Approach
Much of my professional work has been carried out within large wine organizations, where the output is proprietary and the context complex. Rather than presenting individual campaigns or branded deliverables, this page outlines how I approach communication, education, and narrative in wine, the principles and decision-making frameworks that have shaped my work across education, media, and live formats.
Below are anonymised case reflections that illustrate my strategic approach to wine communication and education.
Case study: Enabling sell-through at the point of sale
Education for retail and restaurant staff
Context
In many retail and on-premise environments, frontline staff are expected to sell wines they did not choose, often with limited time, uneven wine knowledge, and high staff turnover.
Challenge
How to equip retail floor staff and restaurant teams with just enough confidence, language, and context to sell wines accurately and persuasively—without overwhelming them or relying on deep technical training.
Constraints
Time-poor audiences
Mixed levels of wine knowledge
High information drop-off after initial listing
Need for tools that work on the floor, not in a classroom
My role
Design and development of practical education tools to support sell-through after listing, working within existing brand and organisational frameworks.
Approach
I focused on clarity, hierarchy, and usability. Core wine information was distilled into formats that could be accessed quickly and repeatedly: concise training guides, visual reference cards, and short educational videos. Each format reinforced the others, allowing staff to engage at different depths depending on time and confidence.
Technical detail was included only where it supported selling language, and every asset was designed to answer the same underlying question: “What do I say to a customer, and why does it matter?”
Outcome
Frontline teams were better able to describe wines accurately, answer common customer questions, and sell with greater confidence—supporting consistency and credibility at the point of sale.
Case study: Supporting distributor sales through clear wine communication
Education for trade-facing sales teams
Context
Distributor sales teams are often required to represent large, diverse wine portfolios across multiple accounts, balancing technical accuracy with commercial clarity. Sales reps need to communicate value quickly and consistently—often to buyers with very different levels of wine knowledge and priorities.
Challenge
How to support distributor sales teams with wine education that was credible, commercially relevant, and usable in real sales conversations—without overwhelming them with technical detail or relying on generic selling language.
Constraints
Broad portfolios with varying styles, regions, and price points
Limited time for formal training
Need for consistency across markets and sales teams
Varying confidence levels in wine knowledge
My role
Development of educational and sales-support materials designed to help distributor teams understand, articulate, and confidently position wines in account-facing conversations.
Approach
I focused on translation rather than simplification. Technical wine information was structured into clear, purposeful frameworks—educational tech sheets and features-and-benefits documents that connected what the wine is with why it matters commercially.
To reinforce this learning without adding friction, longer-form internal podcasts were used to explore context, nuance, and common questions in greater depth. This allowed sales teams to engage with the material flexibly, building confidence over time while maintaining consistency of message across markets.
Throughout, the emphasis was on equipping sales reps to speak clearly and credibly to different buyer types—retailers, restaurant buyers, and category managers—without defaulting to jargon or overstatement.
Outcome
Sales teams were better prepared to communicate wine styles, positioning, and value in a way that aligned technical accuracy with commercial relevance, supporting clearer conversations and more consistent representation in the market.
Case study: Live education and public-facing wine expertise
Teaching, tasting, and interpretation across trade and consumer settings
Context
Wine education often happens live—at tastings, dinners, festivals, and events where audiences range from trade professionals to curious consumers. These settings require immediacy, clarity, and the ability to read a room, while still maintaining technical accuracy and credibility.
Challenge
How to deliver engaging, authoritative wine education in live and recorded formats—adapting content in real time for different audiences, levels of knowledge, and commercial contexts, without oversimplifying or relying on scripted presentations.
Constraints
Mixed audiences with uneven wine knowledge
Time-limited formats
Public-facing environments with no opportunity for revision
Need to balance education with enjoyment and hospitality
My role
Serving as a subject-matter expert and educator across live and recorded formats, including guided tastings, wine dinners, trade and consumer classes, retailer collaborations, festivals, and broadcast or social media appearances.
Approach
My focus in live settings is interpretation rather than performance. I prioritise reading the audience, adjusting depth and language in real time, and anchoring discussion in what is in the glass rather than pre-scripted narratives.
Whether teaching a formal class, leading a tasting, or appearing in a media setting, I structure content around clear takeaways—helping participants understand what they are tasting, why it matters, and how to talk about it with confidence. The aim is to make wine feel both intelligible and engaging, without diluting complexity.
Outcome
Audiences consistently leave with greater confidence in their ability to taste, discuss, and enjoy wine. These sessions support education, engagement, and trust—reinforcing credibility for the organisations and partners involved while keeping the experience accessible and human.
I’m available for short-term projects, live education, and consulting engagements where clarity, credibility, and thoughtful communication around wine are essential.