Fantasia Barrino Taylor is embarking on a new adventure.
According to a recent interview with Elle, the beloved singer and actress shared she’s walking through life with a new confidence, and a part of that journey includes a new wine business.
“I have a wine coming out,” she explains. “I went back to school, so I got my sommelier certificate because I didn’t want people to think that I was just a Black girl putting my name on a wine to try to make money.”
A sommelier is considered a wine expert who earned the title through rigorous training. According to media platform, The Wine Enthusiast, some sommeliers pass the first level (a two-day process with required education, followed by the examination) and stop there. Tests become more intense as levels increase. The Level Two certified sommelier examination involves a blind tasting, a written theory test and a live service demonstration of knowledge and tasks for the judges like flawlessly opening and pouring a bottle of wine.
“I really love the process of it, and I also love to drink it because it’s good,” BarrinoTaylor explains. “I love the process of wine. I fell in love with it when my husband took me to a winery and I felt like, this may sound crazy, but I kind of felt like my life was like what wine has to go through—the pressing. I wanted to know more about it. We’re coming out with a red wine; we’re coming out with a rosé.”