@kelliwhitewine

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn from #Author Kelli White of #GuildSomm @kelliwhitewine!

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: We’d like to introduce you to #Author Kelli White of #GuildSomm @kelliwhitewine #SommChat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: so shout out 2 #Author Kelli White of #GuildSomm @kelliwhitewine 2 say HI so she knows U're here! #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Don’t forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Ask #Author Kelli White of #GuildSomm @kelliwhitewine your Qs! She’ll do best 2 answer Qs in order they post #SommChat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: Thank you! So excited to be here. Looking forward to everyone's questions! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: W so many ppl lots of gr8 Q's R asked! Even if u dont ask 1, give S/O 2 @keepercoll & @kelliwhitewine 2 let us know UR here! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Let’s start talking #wine with #Author Kelli White of #GuildSomm @kelliwhitewine #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: @kelliwhitewine How did you get interested in #wine? #SommChat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine:…hours so they pointed me across the street to a wine shop! I was 21 and had never even had a beer by then. Times have changed!#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: By accident! I needed a nights and weekends job during college. I applied at a framery in Beacon Hill, who didn't have enough... #sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat peep: I am interested in #wine and about to graduate Univ - any suggestions on ways to enter the industry @kelliwhitewine

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine:…that inspire you and then stalk them until they take you on. #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine:…me along my way. So take classes, go to as many tastings as you can, keep business cards and follow up. Be humble. Find people..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: Networking is very important. I was already working in wine stores, but when I did the WSET program I met people that helped..#sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat peep: do you think it is critical today 4 someone that wants a #wine career to get their MS @kelliwhitewine ?

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: I have a lot of respect for the MS program but some of the greatest sommeliers I have worked with are non-masters. The program...#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine:…environment. Studying is great, but practical experience is invaluable. #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..is a great way to network for sure, but don't underestimate the importance of working your way up within a restaurant/retail... #sommchat

Charles Comm PR @CharlesComm: Q @kelliwhitewine what was your favorite part about writing Napa Valley, Then & Now? #SommChat @keepercoll

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: Also tasting all those wines was nice too! #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine:…in the past few years, I am grateful for having had the chance to spend time with them and learn their stories. #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: I moved here at a time when a lot of Napa's new wave (1950s/60s/70s) pioneers were still here and active. We have lost so many…#sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: welcome back to #SOmmChat @CharlesComm and look forward to your questions - hope you are having a good #WW

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat peep: How long did it take you to research, write and publish UR book? would you do it again? why or why not @kelliwhitewine

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..writing for other publications. Yes I would absolutely do it again but I would change some things. It was a learning experience! #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: Start to finish the book took around 4.5 years. Seems like a long time but I was also working as a sommelier at that time, and…#sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat peep: @kelliwhitewine How can someone getting started in #wine select a quality wine at a retail shop? at a #resto #SommChat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..uninformed. The more honest you are with your merchant or sommelier, they better they will be able to help you. #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..a good merchant will pay attention to your feedback and honor your price range. Don't be afraid to ask questions and seem..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: There’s nothing better than finding a great store, or a particular shop person, and forming a relationship with them…#sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm - did you say you make #wine now and if so where? If U could make #wine in any region where would it B @kelliwhitewine

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: ..the Sierra foothills. I would personally love to make wine in Austria!! #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: yes! I have a small brand called Houndstooth with my husband. We make a Sonoma Coast PN, a Carneros Chard, and a Barbera from..#sommchat

Charles Comm PR @CharlesComm: Q @kelliwhitewine how did your experiences at Veritas and @PRESS_St_Helena influence your book? #SommChat @keepercoll

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: I also included, where possible, serving recommendations, as air exposure greatly influences these wines! #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: …so I tried to arm the reader with an accurate description that was less about good vs. bad, if that makes sense. #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..for the reader to decide for themselves if they would like that wine. Some people like older wines, and some just don't... #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..cannot be totally removed from a discussion of a wine. So with the tasting notes, mostly older wines, I left room...#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: Great question! As a sommelier, you learn that while there are good, great, and bad wines, subjectivity and personal preference…#sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: @kelliwhitewine What is a unique #wine and #food #pairing you’ve enjoyed recently? when U pair do U select #wine R #food first?

#SommChat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: …And the sommelier brought over a gorgeous rose of Cab Franc from the Okanagan (Nichol, 2015), and it was perfect. #sommchat

Irene L 🇨🇦 @i_on_food_drink: Do you find in the US that people are open to trying wine from what they think are non-traditional wine growing countries e.g. 🇨🇦? #SommChat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: Absolutely! I think there's a huge interest in emerging regions. I've tried so many great wines from Canada the past two years... #sommchat

Irene L 🇨🇦 @i_on_food_drink: Did a coast to coast tasting this yr at big WineFest. So exciting to see East Coast develop #SommChat instagram.com/p/BRKk9LtDygM/ #rootedincool

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..The salad had asparagus, avocado, arugula, AND egg! #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: For example, I recently wanted something green in Vancouver. I ordered a salad that might as well have been called "Wine Killer"...#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: …rely on the inhouse sommelier's advice. As much as I may know about wine, they will always know their list and menu better..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: In my house, we start with the wine, and then hit the market. But in restaurants I'm usually starting with the food. I love to..#sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm - what major diffs do UC in the #wine consumer and #wine lists on West Coast vs ur past on East Coast @kelliwhitewine

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: …wines that I loved in NYC still aren't imported here. #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..a greater focus on European wines in the east. Here, obviously, we have a lot of local domestic options, but also several..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: It’s hard to say, as both I and the market were a lot different 10 years ago when I was in NYC. However, there is still, I think..#sommchat

Charles Comm PR @CharlesComm: Q @kelliwhitewine what's the next book you want to write? #SommChat @keepercoll

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: The next book I want to write is... a secret! ;) #sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: @chauneuf got a @guildsomm friend on #SommChat today - knew you would like that!

