Justin Ferguson: TheBlackSommRVA

Justin Ferguson spends his workdays making Virginia real estate
deals. But when work is done and it's time to play, Ferguson
becomes TheBlackSommRVA, a role that allows him to share the wine
knowledge he's learned while becoming a WSET Level 3 certified
sommelier.


"The more I jumped into this business [commercial real estate], I
started being around wine more, and I wanted to be a better agent
and understand what my clients want. So I'm like, let me learn
about it. I've just kept progressing. And here we are now," he
said about the bridging of his real estate and wine careers.
"During COVID, it was great when the world was shutting down, and
you didn't want to talk to anyone about real estate. I would call
people and say, 'Hey, let's drink wine and talk about something
other than real estate. We'll sit six feet apart and just be
humans.' Real estate is transactional, but it gets too
transactional. So, like, hey, Justin is here to provide wine
value to me as well."


But Ferguson doesn't just use wine to help his real estate
career.


He's been able to launch a second career as the wine director at
The Underground Kitchen in Richmond, Virginia.


"It is an experiential dining kitchen. So we're not open every
day, which is great," he said. "The Kitchen pays respect and
creativity to the LGBTQ community but also to chefs of color with
flavors. We like seasoning. Chef Steve Glenn likes Creole and
Southern cooking. So that's good portion sizes, but really
well-seasoned food. It's fun pairing different cultures with
wine."


Initially inspired by Dlynn Proctor and the movie SOMM, Ferguson
said he hopes his efforts expose more people to the beauty and
wonder of wine.


"There was a guy, his name was Dlynn Proctor, and he was, like,
the only Black guy. There aren't many Black Master Somms. So
seeing him in that role sparked the idea — representation
matters," Ferguson said about his initial push toward earning his
sommelier certification. "Because my family still, to this day,
doesn't drink wine; they aren't wine people. They are beer and
other alcohol drinkers. I think [wine] wasn't introduced
throughout my culture the same way other spirits were."


When asked to recommend a bottle of wine for Eat It, Virginia
listeners to try, Ferguson did not hesitate.


"The thing on top of my mind right now is, honestly, Black
winemakers," he said. "One that I've been enjoying is O.P.P wine
(Other People's Pinot Noir) by André Mack."


Other stuff on this episode:




The opening of Ripple Ray's, a Grateful Dead themed bar in
Richmond (2:10)




The new Mardi Gras menu at Get Tight Lounge (2:45)




The Sunday Bagel phenomenon (4:40)




The opening of the Ugly Dumpling (6:45)




Robey's new column in Style Weekly (7:50)




Robey's recent visits to Brave Captain and Susie's (9:00)




The Mailbag wants to know about James Beard Awards snubbing
Richmond restaurants once again (12:00)




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