Meet Hailey Drew Culmone: Wine Educator & Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hailey Drew Culmone and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hailey Drew, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I grew up working in restaurants since I was just 12 years old, so I was always surrounded by wine. It wasn’t until about 4 years ago that I began to take wine seriously. After studying and completing my Introductory exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers I was hooked, I didn’t want to stop studying and learning. It was during my studies for level two certified exam, that I had my “aha moment.” I was asked to teach a palate development class at a local coffee shop here in Atlanta. Believe it or not coffee and wine are more similar than you think! The point of the class was to discuss a systematic tasting approach, focusing on structural components of both liquids. I had never taught a class before and had absolutely no idea what I was doing.

Not only was the class a huge success, but I left feeling more inspired than ever. It was in this moment that I decided to share my passion for wine through education, with a goal to create a non-intimidating environment where anyone with an open-mind and adventurous palate is welcome, regardless of wine knowledge or experience. Wine can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Like anything else, it’s a craft that takes time to learn, and being able to translate this craft to others in a simple way, has been my most fulfilling challenge.

It was this experience and my belief that wine should be accessible to everyone that inspired me to start my own business. It was about a year ago, in April that I began hosting public wine classes. I still wasn’t 100% sure what I was doing, but I quickly learned the ebbs and flows of the business model I was working towards. I built a website, made business cards, created an Instagram focused on wine and my classes, started networking with people in the Atlanta wine community and marketing myself. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in this process of building my own business is that no matter what field you’re in, it’s all about who you know- network, network, network! Definitely not something they teach you in school.

What started as an idea, a moment of inspiration, has quickly grown into a business where I am now hosting several wine classes per month, each centered around a specific topic. In addition to my public classes I also offer private in-home wine experiences that are personalized to you and your guests. This has been niche market, perhaps in part due to the covid pandemic, because it allows guests to remain in the comfort of their own home. For private events, I curate a wine tasting course, that is presented in the guests’ home or event space. It’s the perfect way to celebrate a birthday, employee team building, or just a fun night with friends.

My favorite part of my business is that I am constantly learning. Learning not only about wine, but about how to become a better educator. Each class gives me new perspective and inspiration for future classes. Sure, I love to geek out with wine nerds, but what I really love is sharing the vast world of wine with everyday people in an environment that inspires you to dive deeper into your glass.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As mentioned previously, I grew up working in restaurants, but it wasn’t until the last few years I decided to make hospitality my profession. In college I worked part time, while studying Psychology and at GSU, with the goal to become a clinical psychologist. This was my career path for five years. After graduating with my Bachelors, I decided to travel for six months before starting my Ph.D. program. Well as you can imagine, I never ended up attending graduate school.

When I came home, I was feeling more inspired than ever. I wanted to continue learning but I was no longer aligned to six more years of school (thanks to an epiphany I had in Portugal) so I decided to focus on what I call “passion projects” – things like wine and coffee. I went back to the restaurant, started taking wine seriously and began working at East Pole Coffee Company as a Barista. Filling my days with my two favorite liquids- coffee and wine. Unsure of what exactly I was going to do but knowing that I didn’t want to be a barista or server for the rest of my life. Then I taught my first wine class, and everything changed. Just like that. During the most uncertain year of 2020, my career manifested and flourished.

Building a business isn’t easy, but if you love what you do than it doesn’t really feel like “work”. The process should be enjoyable and fulfilling because you are investing in yourself and your ideas. You work for you, and there is nothing more liberating than that.

I think it’s important to realize that just because you are in a specific career field doesn’t mean it’s too late to change careers and explore a different path. IT IS NEVER TOO LATE! My friends and family thought I was crazy when I decided to go live and work on a coffee farm in Brazil instead of continue on to graduate school.

If there was one thing, I could tell someone looking to start their own business, it would be to have confidence in yourself and your vision. If you are truly passionate about something, whether it be wine, plants, makeup or making music – it will sell itself because when you talk about it, teach it, or play it, you will radiate, and this magnetism will attract people to you and your business. Authenticity is the building block to a successful company.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta is such a special city and I love showing out of towners all the best spots! After picking them up from the airport the first stop would be coffee, because everyone can use a pick me up after traveling. I would take them to my favorite coffee shop in Atlanta – East Pole. For lunch, we go to one of my favorite Atlanta staples, Lotta Frutta for the “Lotta Mora” smoothie, and the “Just Veggin” sandwich, which I would argue is the best sandwich in ATL. Not to mention the owner Myrna, has the warmest energy and within five minutes of being there you feel like family. Now that we’re caffeinated and have food in our stomach, it’s time for drinks! Next stop is the patio at 8arm, for cocktails. They make the best caipirinha in the city. Assuming my guest is tired from a long day of travel we’ll rent some scooters and head to Bar Mercado in Krog street market for some delicious Latin American food! Of course, it wouldn’t be a visit to Krog street without stopping at Jeni’s for ice cream before heading home.

