The Affordable Wine Marcus Samuelsson Keeps Stocked On His Bar Cart

Marcus Samuelsson is not only a well-accomplished chef, restaurateur, and television personality who has served as a judge in various iterations of "Top Chef," "Chopped," and "Iron Chef." He's also known for his bright and bold fashion sense and down-to-earth personality, and when Samuelsson signs off on a budget-friendly wine, fans are sure to stock up.

Samuelsson is of Ethiopian background, but he grew up in Sweden, and has since called New York's Harlem his home — he even helps produce a food and culture festival in the neighborhood every year. However, he loves the culture of Miami and actually opened a location of his popular Harlem restaurant, Red Rooster, in the Overtown neighborhood of Miami, also referred to as the Harlem of the South. Samuelsson told the New York Post about items that he keeps stocked while in Miami so that he can enjoy himself to the fullest. The chef's list includes stylish sunglasses, bright yet elegant floral shirts, a statement hat, and yes, great bottles of wine.

Chef Marcus Samuelsson loves wines from Andréa and Robin McBride. The two half-sisters met after their father, who was dying of cancer, implored his family to connect these two young women who had no idea the other existed. It just so happened that the sisters each lived in wine-making regions — one in Marlborough, New Zealand and the other in the Central Valley of California — and had independently developed passions for wine. When the two met and quickly became close, the next move was obvious: Start making wine together. The McBride sisters, who have spoken about valuing diversity and sustainability in their business, created McBride Sisters Wine Company in 2005, and it's grown into "the largest Black-owned wine company in the United States."

The company offers a range of drinkable options, including the McBride Sisters Collection, McBride Sisters Reserve Collection, SHE CAN canned wines, and the Black Girl Magic Wines. The Black Girl Magic Wines are the most affordable of the bottles and the collection that Samuelsson recommends especially because, as he told the New York Post, he "love[s] when food or drink is also a conversation piece."

The McBride Sisters Black Girl Magic collection includes a riesling, rosé, merlot, zinfandel, red blend, and a sparkling brut. There's also bubbly versions of the red, rosé and riesling in chic, party-ready cans. The rosé is dry and acidic with notes of stone fruit and citrus, while the mildly sweet and tangy riesling takes the palate in a tropical fruit direction.The merlot is juicy, with notes of chocolate and cherry. The zinfandel leans more toward dried and cooked red and dark fruits, with a hint of oak and vanilla. The complex red blend includes notes of juicy berry and fresh dark stone fruits, but is also balanced by a peppery edge and grippy tannins.

If you want to be like Marcus Sameulsson and stock up your bar cart, these wines are available for shipment directly from the McBride Sisters Wine Company website, but can also be purchased at popular sellers like Drizly, Trader Joes, and Target. Bottles generally range in price from $20-60.

On the inspiration for the Black Girl Magic Wines, the McBride sisters explain, "Black women have been at the forefront of beauty, culture and style since the dawn of time — yet are always last when it comes to products and services designed with them in mind. No more."