Sharing a passion for wine.
One glass at a time.

Kathryn Connelly - Certified Sommelier

My curiosity and passion for wine began when I lived in France while earning my B.A. in Commercial French. My uncle Jim also traveled to France regularly as part of his career in immunology. We formed a special bond as he shared bottles from his curated collection while discussing different grapes and regions. After his passing in 2006, I wanted to continue the love and appreciation of fine wines, from soil to glass, in his memory.

Fast forward a few years, when I was regularly traveling in the world of management consulting, I casually agreed to an introductory weekend with the Court of Master Sommeliers in Sedona. I initially ignored the serious reading requirements like The Oxford Companion to Wine by Jancis Robinson - but It was clear after that weekend this effort was much more serious and important for me not to prepare and treat with respect and dedication. A year later in 2012, I prepared and took the course again in my hometown of Chicago and passed.

This propelled me to the next arduous step to get certified. I arranged blind tasting groups, begged to join other ongoing groups, attended seminars through the Court whenever they were offered - often registering for the course within minutes of its release. After years of tasting, training and studying, I was the only Chicagoan out of our class of 100 to pass the Certified Examination in 2014 at The Breakers Palm Beach with my husband cheering me on.

While waiting for the Advanced Sommelier Course dates to be released, I worked at a local wine bar and retailer. In addition to honing my bartending and waitressing skills, I started conducting in person tastings and working with clients on pairing. I also met with distributors - learning the integral process of inventory cycles. This experience finally brought me to how I could honor my uncle’s memory - by sharing my knowledge and experience with others.

This remains my core mission despite the dual challenge of raising two children and navigating our brave new virtual world. I am inspired by the virtual tastings I've hosted, honing in on my clients' passions and desire to learn. I also continue to learn and still plan to take the Advanced Sommelier Exam when time and life allows. In the meantime, I raise a glass to Uncle Jim with gratitude and thanks - “Tchin-tchin!”