For their second day in town, I would take them to Perc, another wonderful coffee shop with my favorite breakfast sandwich, cleverly called “the breakfast sandwich.” After coffee we would head to the beltline starting at Ponce city market. I would take them through the market, stopping at Citizen supply, for a quick look at local Atlanta artists and brands. On the way out we will grab a pork belly bun from Superpan, because it’s a perfect snack for our long walk ahead. Walking to piedmont park, and back we would continue down the beltline until we hit LadyBird. We’ll grab some pre-dinner cocktails, before heading to one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta, Del Bar. A middle eastern restaurant with a great vibe. With tons of natural lighting, a massive outdoor patio, and crazy good food, we will be spending the rest of the evening here.

Day three is here, and again, we start with coffee. This time I take them to Chrome Yellow, one of the first specialty coffee shops in Atlanta. From here I would take them a few miles down to the road to my yoga studio, Highland yoga. You know, to sweat out all the alcohol we’ve been consuming. From here, we would grab lunch at Bread and Butterfly, in Inman Park. A quaint little space tucked away from the hustle and bustle of this busy area. After lunch, I take them to the High Museum of Art, hopefully there’s a good exhibition going on. Later that evening we’ll head to dinner at the Iberian Pig, for Spanish tapas and wine- they have the best octopus in town!

Day four is here already! I really hope my guest likes coffee, because off we go to a new shop that just opened, Con leche. After coffee we head to another Atlanta staple, on the unassuming Carroll Street, “Littles”. A grocery store/market, there’s always one guy in the back making little burgers. Quick bite and then we head to the beltline to rollerblade! My favorite belt line activity to get a good workout in and people watch. For dinner we go to Aziza, a middle eastern/ Israeli restaurant in West Midtown. They have the best chicken tajine and an exciting wine list.

The trip is quickly coming to a close and I still have so many places to show them. We’ll enjoy coffee at home before heading to Staplehouse- a local market selling unique wines and fresh baked goods. We enjoy these delicious treats on the back patio, which truly feels like a neighbor’s backyard. It wouldn’t be a trip to Atlanta without showing them my favorite wine shops. First stop, VinoTeca. They do public wine tastings on the weekends- the perfect way to sample wines and see what they’re all about. Next we’ll rent some bikes and head to Elemental Wine & Spirits for a quick look at some exquisite wine and mezcal! We’ll spend the rest of the day biking around before heading to dinner at Cooks and Soldiers in West Midtown. A Basque-inspired cuisine, they prepare most items on their wood fired grill. They have a legendary rib-eye and the “Bikni” is the best grilled cheese you will ever have.

Second to last day! We take it easy, heading to Oakland Cemetery for a stroll. It might sound odd to hang out at a cemetery, but I assure you the skyline view of the city combined with the uniquely designed mausoleums are worth a visit! Later in the evening well head to Decatur square for some good old fashioned bar hopping! First stop is Kimball house for happy hour- incredible craft cocktails and oysters to get the night going. Second stop, Deer and the Dove for some more snacks, ending at Leon’s, another Atlanta staple.

The last day is here, we must go out with a bang! An early morning hike at Stone Mountain to get the day started. As a reward, we treat ourselves to coffee and pastries from Gilly’s Brew bar, conveniently just a short walk from the hike. It’s Sunday, so we head to Grant Park Farmers Market for some quick lunch and local goodies. A quick rest and were showered and ready for the night! For our last dinner together, we go to Omakase Table, an omakase only sushi experience. It’s unique and intimate, a perfect way to end our time together.

Eating and drinking your way through any city is a good way to get to know the locals. I always ask the bartender or server where they hangout or what they recommend doing. It’s the perfect way to find hidden gems within the city. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My business wouldn’t be nearly as successful without the word of mouth from everyone who attends my classes. I can’t tell you how often someone signs up for a wine class or books a private event, because their friend told them how great of an experience they had. Most of my private events have been booked because someone who attended told their friend who told their friend. So, thank you to each and every one of you who has believed in me and given me the opportunity to share my passion.

Additionally, I owe a huge shoutout to my mentor, Nicolas Quinones. He is the reason I became fascinated with wine. We worked together for several years at a restaurant called Cooks & Soldiers. He held mandatory wine classes (which at the time I did not appreciate) but after the first class I was hooked. I had so many questions and was determined to learn more. His passion for wine was contagious, and it wasn’t long before I found myself consumed by the vast and never-ending world of wine. He has continued to guide me through my wine career with business advice, and monthly tastings. To this day, I could still listen to him talk about wine all day.

Website: Haileyculmone.com

Instagram: @somm.where

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/hailey-drew-culmone