Today we’d like to introduce you to Diane Williams Roberts.
Hi Diane, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been a lover of fine Wines. I’m a lover of all things that are created from the world of agriculture. And I’m a life-long technologist. My journey towards combining these three loves started in 2003 – first, to learn, 2nd to teach and 3rd to share. In 2003 I embarked on what is now a 17-year journey as a Texas Master Gardener. Before you equate this to the neighborhood gardening club, a Texas Master Gardner is tasked with not only participating in a year-long classroom study but, also annual re-certification for continuous learning. My responsibilities include teaching and active work across the state, championing farmers, local community gardens and teaching community members about gardening and agriculture techniques.
In 2017 the local Master Gardener group began the process of growing grapes in North Texas to learn which varietals work best in this climate. In 2015, I was able to move into the wine industry as a certified taster around the Dallas Fort Worth area. After several months of managing sampling events in DFW, I was encouraged to take the data that I was collecting. On hundreds of wines (vineyards, winemaking characteristics, sampling sheets) and start blogging to share this knowledge with people in my immediate circle of friends (www.positivevines.com). The blog quickly took off and I moved from being an inexperienced blogger to being an active participant in the field of wine writing. I’ve started a podcast, branched into reviewing agriculture books based on growing grapes and am actively expanding my Data Analytics skills in order to provide relevant data on trends in wine and challenges to overcome for vineyard owners.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Of course there have been bumps in the road. Life, my 9-5 (which is really more like a 6-8 since I have remote technology teams around the globe) and now the pandemic. I started international travels to learn more about the wine industry and up the caliber of my writing in 2019 with a trip to the Champagne region of France. My plan was to travel to Italy in 2020 and Spain in 2021. Of course, there would be mini-trips back to France. But, the pandemic has closed the travel borders and I’ve decided to refocus my efforts on the Texas wine region. With every obstacle there have been blessings. I’ve been able to highlight a new Black female winemaker in my podcast- Cheramie Law, learn about the history of Texas scientists in saving the European wine industry from disease blight in the 1800s and being a micro-masters program in Data Analytics. So I’m pushing forward with my goals just a little closer to home.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work is a passion that is now combining wine, agriculture and technology into the future that I envision. I specialize in wine making and grape growing particularly women of color and in the state of Texas. I’m most proud when others ask me for recommendations. I like to ensure that wine can be enjoyed by anyone who wants it regardless of experience or price. I’m also proud of beginning the process of partnering with my son Todd (a chef) in creating new experiences for North Texans that feature great food, great wines and great cocktails. Look for that in the next 6-12 months. I’m also proud of my Wine Certifications. So far, I’ve made it to level 2 of the Wine & Spirits Trust (WSET) and will begin my journey to WSET 3 at the start of 2021. I enjoy adventure and wherever this journey takes me, I want to look back on it, having expanded my set of friends!
What matters most to you? Why?
Accuracy, accessibility and transparency are what are most important to me in my work. I want the data that I present and write about (or podcast about) to be accurate. I want people to know that they can trust what I’m presenting. I want wine and the love of agriculture to be accessible to all. For way too long, wines were thought to be only available to the very rich or there was a fear of asking for the “wrong” wine at dinner. There is no “wrong” wine. It’s should be what you like and are willing to spend that dictates the selection. Transparency in the industry is very important. If there are practices in winemaking that may not be well known and they impact the quality of a wine, I want to share that in a manner that is fair to the vineyard owner, the winemaker and the consumer.
Contact Info:
- Email: positivevines@gmail.com
- Website: www.positivevines.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/positivevine/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/PositiveVines-1626359560984298/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
- Twitter: twitter.com/positive_vines
