Wine, Wit, and Wisdom

Adam Acquistapace, CWE

Today we’re delighted to introduce you to our final new board member, Adam Acquistapace, CWE.

Adam grew up working in his family’s grocery store, Acquistapace’s, in Covington, Louisiana. After attending Louisiana State University and Tulane, he took over running the store’s wine department. That was his first position working in wine and he told us when he began, he “had no idea what he was doing.” “I had a lot of great advice in the very beginning from my dad. He told me to learn everything about wine and spirits. He gave me the opportunity and resources. He said ‘go to every tasting, every event, every winery’” Adam explained to us.

Adam first found out about the SWE through a Louisiana-based wholesaler and he quickly jumped into studying for the CSW. “I studied every day for three months. I read the study guide multiple times. I was amazed at how little I knew,” he told us. Wine education and development was a key turning point for Adam and the market. “Wine and spirits education changed everything. It changed the trajectory of our whole company. The preparation for the CSW was an incredible catalyst for the expansion of our wine and spirits department.”

His typical work day is spent managing operations across three locations. Adam oversees special customer events and tastings. He loves working with customers and engaging with them about new products. When he’s not working, Adam loves spending time with his family, their dog Petrie, and their cats Louie-Darren and Dottie.

Welcome to the board, Adam!

Post authored by Ben Coffelt, CSW, CSS

Madison Kreamer CSS, CSW, CWE

Welcome back to our series where we highlight our newest members of SWE’s Board of Directors. Today, we’re happy to introduce you to Madison Kreamer. Madison is currently the Senior Wine & Spirits Education Manager for Trinchero Family Estates and lives in Napa Valley, CA. Originally from Leawood, Kansas, Madison has worked in a wide variety of positions in the wine and hospitality industries.

“My first job was at a frozen custard shop in Kansas. I was an expert at making concretes (those from the Midwest know what I’m talking about),” she told us. “I always thought I would work in restaurants or events before I found my way into the wine industry.” Along the way from her start at the custard shop, she graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Hospitality Management and spent time working for an events company in New York City and restaurants in Florida.

Madison was first introduced to the SWE when she was hired at Trinchero over three years ago. “Since my first day with Trinchero, I dove headfirst into wine and spirits education. I have had the opportunity to earn the CSW, CSS, and CWE. The SWE has been a tremendous organization for me to build my wine and spirits knowledge,” she says. When asked to give a piece of advice to those just starting in the industry Madison told us: “One thing that I learned very quickly in this industry is that there you will never know everything within the world of wine. While you can come close, there is always a new regulation, growing region or style of wine that has just passed. While it may seem daunting, this is a reason why I think the world of wine is so intriguing and exciting.”

When Madison isn’t at Trinchero Family Estates hosting trade professionals from around the world and teaching about wine and spirits, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and baking bread. We’re absolutely thrilled to have her join the SWE in a leadership role. Welcome to the board, Madison!

Post authored by Ben Coffelt, CSS, CSW

George Blanckensee, CSW

Our Meet the Board series is our way to introduce the newest members of SWE’s Board of Directors to our members. Today, we’re delighted to highlight George Blanckensee. George is currently the Estate Director of Chateau Montelena, a position he has held for three years, and he has been with the winery for over eleven years.

While he has spent a long time working in Napa Valley, George is originally from San Francisco and spent twenty years in Southern California. He went to University of California, Irvine, where he majored in Political Science. While in college, he worked at a hotel and had his first experience working with wine: “My first job in the industry was working in room service at a four-star hotel. I learned about the wines the hotel had, by selling them to guests over the phone when they placed their orders.”

One of George’s favorite aspects of the wine and spirits industry is the hospitality side. He loves hosting guests and visitors at the winery which is also one of his key responsibilities. “Hosting people is always fun. Sometimes, you can’t be sure if they’re learning or fully enjoying their experience at the winery. But then they go away and post something on social media or send an actual note to me on how amazing their time was. That’s very rewarding,” George told us.

George first heard about the SWE while working at Chateau Montelena. They’ve held an Industry Membership, which George has used to enroll many team members in the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) program. He understands the importance or education and professional development. “It brought me to where I am,” he said, “I immersed myself in all the wine education related opportunities, from trade tastings, attending events and seminars. I was a sponge taking in as much as I could.” For those just beginning in the wine and spirits industry, his advice is to jump into the deep end. “Go out and learn as much as you can! When you think you know everything, start over because you don’t. There’s always something new to learn.”

When not working, George enjoys traveling, cooking, and sports. We’re delighted to have him join the SWE Board of Directors. Welcome to the Board, George!

Post authored by Ben Coffelt, CSS, CSW

Lisa Kozloff, CSS

Lisa Kozloff, CSS, is a newly elected member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Wine Educators (SWE) and has also been elected to the position of Secretary. Her introduction to SWE came while a candidate for the Hospitality/Beverage Specialist Certificate (HBSC) which she earned in 2012. She’s seen the benefit of wine and spirits education in building a career and opportunities in the industry.

Lisa began her career in hospitality in college, working as a server and then bartender. She earned a degree in journalism from UNC Chapel Hill, but she chose to continue working in restaurants. “Years later and I have still never worked with my degree which makes my mother very unhappy. She brings it up every Thanksgiving,” she told us.

Lisa currently serves as the Director of Beverage for Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, a national chain of 51 upscale casual restaurants. She has been with Firebirds since they opened their first restaurant in 2000; she began her career with the company as the Bar Manager and later moved up to become the General Manager at their second location. In a typical day, Lisa maintains working relationships with beverage and alcohol vendors, oversees on the beverage menus for the chain, helps design and test new menu items, and sample new products such as wine, spirits, beer, and other beverages.

When asked what she loved most about working in the hospitality industry, she told us, “It’s never the ‘same old thing.’ You are constantly meeting new people. Interacting with folks all over the country. When you’re in the restaurants there is always such a hum of energy working the floor. We are hosting a party every day!” We also asked what advice she would give to someone starting out with a career in wine and spirits. “Be more empathetic, especially when people are in a tough situation. Years ago, managers and chefs could be very inflexible with their staff. The job is much more fulfilling when you treat people the way you would want to be treated.”

When she isn’t working, Lisa enjoys cooking and traveling with her husband and her 14-year-old daughter, Rory. Her hobbies include spending time with her six-year old boxer Coco and collecting tiki mugs.

Welcome to the board, Lisa!

Post authored by Ben Coffelt, CSS, CSW