Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Hood.
Hi Grace, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I originally did not mean to be in the wine industry at all! I had a whole career and degree in Advertising and Marketing, working in publishing and public relations in the Hamptons, London, and New York City. However, when the 2008 recession hit, everything changed, and like many of us, I found myself at a crossroads; since it didn’t seem like I would be able to continue in the field of communications, I had to pivot to something else. I was 21 and had always loved wine, having grown up eating and drinking all over the world with my family. I thought, rather than working long hours in a restaurant, I decided to apply for a few wineries near where I grew up in Eastern Long Island, New York. The first winery I spoke to hired me on the spot, with the owner saying “You’re gonna kill this kid”, and I was off to the races. I took to wine like it was second language, endlessly fascinated with everything and anything I could learn about wine.
After I graduated college in 2010, I moved to the wine capital of America, California. Working two jobs, one as a wine educator at a wine bar and another as a wine steward at a farm to table restaurant, I immersed myself in wine, learning from whoever wanted to teach me about it, as well as studying on my own, thumbing through wine books on my days off. It was 2 years later when a wine brand ambassador I was friendly with suggested I take the Certified Sommelier test through the Court of the Master Sommeliers, and there I went to Los Angeles in August 2012, to take the most challenging test of my life. What I didn’t realize was that I had gone into this professional exam with blind naivety, relying on what I had learned in my short time in an industry that takes most people decades to master. I thought there was no way I would pass, doubting myself, my age, my capabilities, my knowledge, and my lack of experience, However, when all was said in done, not only did I pass, but I was the only woman in my group who did, making me one of the youngest female sommeliers in America at that time, at 25 years old.
From that fateful day almost a decade ago, my career has taken me all over the country and the world. I have worked as a sommelier/wine director at top-rated Michelin star restaurants in NY, TX, CO, MT, and CA, served as a wine consultant for restaurants in Vietnam, spent time as a distributor and fine wine specialist in San Diego, and worked three harvest seasons in the Willamette Valley, Walla Walla, as well as Santa Barbara.
I also have been running my own freelance sommelier project, Wines with Grace, since 2014, serving private high-end net worth clients in the Southern California market, and over the course of the pandemic, have expanded into the virtual event space. On top of private events, I also consult for small restaurants and wine bars looking to improve their wine list, providing insight, meeting with buyers, training staff, and revamping their beverage program.
Furthermore, I have been able to fuse the world of wine with tech over the past few years. Starting in 2019 as a virtual sommelier for e-commerce giant Wine.com, I moved into consulting for the tech company to develop an online wine marketplace that utilized a concierge-style live chat service to connect sommeliers with consumers. I also am a featured sommelier on a wine podcast, CorkRules, where we review famous restaurant wine lists.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The challenges I have faced have come mainly come in the form of ageism and sexism. Up until recent history, the wine industry was mainly run by the older white men, from the winemakers to the CEOs of wine companies, and of course the Court of the Master Sommeliers. Women, especially young women, were not really even thought of as a part of the wine industry pretty much up until the past 5-10 years. Even as professional and well-spoken as I was, both restaurant employees and guests alike always assumed I was a hostess. There were the constant digs of “Are you old enough to be serving me?” “Why aren’t you an old man in a suit?” “You can’t be the sommelier – you’re too young”. The assumption was that just because I was a young woman in an industry of older white men, I wasn’t qualified or experienced enough to do this job that I had worked so hard for. My years of studying and industry experience meant so little in the face of the dominating patriarchy.
Furthermore, the structure of the tests of the Court of the Master Sommeliers, is that you are allowed to sign up to take the first two test levels, Intro and Certified. After that, if you’re looking to continue on to the increasingly challenging levels of Advanced and Master, you must be invited by members of the Court. This led to power dynamics, favoritism, and sexual misconduct, with the elder male members of the Court wielding their power over female sommeliers, hoping to further their careers. The rumors of what went on behind closed doors in order for these women to move forward in the court, is something that we all heard about, but sadly, like many industries, nothing was done about it. But that all changed when 2 years ago, the women of the wine industry had their own MeToo movement. An expose was published in the New York Times, highlighting the misogyny and sexual misconduct of the wine industry, specifically the Court of the Master Sommeliers.
As for myself, I thankfully was never put in a position where I would need to have the backing of a Master Sommelier, let alone feel like I needed to do favors of any kind to further my career. I am a self-made woman, who would never sacrifice my integrity or self-respect to “get ahead”. I continue to work hard, adding unique experiences to my resume, so that I have a wealth of knowledge in my field, without the help of any man.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Wine is a very unique field to be in professionally. It is an ancient science, with deep-rooted history with an international community. There are so many parts of the wine industry that one can specialize in; viniculture, enology, hospitality, culinary, importing/exporting, sales and distribution, education, and promotion, and I have experience in all of them. What makes me so unique in the wine industry, apart from my gender and age, is that I always knew I wanted to have a well-rounded resume, so that I could be an asset to any company or any client I interacted with. From my first-hand knowledge of grape growing and wine production from working harvest seasons to designing and purchasing world-class wines for Michelin star restaurants as a wine director, I am like an encyclopedia of the modern wine world.
However, I am most passionate about wine education, taking this very complex product and breaking it down in a palatable format for the everyday person to understand. What drives me in my career is empowering people to not only learn about the wine world but to understand their palates better so they can make informed choices for themselves. Just like movies, music, food, and even people, there is no real rhyme or reason to WHY we enjoy certain things in these categories; we just do. Wine is the same – a highly subjective and personal experience. The more you can understand wine, the more you understand its place in the world, as well as your own.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memories are from traveling and exploring the world with my family at a very young age. My parents made it a priority for their children to experience the world as soon as we could walk. As soon as school let out, we would head off to Europe most summers, to immerse ourselves in these ancient cultures, where food, drink, art, music, architecture, and history existed all around you. Curiosity, adventure, and perspective were the backbones of my childhood, and still inform almost every decision I make today as an adult.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wineswithgrace.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wines_with_grace/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WinesWithGrace/
