It’s not every day that you come across someone who has stepped away from a promising career in healthcare—and ventured into an unconventional path like wine making. Yet, this is precisely what Dr. Chris (Christine) Wachira did.
Defying traditional career expectations, especially those held by many African parents, she took a stab at wine making, and it has paid off. Christine is today a successful winemaker, of the very few female and black distributor, importer, and exporter.
Born and raised in Kenya, and currently living in the US, Christine has fond memories of growing up with two brothers and spending time with her grandmother, mother, and aunties in Muranga. She attended Loreto High School, a National girls school in Limuru, a period she recalls with pride as a proud ‘Kotetian.’
The late 90s brought significant change when her family moved to the United States. Here, Christine began her college education, which led to a 15-year career in healthcare. Despite her success in the corporate world, Christine felt the pull of a different passion—wine making. What began as a personal passion project as a consumer soon turned into a mission to craft wines.
So how did she reinvent herself as a winemaker?
“My introduction to wine was purely from a consumer perspective. I enjoyed the wine culture in California’s wine regions—Napa, Sonoma, and Paso Robles. I loved meeting strangers who also enjoyed wine. We built friendships and relationships over glasses and bottles shared. Then I started crafting as a purely selfish passion project. Being a science nerd and then working in Improvement Science at Stanford Healthcare, I was tasked with identifying gaps in systems and leading teams to solutions for improved clinical outcomes. This background played a significant part when I couldn’t find wines in California’s wine country that complemented my Kenyan mom’s cooking. I decided to fix it and craft some wines for her. I learned wine making techniques from friends who owned wineries; techniques such as developing my palate, locking down my signature Kenyan Accent, the ageing processes, etc., and the rest, as they say, is HERstory,” she says.
Her determination and innovative spirit led her to create Wachira Wines, the first Kenyan-American winery in the US, where she crafts Californian wines with a distinct Kenyan flair.
Christine takes her clientele on a sensory adventure she calls the Wachira Wine Safari. Each wine showcases wildlife on the labels, with the Black Labels featuring The Big Five: the buffalo, rhino, elephant, leopard, and lion. This blend of Californian craftsmanship and Kenyan culture creates a wine experience that is uniquely Kenyan-American.
The winery currently boasts three collections. The Black Label Collection, also known as The Big Five, includes a Chardonnay (Buffalo), Cabernet Sauvignon (Rhino), Zinfandel (Elephant), Muscat (Leopard), and a Sparkling white (Lion). The Rose Gold Collection features a Rose (Impala), while The Queens Collection offers natural wines, including a Pinot Noir and a White blend.
Choosing the name ‘Wachira’ for her winery was a decision rooted in legacy and pride. Christine wanted a brand that stood for quality and timelessness, one that represented more than just herself. “The French name their wineries after their French families, the Italians do the same, and so do the Americans. It is about legacy. I have such tremendous pride in who I am and where I am from. I am a Wachira,” she says.
Running a black-owned and woman-owned winery has not been without its challenges. Christine faced obstacles such as limited financial resources, production facility limitations, and market skepticism. Yet, she views these challenges as learning opportunities that have made her stronger. Through resilience and innovation, Wachira Wines has celebrated milestones that signal progress and potential. She has secured crucial partnerships and received positive feedback from early adopters.
To aspiring winemakers, especially women of colour, Christine offers sage advice.
“Wine is a very capital-intensive business because you can easily spend over $100,000 [Sh12.9 million] on a product before you taste it. If you choose to make wine, commit yourself to learning the craft of wine making and the business of wine. Be patient and trust the process because it will not be easy, but it is doable, is rewarding, and the R&D is very enjoyable,” she says, adding, “besides wine making, there are so many alternative avenues in the industry that are begging for diversity—sommeliers, event planners, wine educators, wine editors, etc.”
Looking ahead, Wachira Wines is in its scale phase. With the wines now served in multiple restaurants and bars, including in Disneyland, and 44 states across the U.S., the goal is to maximize market penetration nationwide. Exciting projects include new packaging modalities to make their wines more accessible and plans to export to Kenya by the end of the year.
Her favourite part in wine making?
The tasting after filtration, she says, likening it to watching a baby learn to crawl, then walk, and eventually run. It’s the moment she gets to interact with the wine and witness the development of each wine’s unique characteristics.
Of her wines, Christine has a special fondness for the Wachira Sparkling White.
“It’s the most refreshingly balanced sparkling white I’ve ever had, and I’ve tried some pretty amazing sparkling wines and champagnes. Perhaps because I crafted it specifically to my palate,” she says.
She also enjoys creating innovative wine cocktails with it, finding it a timeless wine.
Although Wachira Wines does not own its vineyards, they source grapes from esteemed regions like Napa, Lodi, Paso Robles, and recently, Mendocino for their natural wine collections. This variability in terroir contributes to the unique flavour profiles that define their signature, balanced wines.
Her dedication to pairing wine with food is evident in her belief that the only correct palate is one’s own. She encourages wine lovers to break traditional pairing rules and embrace a sensory adventure with wines that complement her mom’s mukimo and lamb stew.
Wachira Wines is however not yet in Kenya, but Christine says it will be available before the end of the year (2024).
Christine Wachira’s story is one of courage, passion and resilience. From healthcare to wine making, she has carved out a niche and created a legacy that blends her Kenyan roots with her American experiences, proving that it is never too late to pursue what truly makes you happy.
(You can find her wines on https://wachirawines.com/)
