On Kevin Hart's talk show “Hart to Heart," we were able to indulge not only in his comedy but in his heartfelt conversations with the likes of Don Cheadle, Dwayne Johnson, and Saweetie. And while we laughed and enjoyed a deeper and more thoughtful conversation, the show’s guests often shared a bottle of wine uniquely chosen by the BET Awards host's own sommelier.

While Will Smith spoke about his career trajectory and Jay-Z discussed fatherhood, they were all introduced to a wine pairing that showcased high expertise by sommelier DLynn. 

With many Black-owned wine brands emerging, the person with a refined palate, a keen sense of smell, and thorough knowledge of wine topography is the sommelier.  

The Court of Master Sommeliers Americas describes a sommelier as someone who, “may also use their skills and knowledge to coordinate food pairings, facilitate wine education, and are often responsible for the entire beverage selection, including beer, sake, spirits and cocktails,” according to Food Network.

There are even levels to the sommelier game. A sommelier will reach the highest level of Master Sommelier by passing the Certified Sommelier Examination, which includes tasting, theory and hospitality and service portions—six wine flights, verbal grid for tasting and intense schemes in the service examination.

With so many new and established Black-owned wine brands, we wanted to introduce the sommeliers who are bringing their refined palate and knowledge to the wine landscape: