San Francisco: the City of Love, the City by the Bay, the City of … Vines? While this prominent California city may not be widely recognized for its viticulture, one urban farm is trying to change that.
The farm, known as the 280 Project, was founded by Christopher Renfro in 2020 and is a nonprofit dedicated to making the wine industry more accessible for marginalized communities. By offering hands-on apprenticeships and training, the project aims to break down the long-standing barriers that have limited women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underrepresented groups from entering the world of winemaking.
Renfro’s journey into wine was far from conventional. Born in the U.S., he spent part of his childhood in Germany before moving back to America. He’s lived in the Bay Area for nearly 20 years, finding his way into the wine industry while working as a server.
“I moved here at the end of 2006 and have been here ever since,” Renfro said. “I traveled through Texas, Louisiana, Colorado, Kentucky, but I haven’t left the country since I was a child. It’s weird being in wine now, where everyone talks about diversity, equity, and inclusion. For me, being able to travel is a sign of equity, and I haven’t been able to do that, even though I’ve sent apprentices abroad.”
This personal experience of limited access to travel resonates with Renfro’s larger goal of creating equity in an industry that has long been dominated by wealth and connections. Renfro initially got into wine as a way to make better money in the service industry, but as his curiosity grew, he became fascinated with the land and the idea of generational wealth tied to vineyards.
“I figured wine skills were the way to get closer to wealthy people,” he explained. “You get 20 percent on a higher ticket, and you walk away with good money. But over time, I became interested in the land itself and the generational wealth behind it — something Black and Brown people don’t have in places like Napa or Sonoma.”
The lack of Black and Brown ownership in Napa is one of the driving forces behind the 280 Project. The region has nearly 2,000 wineries, and only a sliver of them are owned by racial minorities. Renfro recognized an industry full of gatekeepers, where even the hardest workers were often overlooked.
“It’s the Latin men who hustle the hardest, doing all the craziest work, but they get so little recognition,” Renfro said. “I’ve seen White men dismiss master grafters who keep their vineyards running, and it frustrates me. The success of their vineyards relies on these workers, but they’re treated like they’re owned.”
The 280 Project — named because the vineyard is adjacent to the Alemany Apartments housing project, just off the 280 Highway — is changing this dynamic by creating a pathway into the wine industry for marginalized communities. The nonprofit offers paid apprenticeships that provide hands-on experience in various aspects of viticulture, from vineyard management to marketing and winemaking.
“We give people a chance to see different vineyards every week, and they get paid for their work,” Renfro said. “Our goal is to show them there are many career paths in wine, whether it’s being a winemaker, a graphic designer, or a sommelier.”
Renfro’s work with the 280 Project has garnered national attention, most notably landing him a spot on Wine Enthusiast’s prestigious 40 Under 40 list in 2024. This annual list highlights young innovators, leaders who are “part of a wave changing the wine, spirits, beer, cider and cannabis spaces for the better.” Being named to the list places Renfro among the top voices transforming the industry, particularly for his efforts to promote diversity and sustainability.
In addition to his work with the 280 Project, Renfro and his partner, Jannea Tschirch, opened Friend of a Friend, a wine shop in San Francisco that focuses on sustainable, organic, and biodynamic wines made by winemakers from marginalized backgrounds.
For Renfro, the shop represents more than just a place to buy wine, it’s a space where everyone is welcome, and the contributions of underrepresented winemakers are celebrated. Friend of a Friend is part of his larger vision for building an inclusive wine community.
Renfro’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond his work in the vineyard. At the 280 Project’s urban farm, he has made the decision to graft all the Pinot Noir vines over to hybrid varietals, which are more resistant to pests and drought.
Hybrid varietals are a cross between two or more grape species, often combining the strengths of different varieties to increase resistance to environmental stressors like pests, diseases, and extreme weather. In contrast, conventional varietals, such as Pinot Noir, come from a single species and may be more susceptible to these diseases.
“I’m interested in creating a network of hybrid varietals that are sustainable and can produce high-quality wines,” Renfro said. “With climate change, hybrids are the future. Someone’s going to push that spectrum in Napa, and when it happens, it’s going to ripple through the industry in a big way.”
Renfro also sees a connection between hybrid varietals and reducing the environmental impact of conventional vineyard practices, particularly the use of sulfur and other chemicals that can harm ecosystems.
“When we start talking about the impact on beneficial pollinators, birds, and other animals in the vineyard, if humans have to be out of a vineyard for 48 hours after spraying chemicals, why aren’t those things being talked about?” he asked. “A lot of hybrids have been bred in a way that they don’t need those chemicals, and I think that’s the future.”
As the 280 Project continues to grow, Renfro is setting his sights on collaborating with universities like Cornell and UC Davis to further research on hybrid grape varietals.
“I want to work with different places and make sure Napa has someone pushing the hybrid spectrum,” Renfro said. He would love to expand the program globally, providing apprentices with opportunities to travel and learn from vineyards around the world.
Renfro’s mission is about more than just creating opportunities, it’s about reshaping the wine industry to be more inclusive and sustainable. “The interest is there, and we’re just getting started,” Renfro said. “There’s so much more to come.”
David Salazar serves as the 2024 American Farmland Trust Agriculture Communications Intern at AGDAILY, with a focus on helping to amplify diversity and minority voices in agriculture. David is originally from King City, California, and attended the University of California, Fresno, as a first-generation college student. He received a bachelor’s degree in viticulture and enology and has worked in California’s premier wine producing regions.
