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Philly Native Tahiirah Habibi Launches Sommelier Scholarship Program with Wine School

Recipients will study in Philadelphia, with additional scholarships available nationwide

PHILADELPHIA, July 14, 2026 — The Wine School of Philadelphia and The Hue Society are launching the Habibi Sommelier Scholarship Program, a $10,000 first-year commitment providing merit-based scholarships to communities underrepresented in the wine industry.

The program includes scholarships for the Wine School of Philadelphia’s in-person Core Sommelier Program as well as for its online Level One Wine Certification Program. In-person classes are held at the school’s classroom in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood.

The partnership has special significance for The Hue Society founder Tahiirah Habibi, a Philadelphia native and award-winning sommelier who began her formal wine education at the Wine School of Philadelphia.

Habibi was the first Black woman to appear on the cover of Wine Enthusiast and received the magazine’s 2022 Wine Star Award as Social Visionary of the Year.

“As a graduate of the Wine School of Philadelphia, this partnership is a deeply personal, full-circle moment for me,” Habibi said. “The education I received there gave me the technical foundation, confidence and professional credibility to build my career. I know firsthand how transformative the Wine School’s curriculum can be, and I am proud that my alma mater is investing directly in the next generation of wine professionals.”

“Tahiirah’s career reflects what the Wine School of Philadelphia was created to do: identify talent, provide rigorous professional education and prepare graduates to lead,” said Keith Wallace, founder of the Wine School of Philadelphia. “She has become one of the most important voices in the American wine industry, and we are proud to partner with her to open the same doors for the professionals who will follow.”

Applications are open to U.S. residents age 21 or older who are pursuing careers in wine. The application deadline is Aug. 31, 2026. The Hue Society will select the recipients, with the first scholarship awards to be announced beginning in September 2026.

The announcement comes ahead of Wine & Culture Fest 2026, which The Hue Society produces July 25 at the Bok Building in South Philadelphia.

In 2026, The Philadelphia Inquirer recognized the Wine School as a Philadelphia Favorite and a Top Trade School. WineMaker Magazine calls its Core Sommelier Program “one of the best sommelier training programs in America.”