Today we’d like to introduce you to Wanda Haynes.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
A few years before my retirement as a floating secretary for a public school system in Ohio. I was spending a lot of time with a good friend going to Ohio wineries.
He enjoyed the atmosphere, and I noticed that I was falling deeply in love with the wine.
As I started tasting more varietals and various vintages of wine, I became even more curious about wine. I signed up for wine webinars, went to wine tastings, and read several books on wine. I was keeping a mental rolodex of all the wines I tasted and comparing them to one another. I took a weekend job as a wine steward at a high-end grocery store to expose myself to more wine. This also gave me a chance to taste wine for free. I learned a lot during that time and formed a plan to further my path in wine.
I was already writing on the side as a “slice of life” freelancer for a few local publications.
The editors of those publications were accepting of my new adventure in wine, and I began wine writing.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Learning about wine was a very smooth road, and the wine was never an obstacle. However, the wine as an industry is white male dominated and change comes painfully. I always felt like I was expected to prove my wine knowledge to those questioning me about wine. White males are often given a “pass,” and whatever they say is taken as truth. As my wine career grew, I couldn’t help noticing the lack of diversity in the photography of wine.
The photos of wine or wine-related topics rarely featured any people of color, urban aesthetics, or ethnic culture.
I wanted to do something about this and began learning photography and how to make a wine photo seductive and rich.
It took a while to get the photography published and established.
As to date, my photos generally accompany my wine articles, and they make me proud. The photos offer hope for a small change in the wine industry.
Thanks – So, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have had several jobs in the wine industry and determined my skill set is best for teaching others about wine. The average person isn’t fluent in wine, and they mainly want to learn from the ground up. I’m a wine educator and my articles teach about wine in a basic format and move the reader along with each paragraph. I write for three main publications two are in the west and one is in Ohio.
Recently I have began writing restaurant reviews for local fine dinning establishments. This too is dominated by white males and could use a another voice.
I host Zoom chats all over the Midwest through public libraries, and the turnout is awesome. We have a blast and with plenty of humor learning about wine from the ground up. I teach wine manners, wine gifting, wine storage, and the proper way to taste wine. I started teaching these classes in person locally, and when the “lock-down” happened they naturally went to virtual. I like virtual better because I can actually show bottles of wine while sitting down in my home. Zoom allows me to reach more states and educate more people.
I love discussing sparkling wines because the subject matter can be complex, and people love to fully understand the sparkling category.
I always tell my classes that tasting wine is the best way to learn about wine. Don’t look for short cuts to learn about wine and be willing to try new wines at every turn.
I am proud to help people learn about wine so they can feel confident in public, choosing wines in restaurants, giving wine as a gift, and distinguishing one varietal from another.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I was inspired by a wine professional that lives and works in NYC. We haven’t actually met one another in person. I took his suggestions on wine knowledge and was inspired to become a Certified Sommelier because of his influence in my life.
Don’t be intimidated to introduce yourself to someone you admire and stand tall when you do it. Social media is a great place to start, an old-fashioned note card sent in the mail also works. Most successful people are happy to share their knowledge with others. Learn how to speak the part, dress the part, and advance into the person that you wish to become. Then be willing to share your knowledge once you reach that level of life.
I think they call it “giving back.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecincinnatiherald.com/
- Instagram: classywineart
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/wanda-haynes
- Other: montanaseniornews.com
Image Credits
Wanda Haynes
