Charlotte Woolfolk, CSW
Could there be a more auspicious beginning: Charlotte Woolfolk, CSW, grew up in Orange County, California, in a home that valued global cuisine made from the freshest ingredients from the large family garden. Her father had grapevines growing near the garden, and he made wine from those vines nearly every year. During the winemaking process, Charlotte and her siblings could taste the fresh juice and focus on different aspects of the juice and the way it changed from year to year.
When the time came, she moved to Texas to attend Texas Christian University and attained two degrees: a BBA in Business Marketing, and a BA in Graphic Design. During a study abroad semester in Europe, she attended a wine tasting in Paris and lost her heart to a Sancerre. That was all it took. Her love for wine grew as she spent time that summer in Tuscany. Returning home, her hobby became wine, and she sensed that the more she learned, the more there would still be to learn.
After graduation, she returned to Orange County in the spring of 2018 and was hired as a graphic designer for a marketing agency called MarkeTeam Inc, which specializes in food and beverage clientele. It did not take long for the company to recognize her interest in all things wine and they asked if she wanted to work toward a wine certification of her choosing. After doing some research, she chose the Society of Wine Educators and began her studies in December of 2018, working towards the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) certification. Her study process, which was intense and involved a “high amount of passion,” involved taking Jane Nickles’ online class, utilizing the wine of the week sections, reading and taking notes on the CSW Study Guide, using the CSW Workbook, making flashcards, and utilizing the SWE Wine Quiz App. She passed the CSW exam on the first try, on the morning of her 23rd birthday.
The result of all that work? From Charlotte: “Due to my studies, my company has allotted me a wine budget to help educate other employees about wine, through offering a tasting each week. Additionally, for my company I run a trend blog. . .with a yearly report on the food and beverage industry and the intersection with design and marketing that creates added value for our clients by giving them a quick update on what is going on in the industry and what trends might be upcoming in the industry.”
Charlotte hopes to work towards the Certified Wine Educator (CWE) certification, both for her own interest and also to help her company elevate its client offerings in the realm of wine. She is an active part of an up-and-coming generation of wine professionals offering the wine industry fresh and creative ideas for the future.
Guest post written by Reverend Paul Bailey
If you are a SWE certificate holder and would like to be featured in our “On the Radar” series, please contact our Director of Education and Certification, Jane A. Nickles: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org