Wine Geek of the Week Sarah Nielsen

Tell us a bit about yourself. Why are you a wine geek? 

I come from Australia, the country that literally invented the goon bag (boxed wine), and I aspire to bring the hectic goon energy to all wine drinking.

I’m somm certified, but I really struggle with the idea of a velvet rope, so I’ve dedicated my life (dramatic) to erasing the phrase “I know nothing about wine” from the face of the earth. Because, c’mon, you know less about milk-making than winemaking and no one is out here saying they know nothing about milk. 

I am here to make you feel GOOD about WINE.

Extraterrestrials just landed on earth. What wine do you pour them? 

Something super sour, muddy or croissant-like that makes you want to kiss a dog, climb a tree or use fancy restaurant toilet paper.

What's your favorite scent you have ever smelled in a wine?

I once drank a Greek pet nat that smelled of earl grey and I've spent the rest of my life (which has been like 12 months from that point) trying to find it again. 

Any favorite music or podcasts you like to listen to while you drink wine?

I want wines to taste of everything from smashable poolside bangers to something worth sipping in front of a TV fireplace. Right now 100 Gecs or Dorian Electra are doing it for me.

If you could visit any wine region in the world right now what would it be and why?

A winery on a hill, ideally in Slovakia or Georgia. Outside of Australia, I’ve not actually been to a lot of wineries, so i’m down to go literally anywhere.

What do you think is the most exciting thing going in the world of wine right now?

More and more diversity.

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What would you like to see in the future of wine?

LESS spitting, bottles that SLAP and more equality for winemakers, wine workers, drinkers and everyone in between.

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What advice would you give yourself looking back to when you first started working in the wine industry?

You’re never going to learn how to pronounce French wine terms.

Who are some people that inspire you in the world of wine?

1.) My friend’s grandfather who makes wine in rural Slovakia. I have no idea what he’s saying, but his hand gestures scream passion and I want to swim in the infinity pool of that forever.

2.) Customers asking what the best wine pairing is for the handball world cup.

3.) This wine carafe I saw at Ved Stranden in Copenhagen that’s shaped like a pig.

Anything in the works you'd like to mention or promote? 

Check out my Instagram @nonwinary, but also WineJump where I work helping to level the playing field for smaller wineries in Europe.

If you want to go on a follow frenzy, here’s some suggestions:

@_whitandwine

@omniswine

@wineitonme

@wineswithjules