Educational Offerings
There are many wine books that provide education on assorted topics on wine. Sometimes it takes personal interactions to understand that which is written. It’s the learning by doing idealism. Leah Stafford has worked in the wine industry for over 30 years and holds certifications from 7 programs on wine. Leah offers several fun-filled and interactive experiences with experimentation to learn topics regarding wine, individually, alongside your friends, or your colleagues. Sessions provide wine enthusiasts a deeper experience with wine to enhance their knowledge, and hospitality staff serving and selling wine more skills to promote sales.
Wines Enthusiasts
Anyone who enjoys a glass of wine is a wine enthusiast. Leah can provide a fun and interactive experience using the wines you select for a fun learning experience. This is an experience that can assist the wine enthusiast in how to decide what wines are best suited for themselves and what wines match their preference of taste.
Hospitality Staff/Services
Ever dream of working for a winery in their tasting room? It is fun and is why Leah has continued to do such for over 30 years. Along the way many lessons were learned from mentors and by the school of hard knocks. Leah can share her personal experiences to assist in increasing their appeal with the tasting room guests and increase their wine sales. Increased tips don’t hurt either.
What topics are covered in these experiences?
Wine Enthusiast Experiences
How does one know what wines they like without experimenting? What wines does one buy in a store? What wineries to seek out on personal travel to a wine region? Of course, there are the “experts” that can be referred to, but if you are like Leah, you find that you do not always agree with these “experts”. Leah will help you discover what wines you like. How to read a label or a shelf tag when purchasing wines. How to look up a wine on an app. To know with confidence what wine you, yourself, will or could enjoy.
Hospitality Staff Experiences
As one works in a winery tasting room, sometimes a guest arrives not knowing a thing about wine or what wines they might like the most and therefore inclined to purchase. Leah can assist tasting room servers to learn how to recognize this type of guest, share terms and teach service skills on how to truly assist this guest. These skills will build a new guest relationship to the brand and that can bring repeat business. As well as sell wines during this first visit.
About Leah Stafford
“Wine Educator”
Leah Stafford earned the title of “wine educator” in 1996, when many certifying wine education programs were in their infancy. This title was given by the NASA Ames Wine Appreciation Club that she taught at that time. Leah has provided service to the wine industry going back as far as 1985. Beginning with a Cal Poly Recreation Department project, where she created a wine to cheese pairing for Paso Robles, Wild Horse Winery’s “a repeat buyers event”, before wine clubs. Since then, Leah has earned certifications from many wine programs:
- UCDavis’s Cooperative Extension: Advanced Wine Sensory for Judging wines
- Napa Valley Wine Academy: Certified American Wine Expert
- Wine and Spirits Education Trust-Level 3
- Courts of Master’s Sommelier-America Level 1
- Society of Wine Certified Specialist of Wine
- American Wine Society Certified Wine Judge-Challenged test
- Vintage Wine LTD-Canada, Certified Food and Wine Pairing Specialist
Through her ongoing relationship with the wine industry, working for many wineries since 1990. Judging wines since 2018. Leah, with husband, began to write for WineMaker Magazine and has present on wine topics at wine industry conferences.
