Author Archives: admin

Madison Kreamer, CSS, CWE

One Saturday morning when she was ten years old, Madison Kreamer happened upon a cooking show on television and was so entranced that from then on she could always be found in the kitchen.  She was, it seemed, destined to work in some capacity in the hospitality industry.  She thought about going to culinary school but wanted the complete college experience and the ‘southern charm and highly regarded hospitality program led me to Auburn University.’  Madison has said that she doesn’t like to stand still, and her years in college were certainly full of exploration into the world of hospitality:  working at Dean and DeLuca on the December/January break every year; being a culinary intern at a fine dining restaurant in Alys Beach, Florida, between her sophomore and junior year; and pursuing an event planning internship in New York City between her junior and senior year.

In the midst of all these internships, she had the opportunity in 2016 to study in Ariccia, Italy, a small town outside Rome.  And it was there that she discovered the vast world of wine.  She describes the wonder, the romance, of wine in this way: ‘Each bottle of wine has its own story, representing timeless dedication and hard work.  One bottle of wine can bring together individuals from all walks of life and create memories to last a lifetime.  Enjoying a bottle of wine truly reminded me of the joy I received from cooking.  After spending hours in the kitchen, there is nothing quite like sitting around the table, conversing, and enjoying a delicious meal with friends and family.  It was the hard work and the reward that I enjoy so much.  To me, wine represents the same hard work and reward.’  She was on her way to a career in the wine industry.

Returning to the States, she took her first wine course at Auburn, which built a strong base of wine knowledge and aided her in passing the Introductory Sommelier exam.  Enter Trinchero Family Estates.  Trinchero sponsors seven hospitality programs around the country, including one at Auburn, for students to visit Napa Valley.  During the trip, participants are sponsored to take the CSW exam and are introduced to the wine industry through various educational seminars.  Madison visited Napa in her senior year and lost her heart to the place.  Accordingly, after graduation she packed up her car and moved to Napa to be a Wine Education Intern for TFE. It was a six month internship, which she describes as ‘hands down the most fun, challenging, rewarding job I have ever experienced.’  She dove in head first, under the mentorship of Barry Wiss, Vice President of Trade Relations for TFE and former president of the Society of Wine Educators.  With his guidance, and much study and hard work, she has advanced to become the Wine and Spirits Education Manager for Trinchero, and has had the opportunity to take and pass the CSW, the CSS, and the CWE.  It is worth noting that she believes that the CSW and the CSS are certifications that every wine professional should strive for in order to prepare themselves as industry professionals to educate consumers about their products, and she is appreciative of the SWE for helping her build up her wine knowledge and expertise.

Madison aims to continue building her resume with additional wine certifications, but she is most excited about simply becoming more knowledgeable about wine and communicating that love to others. The SWE has been important part of her wine experience along the way, and she is looking forward to being more fully involved with the SWE in the future. She cherishes the camaraderie in Napa Valley as people together explore the world of wine.  (And she still loves to cook, too!).   In her words: ‘If you were to tell me that I would be working in the wine industry ten or even five years ago, I would have thought you were crazy.  I used to think an open bottle of wine had a shelf life like vodka and was not even sure how red wine got its color, but its funny how things work out.  Today I could not be happier to be in the wine industry and to work for such a great company.’

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

Gary Twining, CWE

People come to the world of wine and spirits from a multitude of departure points and by sometimes winding paths.  Witness Gary L. Twining, CWE, who has had a long and distinguished career as a wine professional.

Gary was born in Oberlin, Ohio, and worked his way through college in construction, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Findlay College.  He was working on his Masters of Music Performance degree from Indiana University when he received an invitation to audition for the New Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, and spent a year touring with them.  Later, he relocated to Las Vegas and found work playing in the house orchestras of some of the major hotels.

It was there in the desert that Gary discovered wine.  Stars would often gift their back-up bands with bottles of wine; in this case, John Davidson gave him a bottle of Havermeyer Piesporter Goldtropfchen and Mel Tormé presented him with a bottle of Faively Latricieres-Chambertin.

