Holiday Champagne Tasting – Nashville, TN

Join us for SERIOUS SIP’s 3rd Annual Holiday Champagne Tasting.

This year, Kelly has invited her friend Jess Helfand, a Champagne specialist and instructor at Napa Valley Wine Academy to join in the fun.

We’ll pour 6 styles of Champagne aimed at highlighting the diversity in grapes, winemaking, and styles of the region. Kelly has promised a “Tower of Tots”–among other tasty bites to accompany this fun evening. This in-person event promises to be a festive and educational experience. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to indulge in some delicious Champagne and expand your wine knowledge. Grab your friends and come join us for a sparkling good time!

Kelly Boutwell is a wine professional living in Nashville, Tennessee with more than 20 years of experience working in wine. Kelly began her career as a Wine Director and Service Manager for an award-winning restaurant beverage program after college. She then worked in political fundraising for a decade before striking out on her own. Today, Kelly is a partner in a number of businesses including Retrograde Coffee, MW Real Estate, Ugly Mugs Coffee & Tea, and consulting business SERIOUS SIP. Throughout her varied career, Kelly has remained focused on wine and her enthusiasm is contagious. She has taught and hosted hundreds of tastings and dinners.

Kelly holds a BA and MBA from Millsaps College in Jackson, MS. She believes in developing strong fundamentals in wine education–and holds both a Diploma in Wines, from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and a Level 2 Sommelier Certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers. Kelly writes a spirited, semi-regular wine newsletter–Friday Five and hosts fine wine excursions to the Italian wine regions of Piemonte, Tuscany, and Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Jess Helfand is the Nashville, Tennessee representative of the Napa Valley Wine Academy, teaching both in-person and on-line. She holds the WSET Diploma in wine and is a WSET Certified Educator. Jess teaches all levels of WSET in Wines, from Level 1 to Diploma, as well as specialty classes. She has a particular love of sparkling wine and is a Certified Cava Educator and Champagne Educator.Jess is recognized as a regional expert in wine education with students attending classes from the southeast and beyond. Her primary goal as an instructor is to make wine accessible at any level, from the beginner to the advanced student, from the hobbyist to the professional. In addition to teaching formal classes, Jess serves as a tasting and theory coach for the Academy. Mentoring students along their journey and helping them to build their skills and confidence is one of her greatest joys as an educator.