About The Grape Grind

I started out as a teacher.

After earning my Master’s in Early Childhood Education, I realized that while I loved teaching, working in schools wasn’t “it” for me. Searching for direction, I took a summer job in fine dining assuming  serving food and wine would be easy. Spoiler: it wasn’t. I stumbled through menus, spilled drinks, and, at that point, couldn’t tell Pinot Noir from Cabernet Sauvignon. …Still, I loved it! I dove into the chaos, learned quickly, and discovered what really drew me in: wine.

That initial spark soon led me to the Court of Master Sommeliers. I left teaching, much to everyone’s surprise, to pursue wine full-time. Over the next few years, I bartended, experimented with pairings, trained co-workers, and fully immersed myself in the restaurant world.

Then came motherhood. About six months after my first child was born, I was finally able to get my head back into studying wine. I picked up The Wine Bible, started filling binders with notes, and formed a tasting group in Columbus. I also launched a blog and created grape variety pages (as I studied them) that now rank among the top wine searches on Google!

With my second pregnancy, I embraced studying (and lots of spit buckets), eventually passing the Certified Sommelier Exam (one of only three to do so that day) and even, to my surprise, earning the highest score! That moment solidified everything I’d worked for. From there, I couldn’t slow down. I tackled the CSW during pregnancy number three and earned WSET 3 soon after. With each exam, I discovered more to learn, and it kept me focused and moving forward.

As life evolved and COVID happened, I realized restaurant work wasn’t sustainable for me. So, I turned my blog into a virtual tasting business, which combined education, community, and fun. It was wonderful, but I missed the in-person connection of tasting groups, and knew others needed it, too. And that’s when the idea for The Grape Grind Tasting Group was born.

I wanted a dependable, fun, and inspiring space where people could share their love of wine, explore different perspectives, and learn together without pressure or pretension. A place where the important benchmarks were learned, and there was also space for personal notes and creativity. For many students and enthusiasts wanting to hone their tasting skills, a supportive tasting community can be surprisingly hard to find…so I built one – virtually! 

It has been my biggest passion to work with other students and anyone curious about the world of wine.

Whether you are interested in our solid tasting group, booking a fun event, or just wanting resources to learn about grapes, The Grape Grind is all about making wine varieties and tasting inviting, empowering, and connected in an industry that can often feel divided between seasoned collectors, selective sommeliers, exam-focused students, and curious beginners. I believe we can all learn from each other! My goal is to blend the curiosity and fun of exploring wine, while honoring the in-depth knowledge and nuance that makes every bottle unique. Here, wine terms become approachable, tasting notes feel personal, confidence grows, and learning is both inspiring and connected!