He began tasting, collecting, intensive study, and was soon asked to assist in teaching a wine appreciation class at University of Nevada Las Vegas.  Later, when the music scene in Vegas collapsed, he returned to Ohio and began to work in the wholesale wine trade. This developed into a career that lasted for 34 years—and all the while, Gary remained active as a wine educator, wine writer, and (yes) musician.

.

Gary’s educational accomplishments are impressive.  He lectured on wine at UNLV; taught the wine curriculum for the Creative Activities Program at the Ohio State University for seven years; was involved in continuing education programs throughout northern Ohio, including the Laurel Run Cooking School, Loretta Paganini’s School of Cooking, and the Hospitality Division of Cuyahoga Community College.  He is currently an adjunct professor teaching the beverage class for Lorain County Community College, a class which is mandatory for their culinary degree.  Meanwhile, he has studied with the Institute of Masters of Wine and passed the dissertation and practical requirements of their formidable examination.  He continues to write the ‘Corkscrew Chronicles’ article for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, and also writes for The Wine Buzz, an Ohio wine and spirits publication.

Some years ago, friends encouraged Gary to join the Society of Wine Educators, and that association has been a rich one.  He earned his CWE in August of 1994, making him one of the few CWEs in the country at the time.  In 1999 he was appointed to the Board of Examiners and for two years headed up the committee that prepared the written portion of the CWE exam.  He has taught seminars at SWE conferences on examination techniques, component and blind tasting, wine science, and Ohio wines.

Gary retired in 2018 as the Director of Sales, Northeastern Ohio, for Cutting Edge Selections, and is currently living in Elyria, Ohio.  He enjoys fishing (think bass, striper, and walleye), cooking, and delights in pairing wines with different foods.  Retirement has given him leisure to delve into his cellar and enjoy older wines he obtained years ago.  For the future, he hopes to continue teaching wine classes and leading tastings.  But his best goal of all is this: “to follow the lead of Alexis Lichine, leaving this earth with just one case of wine left in his cellar.”

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

Lori Boost Wise, CWE

Lori Wise, CSW and CWE, was born in Big Spring, Texas, but grew up in Austin.  She holds Bachelor’s degrees in History and Literature, and a Master’s degree in Art History from the University of Dallas.  Along the way, she worked in the mortgage business and was also a paralegal.  But her real calling was to the grape.  Her interest in wine was sparked during college when she began to travel, first—to California, where she lost her heart to Napa and Sonoma.  Then, to Europe, where she plunged into the wine and food cultures of France, Germany and Italy.  Inspired, she began to do a great deal of self-guided studying and “drinking everything from everywhere.”

In 2005, she opened a premium wine bar and boutique wine store in Lakeway, Texas, which was purely a labor of love on her part.  There, wine collectors would gather, share stories, taste wines.  They opened everything of interest:  vintage champagne, cult cabernet, first growth Bordeaux, even a couple of DRC’s.  During that time she studied for and passed her CSW with the Society of Wine Educators.  Ultimately and unfortunately, the store fell victim to a constricting economy.  Later, she went to work with the Mark Wine Group, a national accounts wine marketing company.  Mark Gmur, the owner and president of the company, is a Certified Wine Educator, and he encouraged Lori to pursue the certification.  She already had an interest in furthering her education and professional wine credentials, so she was primed to begin.  First up, she passed the Introductory and Certified levels from the Court of Master Sommeliers, then set off on her studies for the CWE.  Which turned into a journey.

Should anyone out there be tempted to think the CWE exam is a walk in the park, perhaps Lori’s story will be instructive—it is an achievement that takes time, effort, study, and hefty doses of perseverance.  She worked hard and passed the theory part of the exam, but successful completion of the tasting piece eluded her.  As it continued to do in subsequent attempts.  Which leads to the summer of 2019:  Lori went to Washington DC to the SWE annual conference.  There, a good friend introduced her to the restaurant Bistrot Lepic in Georgetown, and the wine person there gave her guidance to prepare for the tasting.  And all the effort paid off:  she passed the exam and is now a Certified Wine Educator.

