Theodora Lee has led Theopolis Vineyards in Mendocino County for 20 years, producing award-winning wines and advocating for diversity in the wine industry.|
KATHLEEN SCAVONE
FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Theodora Lee aka "Queen of the Vineyards" has reigned over her Mendocino County land since 2003.
On this 20-acre property along Highway 128, she is the voice and wine expert behind one of the few Black women-owned wineries in the North Bay. The senior law partner, trial lawyer and proprietor of Theopolis Vineyards, was the first Black vineyard owner and wine producer in Mendocino County.
“If the wine industry wants to support Black winery owners, larger wineries should partner with and invest in these Black wine entrepreneurs,” Lee said. “Because of the buying power and potential of Black wine consumers, and in light of the industry seeking growth areas, such partnerships could grow Black brands, while competently serving diverse audiences.”
Lee is also a member of the Association of African American Vintners, an organization that aims for inclusivity in the wine industry. When she joined the organization in 2002, she was one of six members, now there about 10 members who operate in Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties.
”I do know that Black-owned wineries account for less than 1% of all U.S. wineries,“ she said, ”Yet, Black people typically make up more than 10 percent of American wine consumers.“
For more stories about the local Black experience, go to pdne.ws/42pVpdK.
Now in its 20 years of business, Theopolis Vineyards has expanded production from 300 cases to 2,500 cases annually. Theopolis Vineyards bottles petite sirah, rosé of petite sirah, pinot noir cuvée and cuvée blanc.
"One of the best things about running Theopolis Vineyards is alchemizing my vision into reality, harnessing a dream, delivering a superior product, and bringing pleasure in the bottle to the consumer," she said.
All the bottles don the same signature gold foiled label of a Greek person sitting under an awning covered in grape vines.
Lee recommends newcomers to her brand try the Estate Grown Petite Sirah. The wine has notes of dried rose petals, black cherry, sage, black pepper, cardamom, clove and soft notes of vanilla.
Lee first entered her wine in competitions in 2014. And she’s won plenty of awards for her wines including gold medals at the Sunset Magazine International Wine Competition and double gold at the San Francisco Chronicle International Wine Competition, among others.
Over the years Lee said, “the wine scene has become more competitive, and wine sales seem to be slowing. However, I do see more diverse wine drinkers and more Black sommeliers, wine educators, etc., which is a major transformation."
Lee’s love for nature, farming and tending to the land started early, while growing up in Texas. She helped at her grandfather's cattle farm and learned how to drive a tractor at eight years old.
Her first introduction to wine and winemaking began around this time, too.
”My dad picked wild Muscadine grapes and made home brew,“ she said. ”Given that Muscadine was my first introduction to wine, I found that sweet and syrupy wine nasty. I really had no taste for wine until I moved to California in the ’80s, and learned about fine wine.“
Muscadine grapes are very sweet with a musky flavor and the grape’s skin is slightly bitter. The grapes grow from Florida to New Jersey, and in Texas and Oklahoma.
After graduating from Spelman College and University of Texas Austin, Lee passed the California Bar Exam in 1987, and began working as a lawyer at Littler Mendelson, P.C. She’s been working at the firm for over 36 years and divides her time between Yorkville Highlands, Oakland Hills and Dallas.
Dreams planted in petite sirah grapes
While working as a lawyer, she received a different kind of wine education, one that began with lessons while at dinner with colleagues or while working on cases at co-workers’ home.
"My first introduction to a grape farm was in Healdsburg, and specifically Dry Creek Valley,“ she said.”Walking that vineyard made me want to become a grape farmer. So, after that experience, I began looking for land.“
Lee looked at places in Napa and Sonoma counties, but at the end of the day, they were out of her price range. Someone suggested she look in Mendocino County and she purchased her land in 2001.
Lee notes mentor, Barbara Oddone of Oddone Vineyard located in Dry Creek Valley, and co-owner of Oddone Vineyards, was both her mentor in law and in the vineyard.
“Barbara Oddone taught me that farming relies on mother nature, and one needs to be patient,” she said.“Also, the vineyard manager from Oddone Vineyards planted my vineyard (five acres of petite sirah grapes), and I adopted those same sustainable viticulture practices.
