The Hue Society, a global organization involved in advocacy, education and amplification of Black culture in wine. The group regularly hosts wine tastings and social gatherings for chapters in Philadelphia, New York, Miami, Washington, D.C., California, South Africa, Italy and Atlanta.
Habibi discovered her passion for wine as a member of Pennsylvania State University’s class of 2005, where she established herself as a standout student leader. An overachieving broadcast journalism major, Habibi’s received honors for academic achievement and was the school’s 2005 homecoming queen.
The position made it necessary for her to attend events on behalf of Penn State. Often, she was the only Black person present.
“That’s how I got deep into wine, because I would have to go to these receptions and be around all these people. And I’ve always been acutely aware of who I am and my surroundings, and what I represent and mean in rooms. I saw how to use wine as a tool. It was power. I saw how people respected me more when I could sip wine and talk to them.”
She remembers the first time wine made sense to her, when a glass of Ménage à Trois red blend gave her an “aha” moment.
“I could pick out the nuance,” she recalled. “This was the first time it didn’t smell or taste like alcohol. I’ll never forget it.”
She got a job as a host at a bar inside Philadelphia’s Kimpton Hotel Palomar and signed up for free hospitality programs offered to the hotel’s bartenders and servers. She continued to educate herself, spending a month in Europe in 2010, studying wine and particularly enjoying riesling in Germany. Those experiences built confidence.
“Going to all these different places is when I discovered I could actually make a career out of wine. I understood that it wasn’t just this luxury; it was food, and it was normalized. After that, I said, ‘OK, I’ve got this. I’m going to take this and bring it back to the hood,’ because I felt like it was missing — not just from the socioeconomic standpoint but as social currency.”
Habibi said Black people often don’t see themselves existing in spaces where wine is traditionally enjoyed. She also believes the world of wine isn’t designed to include or give visibility to Black wine enthusiasts.
The St. Regis Bal Harbor Resort in Miami gave Habibi her first sommelier job. There, she encountered challenges related to her race and gender. “That clientele was not used to seeing Black people. I used to get sent away from tables, or there were quizzes and questions, like ‘Do you drink Kool-Aid?’”
She said the worst part was having no protection from biased guest treatment. “You had to eat it because the customers had money and influence, and the consumer’s always right. You’d get tipped $100 just to get away from the table.”
Eventually, Habibi realized something had to change.
“I finally decided to stop. My dedication was first to myself. I’m not code-switching. Why would I ever be somebody else for these people? But then, too, I genuinely wanted to free as many people as possible. My plan was to create an organization where you can see yourself 100%. You don’t gotta code-switch; you don’t gotta assimilate. You can come as you are.”
Habibi set out to join the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas, and become the first Black woman master sommelier. She passed the notoriously difficult exam, but when she was told to address the organization’s sommeliers and was mandated to call them “master” to honor their traditions, she changed her mind.
In 2020, she posted a video on Instagram telling the story of her experience. It went viral, causing an upheaval resulting in her severing ties with CMSA and several master somms resigning.
After public blowback, CMSA created a diversity committee and amended its policy so “master sommelier” would be used to address members, as opposed to them being called “master.” Habibi became a nationally recognized changemaker.
Since then, she has been covered by high-end magazines like Vogue and Robb Report, and became the first Black woman on the cover of Wine Spectator. She was also featured in a travel documentary produced by Marriott, named one of America’s best sommeliers by Ebony magazine and created Sipping Socials, an event-based business that became The Hue Society in 2017.
While it may be fair to say Habibi has more notoriety outside Atlanta, she has plenty of admirers in the city.
Chris McLloyd, a sommelier and Tower Wine & Spirits’ director of consumer experience, said he became friends with Habibi over Zoom calls and at events like Charleston Food & Wine, after hearing her story. Habibi connected him with California-based wine scholars affiliated with The Hue Society, who helped guide his first wine trip to the state.
McLloyd has also twice attended Habibi’s annual Wine + Culture Fest, held in Atlanta for years and taking place this weekend in Washington, D.C. He called it a family reunion.
“She’s always been a resource and sounding board for me,” McLloyd said. “What she does for our people is so important. Even if a lot of it now is behind the scenes, she still plays a major role in visibility. It makes the next person coming up say, ‘Hey, this is possible and doable, being who I am and how I am.’”
Jen Price, founder of the Atlanta-based Crafted For Action craft beverage conference, is also a fan, calling Habibi a force in the beverage world.
“There are plenty of people doing wine education or curation, but Tahiirah is creating spaces that feel like home for Black and brown people. That’s rare,” Price said. “In simple terms, she makes wine culture feel like our culture.”
Kursten Berry, daughter of restaurateur Deborah VanTrece, managing partner and beverage director of VanTrece Hospitality Group, and a 2025 semifinalist for James Beard’s Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service Award, said Habibi’s ability to spot talent and actively create opportunities is remarkable.
“What sets her apart is her commitment to building a community specifically for Black and brown professionals, in a space where we’re often overlooked. Through her work, she’s created space for us to grow, connect, and celebrate one another.”
Those sentiments and praises were shared by Taraji P. Henson, who visited Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours on Nov. 19 for the launch of her partnership with Seven Daughters Moscato. While being interviewed by Habibi, she admitted that she was still learning about wine but was enjoying the feeling of community fostered by organizations like The Hue Society.
“We’re coming off a damn pandemic, where we couldn’t do this,” Henson told the crowd of mostly Black women gathered for the lunchtime wine tasting and meet-and-greet. “This is making me feel normal again, over some wine,” she said with a laugh.
As Habibi ended the interview, Henson turned to the crowd and asked, “Isn’t she beautiful?”
Next for Habibi is a podcast she plans to launch by the end of July called “Assimilation Not Required.” In addition to recording and releasing episodes, she said she’s also taking time to use her voice for herself.
“I’ve spent so much time building communities and things for everybody else that I need to take time and try to find my joy and what I want to do, and just being a good example for my daughter,” she said.
Still, she can’t stop talking about redistribution of power, which she said will be part of “Assimilation Not Required,” even if it’s not all about one of her favorite beverages (she also loves beer).
“Wine is a catalyst. It’s a part of this community,” she said. “I just happen to be an expert. I’m really good at wine.”
About the Author
Mike Jordan is senior editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Black culture brand, UATL. A longtime culture journalist, his work has been published in The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, National Geographic, Rolling Stone and others. Jordan won the James Beard Foundation’s 2024 Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award and was a 2023 finalist.
