In this episode we had the pleasure of speaking with Wanda Cole-Nicholson, Founder of VinBev. In this episode we speak to Wanda about:
Wanda's Bio
Through her culinary experiences working as a Sommelier, Wanda Cole-Nicholson has been inspired to create pairings that showcase the complexities of different cuisine. She has crafted and implemented beverage list and wine and spirits training programs. Her education includes Advanced Sommelier Certification from The Court of Master Sommelier's and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Missouri in Spanish. She plans to sit for the Master Sommelier exam in 2018.
She has been fortunate to have worked for many of Chicago’s world class establishments and institutions including ¡Salpicón!, Kendall College, Mercat a la Planxa, NaHa, and BR Guest Restaurants. In October of 2009 she created Vinterpretation offering wine consulting, education, and event planning. After several years of working multiple facets of the business with experience in tow, she was inspired to continue the next phase of her consulting career via the creation of Dallas-based VinBev. When not working, studying, or home making, she enjoys tasting wines from all over the world, as well as educating others on the joy of wine and spirits.
The Last Sip:
When you finish your day and sit down with your favorite glass of wine, what is on your music playlist? Pandora Stations – Incognito and Brand New Heavies, Roots
For more information:
www.vinbev.com
Social Media:
Instagram: @vindiva7
Facebook: @wanda cole-nichloson
In this episode we had the pleasure of speaking with Cha McCoy of Cha Squared Hospitality. In this episode we speak to Cha about:
Cha's Bio
Cha McCoy is the Chief Visionary Officer and Founder of CHA Squared Hospitality LLC, a lifestyle company with a focus on Tourism and Gastronomy. In 2012, she achieved her MBA in Italy; an opportunity which led her to drink and eat in close to 20 countries. As a former expat, she has fostered wine relations and created experiences in the following wine regions globally: Italy, France, USA (California and NY), Chile, Argentina, South Africa, and Hungary.
Her admiration for wine lead her to study as a wine professional, achieving Certified Sommelier Level with the Court of The Master Sommeliers, WSET Level 2 Wine & Spirits Award and WSET Level 3 Advanced Certification in Wine. She is a public speaker, curator and host for intimate wine experiences with a stellar track record of supporting and building with Small Business Owners in gastronomy which ignited her event THE COMMUNION. A pop up wine tasting and food pairing experience that led the invitation to prepare the wine menu for the James Beard's House, Thanksgiving Dinner of 2017.
As trained civil engineer, she developed her career as a Real Estate and Construction Project Manager. Her extensive portfolio includes but not limited to; Interior Renovations, New Construction and Green Building and clients include Luxury Fashion Brands, High End Residential and Museums. She is also co-founded The Culture Bazaar, a blog whose mission is to connect people through culture immerisve experiences. The Last Sip: When you finish your day and sit down with your favorite glass of wine, what is on your music playlist? Anderson Pak, HER and For the Turn-Up – Migos
For more information:
For Information and Tickets to Cha’s next Communion and to sign up for updates for her next Wine Club installment, please see the following link: https://www.chamccoy.com/events/
Social Media: Instagram: @cha-squared Facebook: @Chasquaredproject
In the sixth episode of our fourth season we had the pleasure of speaking with Martin Reyes MW of Peter Paul Wines! In our conversation we talked about:
Martin’s Bio: A first-generation American, Martin is the first Master of Wine of Mexican descent and one of only 47 MWs in the country. With a 16-year career as a respected buyer, importer, and educator, he has held influential roles in many sectors of the industry. Martin’s wine story began with an over-indulgent Parisian dinner as a Stanford undergrad and, by 2003, he was stocking shelves at K&L. In 2011, Martin became the principal buyer for an importer operating prominent wine club programs including The New York Times and Williams-Sonoma. His importing team was profiled in The Tasting Panel Magazine, and he was named one of Wine Enthusiast’s Top Forty under Forty Tastemakers in 2015. Today, Martin continues to work across the full supply chain, from winery management and production (Peter Paul Wines), to consulting for a range of businesses including luxury Napa Valley brands (Vice Versa Wines, Spottswoode Estate), importers (Copa Fine Imports) and software companies (Vivino.com). More recently, he launched Reyes Selections, a small East Coast-based portfolio of imported wines culled from his past travels. Martin also holds a Diploma in Wine & Spirits and is a Certified Wine Educator. In his free time, he attempts to become fluent in a fifth language and raises his daughter trilingually, together with his wife in Vallejo, CA. The Last Five Sips:
How you can connect with Martin online and on Social Media: Website: https://www.peterpaulwines.com/about Instagram: @reyeswine.mw Resource Links: https://www.mastersofwine.org/en/meet-the-masters/profile/index.cfm/id/61b6a043-5e4b-e211-a20600155d6d822c http://krohn.pt/our-port-wines/classic-vintage-port/ https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/wine https://www.meininger.de/en/wine-business-international https://www.wsetglobal.com/ https://www.cawg.org/ http://www.viceversawine.com/people
In the fifth episode of our fourth season we had the pleasure of speaking with Martin Reyes MW of Peter Paul Wines! In our conversation we talked about:
Martin’s Bio: A first-generation American, Martin is the first Master of Wine of Mexican descent and one of only 47 MWs in the country. With a 16-year career as a respected buyer, importer, and educator, he has held influential roles in many sectors of the industry. Martin’s wine story began with an over-indulgent Parisian dinner as a Stanford undergrad and, by 2003, he was stocking shelves at K&L. In 2011, Martin became the principal buyer for an importer operating prominent wine club programs including The New York Times and Williams-Sonoma. His importing team was profiled in The Tasting Panel Magazine, and he was named one of Wine Enthusiast’s Top Forty under Forty Tastemakers in 2015. Today, Martin continues to work across the full supply chain, from winery management and production (Peter Paul Wines), to consulting for a range of businesses including luxury Napa Valley brands (Vice Versa Wines, Spottswoode Estate), importers (Copa Fine Imports) and software companies (Vivino.com). More recently, he launched Reyes Selections, a small East Coast-based portfolio of imported wines culled from his past travels. Martin also holds a Diploma in Wine & Spirits and is a Certified Wine Educator. In his free time, he attempts to become fluent in a fifth language and raises his daughter trilingually, together with his wife in Vallejo, CA. The Last Five Sips:
How you can connect with Martin online and on Social Media: Website: https://www.peterpaulwines.com/about Instagram: @reyeswine.mw Resource Links: https://www.mastersofwine.org/en/meet-the-masters/profile/index.cfm/id/61b6a043-5e4b-e211-a20600155d6d822c http://krohn.pt/our-port-wines/classic-vintage-port/ https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/wine https://www.meininger.de/en/wine-business-international https://www.wsetglobal.com/ https://www.cawg.org/ http://www.viceversawine.com/people
Shayla Varnado is the woman behind the glass. After thoroughly enjoying her twenties, Shayla decided that there had to be more to experience, more to enjoy, and more to share for women who desire luxury in every day living. Whether it's having a glass of wine with girlfriends, relaxing after work, or simply toasting to success there must be a place where both the woman and her passions are celebrated. After an unsuccessful hunt for something fabulous that celebrated her love for wine and connecting with other successful women she decided to create a space that would educate and inspire black women around the world.
Shayla is a Richmond Va native with a degree from Old Dominion University in fashion and a passion for people. She is a serial entrepreneur, believer, and lover of all beautiful things-- including everything in Target!
For More Information:
Social Media:
Facebook - @blackgirlswine
Instagram - @blackgirlswine
Twitter - @blackgirlswine