Mac Award

In his trademark overalls and straw hat, Mac McDonald has traveled the world since shortly after Vision Cellars’ first release in 1997, hosting winemaker dinners, pouring at in-store tastings, and appearing at wine festivals. Along the way, he has often poured the wines of other Black-owned brands alongside his own, using his platform to help lesser-known producers gain visibility and build audiences.

McDonald is from East Texas, where his father made moonshine. His introduction to fine wine came unexpectedly at age twelve, when one of his grandfather’s hunting friends offered him a taste of Burgundy. That moment sparked a lifelong passion and put him on the path to becoming a winemaker. After high school, in 1962, he moved to California, where he met his wife and worked for 30 years at Pacific Gas & Electric.

On weekends, he left his home in Oakland to visit Napa and Sonoma, asking questions and observing people at work in every corner of the wine industry. “Nobody would give me the time of day,” McDonald recalls. There were, however, a few notable exceptions, including the late John Parducci of Parducci Cellars in Mendocino County and the late Charlie Wagner of Caymus. Wagner, in particular, saw something special in McDonald and welcomed him into his family’s circle, teaching him about growing grapes, making wine, and marketing, and ultimately helping him launch Vision Cellars.

Vision Cellars has since earned placement on the wine lists of some of the nation’s top restaurants, gaining devoted fans and helping open doors for other wineries owned by people of color.

(Bio from SevenFifty Daily)

The Sonoma County Library Foundation and Tasting Diversity created the Mac McDonald Leadership Award to perpetuate Mac McDonald’s example and legacy. The purpose of the Mac Award is to recognize promising and emerging African American leaders in the production sectors of the Sonoma wine industry, including winemaking and winegrowing. Rather than honoring senior lifetime achievement, the award focuses on identifying and encouraging the next generation of leaders.

Nominations for the Mac Award are open to the public. Anyone may submit a nominee who meets the established criteria. The award is presented annually, with the recipient selected from all submissions by a blue-ribbon peer review panel.