Meet the Sommelier: Nancy O'Connell WINECRASHER Wine Director and Co-founder

Nancy O'Connell is the Wine Director and Co-founder of Winecrasher, an incredibly unique and effective wine marketing system for people who want to get great wine at the best prices.

Raised in Southern California, "The O.C.", O'Connell discovered wine through her parents. She jokingly says the rule was, "If you could hold it, you could drink it." Not totally true, but she did spend a good deal of her time reading her dad's books about wine as well as the "Wine Spectator" magazines laying around the house, and tasting wines her parents would have with dinner, developing a real passion for wines from all over the world. She credits a 1974 Ridge Monte Bello and a shiner of Sangiovese (that she picked up while traveling in Italy) as her "epiphany" wines. She worked at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, then moved to Napa Valley, where has been for the last 10-plus years, working for wineries and retailers and has loved every minute expanding her knowledge, relationships and skills within the wine industry. Nancy brings her passion and drive for wines to Winecrasher and loves to share all that she finds!

Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview Nancy O'Connell about her career as a wine expert and Winecrasher.

What special personal qualities or talents have enhanced your career?

I have spent a lot of time working for wineries and in wine retail. This has really helped me get an idea for the entire process from the ground up. The hands on experience of harvest has been the most enlightening. Seeing where it starts, tasting through the process really painting the big picture, and understanding where a wine has come from. Also, I am a big foodie, originally thinking I wanted to be a chef, so paying attention to my palate is a big deal. With all of my experiences, I have learned to try everything, and be open to the possibilities, because you never know what's going to surprise you.

Who have been some of your professional mentors or individuals that have inspired your work?

I can't say I have just had one mentor... everywhere I have worked I have learned something and come away with news ways to think and work within the industry. Each of these people have made a big impact on me and my wine education, and keep me motivated. Some of my real stand outs are:

Stefan Blicker, of BP Wine really impacted me... his palate is amazing as is his writing style. I am not sure he fully knows the impact he had, but it really felt like a true "sponge" moment. Focusing on learning as much as possible. We would do company blind tastings on Fridays, which were great for training your palate. Joshua Lowell from FUTO, a real mentor of mine. I am sure I wasn't his ideal person, but the time in the vineyards as well as the blending sessions, and sales, he knows so much it was absolutely inspiring. It was more than just knowing our land in Oakville, and its impact in the industry, it was talking about the wines from all over. His depth and breadth of knowledge has kept me focused and going deeper with my own wine education. At Soutirage, it was being exposed to the high profile clients as well as the wines within their cellars, and the wines we would acquire for them. From Weddings in Big Sur to events in Davos, the wines and the overall experience was like a dream.

Tell us a little about your travel experiences as a sommelier.

My time in the wine industry has not been spent in restaurants or hotels all over the world. I have, worked for Wine retail companies as well as wineries, however, traveled thought Europe and have focused tasting in Italy and France. I also live in Napa Valley and travel within the US Wine region regularly.

Why do you find your career as a sommelier so rewarding?

I find my career, in the wine business, so rewarding because of so many things. I love the way that wine is a part of all occasions, the sense of community within the industry, that each year brings something new to the table, as well as the customer interaction and how it all comes together. Wine isn't pretentious or just for a certain group, it's for everyone. Every winery is different, every winemaker unique in their style, every wine has it's own life... it's own story. I love discovering those stories and sharing them.

What is one of your favorite meals and what wine would you select for it?

Oh man!! Really any meal with wine is a great meal, in my humble opinion. I think about an article that I read in The Drinks Business where they interviewed Robert Parker and he was speaking to the rating of 100 point wines, saying that it is the "emotions of the moment", that "...great wines should be emotional." I think that is true for more than just rating wines... the emotions of the moment determine something being a "favorite".

However, when truly pressed, and it feels so cliche to say, I really love Lamb stew, the rustic kind, paired with a good old Rhone wine or even a rustic Bandol! You just want to cozy up and enjoy the simplicity of it.

Tell us a little about the company that you currently work with.

I am the Co-Founder of a wine retailer called Winecrasher. We are an innovative new company selling wine through a Hotwire/Priceline model, withholding the producer information in order to secure the lowest price in the market. I handle the wine purchasing as well as our wine club.

At the Winecrasher's web-store, http://www.winecrasher.com/, customers receive all the information about a specific bottle of wine that includes region, varietal, rating, tasting note etc. The wine label is only revealed after the purchase. In exchange, the customer receives the guaranteed best price in the market. And follow Winecrasher on Facebook and Twitter.

And read about Winecrasher's Co-founder, Niv Nissenson in our recent BWW Food and Wine article: /san-francisco/article/HOLD-BWW-Interview-Niv-Nissenson-Founder-of-WINECRASHER-20160605.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Nancy O'Connell

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