Who is this girl?
I am an enthusiastic, passionate lover of food and wine! Perhaps influenced by my Italian heritage, my interest in philosophy and the spirit of Dionysus or days spent with my mother at her restaurant job when I was a child. Whatever it was, my youthful curiosity has never left me. For the past several years I have been focused on developing my five senses to explore the experience of what we eat and drink. Education, however, is not just about learning; it is about sharing experiences. So while it is part of my job to know and understand as much as I can about food and wine, my real passion is sharing that knowledge with others so that we can revel in the delicious together.
What are her credentials?
Following in my mother’s footsteps, I took my first restaurant job at the age of sixteen. What started out as a flexible job while I was in school has become an alternative classroom. My interest was first piqued while working at a Tuscan restaurant and wine bar outside of Philadelphia. The owner had organized an international wine competition to be hosted at the Four Seasons and I offered to work the event. As I watched the multitude of wine industry experts vigorously sniffing and scribbling notes – the intensity and excitement in their focus – I realized that these wines were more like works of art on display than thirst-quenching beverages and they obviously had a captivated audience. A few years later, while still working on my college degree, I turned twenty-one and enrolled at the Art Institute of Phoenix to begin classes with the International Sommelier Guild. My early enthusiasm and wine education allowed me to find work with some Phoenix’s most talented chefs and connoisseurs of taste. After graduating from college and completing the introductory exam with the Court of Master SommeliersI decided to broaden my experience by moving to the top food and wine destination in the United States – Napa, CA. I took a job working in a restaurant in Yountville, CA until finally landing a position as Wine Educator and Hospitality Specialist at Luna Vineyards on the prestigious Silverado Trail. While I was able to learn a lot in California, I realized that my enthusiasm and experience would be put to better use in a less saturated market. Upon returning to Phoenix I studied for and passed the Sommelier Certification exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers. I still currently work for some of the most well-regarded restaurants in the greater Phoenix area, am continuing my own food and wine education and looking for any opportunity to share my knowledge and passion with others.
What is wine and why would I want to learn about it?
This question may be a bit philosophical and best discussed amongst friends while sharing a bottle, but that is exactly what wine is to me. It is the most philosophic of beverages - something to ponder. The history of wine pre-dates written history and has, in some ways, been one of the most respected intoxicants imbued with religious connotation. The history of wine may well be a history of civilization (or vice-versa) as we can see most simply in the settlements established by Spanish missions and the cultivation of vines all throughout the Southwest – including Arizona. Wine is an expression of culture and place. The work done in the vineyard and in the wine cellar is most often an act of passion – it is artistry. In this way we can learn about, explore, contemplate, and discuss wine just as a student of art would visit a museum.
That being said, food and wine can be just as much about nourishing the mind as the body. The pleasure of sensation goes beyond the mere details of nutrition. This is another reason to learn, perhaps not specifically about wine, but about the senses and how to pay attention to them. It is ultimately about finding out what you like and enjoying it. The better you get at identifying and communicating what your senses are telling you, the more you will be able to get what you want. It also never hurts to try something new!
I am an enthusiastic, passionate lover of food and wine! Perhaps influenced by my Italian heritage, my interest in philosophy and the spirit of Dionysus or days spent with my mother at her restaurant job when I was a child. Whatever it was, my youthful curiosity has never left me. For the past several years I have been focused on developing my five senses to explore the experience of what we eat and drink. Education, however, is not just about learning; it is about sharing experiences. So while it is part of my job to know and understand as much as I can about food and wine, my real passion is sharing that knowledge with others so that we can revel in the delicious together.
What are her credentials?
Following in my mother’s footsteps, I took my first restaurant job at the age of sixteen. What started out as a flexible job while I was in school has become an alternative classroom. My interest was first piqued while working at a Tuscan restaurant and wine bar outside of Philadelphia. The owner had organized an international wine competition to be hosted at the Four Seasons and I offered to work the event. As I watched the multitude of wine industry experts vigorously sniffing and scribbling notes – the intensity and excitement in their focus – I realized that these wines were more like works of art on display than thirst-quenching beverages and they obviously had a captivated audience. A few years later, while still working on my college degree, I turned twenty-one and enrolled at the Art Institute of Phoenix to begin classes with the International Sommelier Guild. My early enthusiasm and wine education allowed me to find work with some Phoenix’s most talented chefs and connoisseurs of taste. After graduating from college and completing the introductory exam with the Court of Master SommeliersI decided to broaden my experience by moving to the top food and wine destination in the United States – Napa, CA. I took a job working in a restaurant in Yountville, CA until finally landing a position as Wine Educator and Hospitality Specialist at Luna Vineyards on the prestigious Silverado Trail. While I was able to learn a lot in California, I realized that my enthusiasm and experience would be put to better use in a less saturated market. Upon returning to Phoenix I studied for and passed the Sommelier Certification exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers. I still currently work for some of the most well-regarded restaurants in the greater Phoenix area, am continuing my own food and wine education and looking for any opportunity to share my knowledge and passion with others.
What is wine and why would I want to learn about it?
This question may be a bit philosophical and best discussed amongst friends while sharing a bottle, but that is exactly what wine is to me. It is the most philosophic of beverages - something to ponder. The history of wine pre-dates written history and has, in some ways, been one of the most respected intoxicants imbued with religious connotation. The history of wine may well be a history of civilization (or vice-versa) as we can see most simply in the settlements established by Spanish missions and the cultivation of vines all throughout the Southwest – including Arizona. Wine is an expression of culture and place. The work done in the vineyard and in the wine cellar is most often an act of passion – it is artistry. In this way we can learn about, explore, contemplate, and discuss wine just as a student of art would visit a museum.
That being said, food and wine can be just as much about nourishing the mind as the body. The pleasure of sensation goes beyond the mere details of nutrition. This is another reason to learn, perhaps not specifically about wine, but about the senses and how to pay attention to them. It is ultimately about finding out what you like and enjoying it. The better you get at identifying and communicating what your senses are telling you, the more you will be able to get what you want. It also never hurts to try something new!