In April of 2019, Lori took a sales position with Virtuoso Wine and Spirits, where she is able to taste wines from all over the world (which also aided her tasting preparation for the CWE).  Currently, for Virtuoso, she covers the Lake Travis and Hill Country areas outside Austin.  And so: Lori Wise, a gifted member of the lively food and beverage culture of the capital of Texas.

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

Jarred Craven, CSS

Jarred Craven, CSS, hails from south Florida.  He worked his way through the University of Florida—where he studied history and anthropology—by bartending.  After graduation, he did museum work in Romania for a time, but discovered it just wasn’t for him, so he returned to the world of bartending. After exploring several options, he settled in Austin, Texas, where until recently he was the bartender at popular, hospitality-driven cocktail spot named Drink Well. Not long ago, he won an IBA competition for America and was able to represent the United States in a global competition in China, which, in his words, proved to be “a very interesting and educational experience to be around so many other competitors and perspectives from around the world.”

Jarred has spent some 20 years bartending in craft bars, volume bars, and a multitude of other venues. Through this, he has gained a wealth of experience and skills in event planning, menu development, inventory, staffing, financial duties, and working with suppliers.  Along the way he has earned a number of awards and recognitions in the beverage industry.  Being heavily involved in the bartending community, both locally and at large, he actively volunteers in various ways.  As Chapter Director, President, and Chair of the Education Committee with the United States Bartender’s Guild he has organized dozens of events.  He is also chair of the Texas Tiki Week, and in 2019 he and his hard working committee were responsible for 21 events.  Also close to his heart is work with those who are less privileged, which has led to his involvement an education initiative that aims to partner with sponsors to offset the costs of beverage certifications in order to empower underrepresented demographics in the bartending industry.

Jarred became involved with the Society of Wine Educators when, through a cocktail competition, he won a scholarship to pursue the CSS certification.  He took the CSS exam in 2018, and made a perfect score on it, earning significant bragging rights!

Jarred again!

What’s next for Jarred?  For starters, he hopes to study for and take the CSE exam in the near future, and continue his association with the SWE.  He loves learning, but what really drives him is being around passionate people—he likes helping others succeed and in doing so, has discovered that being around people who are passionate about the industry has the added benefit of helping him recharge his own professional batteries. Jarred has big plans for the future, including a 2020 move to the Los Angeles area after a decade in Austin, Texas. Once in LA, he hopes to redirect his professional career a bit and become a brand ambassador, hopefully for American whiskey.

In Jarred’s words, “I am immensely passionate about the service industry.  To be in a position to nurture it and guide those in it through education and community outreach is always an honor.  I love learning, seeing old friends, and most of all making new ones.  I am about people, on both sides of the bar.  That’s what I love about this industry.  Even when things are difficult, the people make it all worthwhile.”

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

Linda Coco, CSW

Linda Coco, CSW, was born on a military base in Japan, but grew up mainly in Colorado Springs CO.  She attended the University of Colorado and while there met the man she would marry, an ROTC midshipman.  After his commissioning in the Marine Corps, they spent eight years at domestic and overseas duty stations, and started a family.  In 1993, they moved to Montana to raise their son and daughter.  Her husband owns a financial firm and Linda works from home doing bookkeeping and event planning.  They enjoy their life on a ranch, raising chickens, beekeeping, gardening, and mounting a cheerful defense against snow drifts.

