Inaugural Winners of MET’s Urban Grape Wine Studies Award Announced

In June, wine retailers TJ and Hadley Douglas launched the Urban Grape Wine Studies Award for Students of Color, a scholarship designed to nurture professional growth in the field for individuals from communities that have historically been marginalized. In November, Suhayl Ramirez and Amanda Best were named the first two winners of the award.

As Urban Grape Wine Studies Award winners, Ramirez and Best will be enrolled in MET’s four-level Certificate in Wine Studies program, and further supported with internship opportunities designed to foster authority on the many elements of the wine trade. In an interview with Bostonia: Boston University’s Alumni Magazine, Ramirez explained that making the world of wine more accessible and inclusive is central to her goals.

“I want to explore the messaging coming from these different wine houses and businesses within the industry, and figure out how can we make it so it appeals to someone who lives in Roxbury, who doesn’t have an extensive wine background, but rather walks to the corner store to get a bottle of wine,” Ramirez said.