{image1}There are now more places in Milwaukee to sample fine wines than ever before, but what if you want to infuse the treasures of the grape into your next dinner party or you want to host a social event unlike most others?
Well, Milwaukee's Sarah Nelson, 32, has created WineSpeak, a new company that aims to educate about wines and offers a range of events that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
"The idea for WineSpeak came to me about four months ago," Nelson says, "so it really is brand new."
Thanks to a wine aficionado father and a Paris-trained chef mother, Nelson grew up among fine wines and fine food. After earning her MBA from UWM in 2000, she spent three years in Madrid, where she discovered a passion for teaching. When she returned home, she took a job in a wine shop and everything came into focus for her.
"After 32 years I was finally able to put my finger on what my life's passions are -- food, wine, education, business and Spain -- and WineSpeak struck me as a logical combination of these," she says.
Nelson has launched the WineSpeak Web site and is working on growing the business, which she knows may take a while, especially in a traditionally beer-thirsty city like Milwaukee.
"Because it is in its infancy, I have only had one tasting, but have several bookings for this fall and winter, when people want to socialize indoors," she says. "I would love for WineSpeak to be year-'round, and with the additional services I offer it may become so, but it is starting as a seasonal business."
Because, Nelson says, the goal of WineSpeak isn't sales as much as education, she tries to focus on the kinds of wines many people rarely seek out or get the opportunity to try. We asked her about Brachetto d'Acqui, a fizzy red wine from Piemonte in Italy's northwestern corner, that she offers to customers.
"Yes, the Brachetto was a hit! And, what's more, it paired beautifully with the chocolate-covered strawberries (that were also served)," she says. "I really try to introduce people to wines that they probably wouldn't pick themselves in a wine shop or restaurant. Or, I try to pair the more ubiquitous Pinot Noirs and Cabernet Sauvignons with creative or unusual recipes."
At the tastings -- of which there is a range of theme options, most based on wine regions like Spain, North America, etc. -- Nelson will serve about six wines. In order to demonstrate how to pair the wines with food, each is accompanied by a plate of cheese and crackers, chocolates, sauteed vegetables or another dish.
Nelson also explains how to select wines and how to decipher labels, explores the geography of wine, discusses the many grape varieties and other aspects of interest to budding oenophiles.
The menus range from about $25-$30 per person.
The WineSpeak Web site is wine-speak.com.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