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: @kelliwhitewine What advice would you give someone hoping to enter the #wine #writing profession? #SommChat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: You may need to spend a fair amount of time writing for free before you get a paid gig. I started out writing a newsletter..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..it was a game-changer for me. So basically just hang in there, meet as many people as you can, and get your work out there..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..even if the money comes later. #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..for my wine store, and then helped other wine stores with their newsletters. I got paid in wine. Then I wrote a free column..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..for the @owj before someone at the Sommelier Journal noticed my writing and actually paid me. Beyond that, again: networking... #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: .. is the secret to everything. I went to the Wine Writers Symposium in Napa twice, and met so many editors and fellow writers..#sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll Q fr #SommChat peep: how can some1 get copy of UR book & is it #wine study book or more of easy read that would make a gift @kelliwhitewine

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: It is not on Amazon, so you need to buy it on my website, napavalleythenandnow.com. It is a reference book, so not meant to be... #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..read from end to end, so much as dipped into as needed. So, it's academic but easy to read and friendly (I hope!). #sommchat

Charles Comm PR @CharlesComm: Q @kelliwhitewine what originally sparked your interest to begin your #wine career? #SommChat @keepercoll

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..of aesthetics, history, travel, and language and I was hooked. #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: When I started working in wine stores, I thought to be serious you had to begin with Bordeaux and Scotch. But the examples I…#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..could afford were pretty rough! I thought I just didn't like wine. That the problem was me. Then I tried a white Rhone blend..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..and alarm bells went off in my head. As I researched that wine, I discovered that wine occupied this exciting intersection.. #sommchat

Douglas Trapasso @demilove: @keepercoll - Do you think Napa gets too dissed for cultivating a "luxury" approach towards wine vs. other regions ? #SommChat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: That’s a complicated question. I think pricing is a huge issue in Napa. Too many of the wines are too expensive, and rising every..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..year. However, there really are great values in Napa, if you know where to look, and those wines get overshadowed by the big..#sommchat

Judia Black @enjoielife: I agree with this thought. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find good wine values in Napa. #Sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..money labels. #sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm: how do you keep informed on the changes in #wine world? do U have formal study program or ? @kelliwhitewine

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: I don't have a formal study program but I read a lot. To promote @guildsomm for a moment. they have a forum full of wine lovers..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..and pros that are constantly posting thoughts on wine. I have learned a considerable amount on that forum. #sommchat

GuildSomm @guildsomm: Our senior staff writer Kelli White is on #SommChat with @keepercoll! Here's just one piece of #WednesdayWisdom from the conversation: “Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: You may need to spend a fair amount of time writing for free before you get a paid gig. I started out writing a newsletter..#sommchat”

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: @guildsomm luv showing off your talent and all that the org. has to offer #SommChat Happy #WW

Charles Comm PR @CharlesComm: Q @kelliwhitewine how do you think your book & @guildsomm articles add to the #wine discourse? #SommChat @keepercoll

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..to create educational works that are serious, but easy to read. Not sure if I've accomplished that, but it's my goal! #sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..gives me the space and encouragement to explore topics at length. There's a lot of lifestyle-type wine writing, I try..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: Hmm. I hope they add some depth and academic rigor! I really like to "go deep" with my research, and I'm grateful that @guildsomm..#sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: @kelliwhitewine What is one of the most important things you’ve learned about #wine while working in the industry? #SommChat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: To keep an open mind. Inevitably, if I dismiss a wine region or style one year, I may find myself enjoying them five years later!..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..which is to say, trust your palate, but also recognize that your tastes will evolve over time. They may broaden or narrow, but..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..they won't stay still. #sommchat

Douglas Trapasso @demilove: @keepercoll - Do you think it's harder to get attention/street cred in Napa if you -don't- make a Chardonnay or Cab Sauv? - #SommChat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: I think it may actually be easier to get attention and street cred if you don't! There are soo many Cabs and Chards, brands get..#sommchat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: ..lost. #sommchat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #wine talk with #Author Kelli White of #GuildSomm @kelliwhitewine #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: It was great to have #Author Kelli White of #GuildSomm @kelliwhitewine join us today for #SommChat. hope every1 learned as much as we did!

KeeperCollection @keepercoll: Please join us in thanking #Author Kelli White of #GuildSomm @kelliwhitewine for her time #SommChat

Kelli Audrey White @kelliwhitewine: Great to be here on #sommchat! Thanks everyone for the wonderful questions!