Marvina Robinson fell in love with champagne as a “broke college student,” when she and her friends scraped together enough money to buy a bottle or two, for no reason other than to enjoy it.
From then on, she had a goal: to create her own label, with a niche.
In February 2020, after more than two decades on Wall Street, Ms. Robinson, now 45, launched B. Stuyvesant Champagne, named after the Brooklyn neighborhood where she grew up.
On June 30, she opened a 2,000-square-foot tasting room and headquarters in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where she began hosting regular “sip and chats” featuring her bubbly and hopes to host other events, including intimate weddings, in the near future.
Ms. Robinson built her career from the ground up. She herself organized not only all the legwork but also all the financial support. “I don’t have any investors, I don’t have any venture capital money, it’s all me,” she said. Her product is produced in Epernay, France, part of the country’s Champagne region, and imported into the United States. The brand now offers several varieties of champagne, including Reserve, Grand Reserve and Rosé.
As one of the few black women to own a champagne label, she faced mistrust from some of her peers. “When I go to a show, I’m like, ‘Is this really champagne?’ I get that.
The entrepreneur, as she said, had little time to entertain the doubters. Mrs. Robinson launched the Anivram dining collection of glassware this year when she completed her headquarters. She collaborates with chocolatier Ronnie-Sue Chocolats in Lower Manhattan to create truffles paired with a variety of B. Stuyvesant Champagnes. And she plans to introduce a branded vending machine stocked with her products.
“It was not an easy road for me,” she said. “But if you build it, they will come. You just have to be consistent with your business practices and goals, and it will pass in no time.
What was it like starting and running your business?
I had no one to turn to when I was working on this. I am a woman. I’m black. To be honest, I didn’t trust many people because I was turned away by many. I get a lot of negative feedback, “This is not your field. This is not your forum. That’s not what you’re good at.” “Well, I’ll just have to figure it out for myself,” I said. That’s what I did too.
I was expelled from three or four vineyards. I was fine with that; I just looked at it like this is not right for me. Then I met a vineyard owner and I really liked her because she answered all my questions. She was open minded to things I wanted to do and that’s what I liked about her.
There are people who judge you just because of how you look. So, you have to prove yourself. I am always tempted because I am not normal. When retailers arrive, the first thing they say is, “Why buy B. Stuyvesant?” “You have the option to buy what you like,” I say. I don’t label myself as “I’m a woman” or “I’m black.” I am guided by the quality of the product.
Describe your vision for the headquarters and tasting area.
I designed it myself: the walls are navy blue because that’s the label color for our big reserve, my signature cuvée, which is the first cuvée I’ve moved on to. We put new floors. We have the Navy Yard in an old building. This place was a very interesting sight: gray walls, not beautiful. We invest time and money into space.
When people come to an event, we want it to be an experience. No two events are the same. I lead everyone through the tastings. I talk about my French adventures, I even suggest other champagnes. There are so many beautiful champagnes out there.
What more people should know about champagne?
If you drink from the wrong glass, you won’t get the full experience. If you drink from a cup, you will lose your foam. The bubbles are fragrant and enhance the taste. You need to use a tulip glass or a regular white wine glass because it opens but not too wide. It allows the champagne to breathe, but it’s not so open that your cuvée will heat up or go too fast.
Have you ever wanted to quit?
I go through all this time. I was scared to even build this new place. I was scared because it is very expensive to build a beautiful place. Sometimes when business slows down, I get a little worried, “Oh my, it’s slowing down.” Every business has a cycle.
I go through those feelings. But then I look at the people celebrating with champagne, and I will be happy. Three weddings in the last two weeks have asked us for champagne.
Do you get a lot of wedding inquiries?
People ask us to make boxes for their guests or for the bride and groom. Last year, we had a New Year’s Eve wedding where they did a champagne toast and wanted some large bottles. At another wedding, each guest receives a bottle of champagne in a custom-stamped wooden box.
Why do you think champagne is synonymous with weddings?
People think that champagne is a celebration. Popping this bottle, you see the bubbles, the fizz, you’re making fun. So, it goes hand in hand.
It can be opened at any time though for me. Going to drink.
Ten years from now, what are you waiting for?
We are expanding fully to B. Stuyvesant throughout the United States and the world. We’re just having fun. It took us years to get to this point. And we are drinking from Anivram dining set glasses. In 10 years, we’ll be inviting B. Stuyvesant to the NBA to celebrate a championship game win. That is why we anoint him.
This interview has been slightly edited for clarity.