It was an off-hand comment from her daughter, who works in the restaurant industry, that gave rise to Linda’s interest in wine.  It happened like this:  Linda’s mantra had always been ‘drink what you like’ and what Linda liked was a concoction of White Zinfandel and Sprite; her daughter gently suggested she might want to try something new.  And a new trajectory in Linda’s life was launched.  In 2013, she purchased several books on wine, attended every tasting she could find, and became interested in working toward some sort of wine certification.  As she investigated possible courses of study, the Society of Wine Educators’ CSW program stood out, with its comprehensive manual, various online study aids, webinars, and Miss Jane’s CSW online class.  She studied for a full year and passed the exam on her first try.  That was just the beginning.  She is studying for her French Wine Scholar certification and also preparing for the CWE and may pursue the WSET program as well.  She thoroughly enjoys attending the SWE annual conferences, which whets her wine appetite even more.

.

Linda does not work in the wine industry at this time, but does serve on the board of the Montana Grape and Winery Association, which advocates viticulture and wine making in the state.  They are particularly working with universities in the state and in Minnesota and North Dakota in the development of cold-hardy cultivars, which have proved successful in the climate there.  She launched a local chapter of the American Wine Society in 2018 and organizes tasting events for the chapter.  She enjoys hosting wine education theme parties and the most rewarding thing for her is to see someone experience an ‘Ah-Ha’ moment with wine.  “Its proof positive that wine is divine!”

In Linda’s words:  “. . .my mantra is still ‘drink what you like’ but now with a caveat:  ‘be willing to try something new.’  As an added forewarning, there’s the risk of becoming an impassioned wine aficionado with an insatiable thirst to learn everything about wine!  I’m a walking, talking, sipping testament to that!”

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

.

By day, she grooms dirty dogs.  But when day is done, Cathey Love, CSW, CSS, engages in her enthusiasm for wine and spirits.  As she herself puts it:  “I listen to whine during the day, and at drink wine at night at home.”

Cathey was born in Chattanooga, and Tennessee has remained her home.  She has been self-employed most of her life: she sold Avon at age 13, waited tables dressed as Catwoman (therein hangs a tale) in 1980, later owned a carpet cleaning company, and for the past 17 years has run a professional mobile dog grooming business called “Love’s Touch,” a tip of the hat to her maiden name.

.

Cathey’s love for wine and spirits began when she waited tables.  The restaurant was called The Sailmaker, and all their staff dressed as characters from television or film—hence, the Catwoman.  The wine they served was hardly stellar, so at that time she was ‘drinking cheap.’  The change came for her when a good friend married a man who taught wine classes near her current home in Knoxville.  She could attend his classes, and it was then she was exposed to fine wine, and started learning about glassware, openers, proper temperatures for wine service, food pairing, things of that nature.  Life intervenes and people move away, and that’s when the SWE makes an entrance.

Cathey started researching wine education online and found a variety of sources, including the Society of Wine Educators, and she saw that the SWE was having their conference in Orlando that year.  She has a son who is a performer at Disneyworld, so it seemed a great opportunity to both see her son and learn about wine.  And she was hooked.  That was 2013.  She has not missed a conference since.

.

After the Orlando conference, she returned home and started studying for the CSW on her own.  No webinars were available at that time and she did not work in the industry, so it proved a challenge.  But she passed the exam on her first try, and thus encouraged studied for and passed the CSS exam a couple of years later.  The CWE is one of her ambitions for the future.

Cathey loves all things wine.  In her words:  “I collect anything wine or spirits related.  I love tasting new varietals and learning to pronounce their names correctly.  I spend way too much time in thrift stores collecting wine and bar glassware.  I get a little giddy when I find a piece of Riedel for under a dollar. Our house is over-decorated with wine related items.”  A collection she is particularly proud of is a range of 35-40 items from Bond and Lillard, which was a reliable name in pre-Prohibition whiskey.  Head’s up, those of you who are also collectors:  she would love to have an old bottle with the original bourbon.  She is also looking for a bottle of Ripple or Night Train for the bum wine collection, and would gladly pay the shipping.  She can be found on Facebook.  Can anybody help?

Thanks, Cathey, for your contribution to the Society of Wine Educators!

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