This episode features Leslie Wilson, a passionate and seasoned hospitality professional looking to educate and excite beginning wine enthusiasts as they start their journey into learning, loving, and understanding the world of wine. We talk about why she loves learning about wine and translating it in a way that makes it less intimidating for people who want to dive into tastings and understand more about wine. She started in the industry working part-time on weekends at a private City Club in Roswell, GA and some Sundays at the owner's vineyard in Dahlonega, GA (Wolf Mountain Vineyards). That opportunity then turned into a full-time job managing events and their fine dining restaurant all while sparking more interest in the world of wine. We explore how wine and hospitality intertwines and also why she later transitioned to working as a bartender for almost a decade before making a return to restaurants currently serving at The Optimist in Atlanta for the past five years. It's this current role that has played an integral part of supporting her pursuit of wine education, and the restaurant even paid for her to take the Level 1 Sommelier exam. She is now teaching a weekly wine class to help the staff understand the wines on their list - so I ask her to suggest wines to me based on "what I currently drink" as a way to showcase her skills in helping people explore just outside their comfort zones. 

Recorded November 29, 2020