Meet Elizabeth Kowal, a passionate sommelier reshaping the wine culture in Illinois. With 11 years of dedication, she's not just a sommelier; she's a mentor, educator, and explorer of exquisite wines. At Geneva Wine Cellars, she orchestrates themed tastings, designs educational seminars, and crafts unique wine menus, immersing patrons in unforgettable experiences. Elizabeth's approach is personal; she listens, learns, and curates selections tailored to individual tastes. Her wine journey isn't just a job—it's a vibrant tapestry of education, passion, and the joy of sharing. Join us as we unravel Elizabeth Kowal's story, where every bottle tells a tale and every pour is a celebration of her expertise and love for the art of wine.

Your current place of work.

Geneva Wine Cellars

Tell us about yourself.

11 years ago I began studying wine and working in the hospitality industry as a second career. I passed the Court of Masters Certified exam in April 2016. I have been the Sommelier/Buyer/Manager of a boutique wine shop wine bar since 2014 where I plan themed weekend wine tastings, create wine menus, conduct bar service, design educational wine seminars, and lead private tastings and parties. I am also the marketing and social media manager. I have been the Wine Instructor for the College of DuPage’s Wine Certificate Program since 2017. As frequently as possible, I attend classes, tasting groups, and trade shows to continue learning about wine and spirits. I have been honored to compete in many blind tasting events and I love the challenge and opportunity to grow in my wine analysis abilities.

Why did you want to become a sommelier?

I worked in restaurants in high school and college and have always had a passion for learning about food and culture. After working for many years in sales and promotion in both the music and travel industries, I was drawn to learning more about wine. Wine is an interdisciplinary study for me that connects history, culture, language, science, art, and more.

Image: Elizabeth Kowal teaching in the classroom at the @collegeofdupage wine program

Questions you would ask a customer who doesn't know anything about wine?

What kinds of foods and flavors do you like? What regional and international cuisines do you enjoy? Do you like tart fruit or juicy fruit? These types of questions will help guide me to the type of wine to introduce them to.

What are some of the most important skills for a sommelier?

Listening.Communicating, rather than telling them what they "should" drink. Being open to hearing what their taste is and introducing them to something that they are both comfortable with and will also surprise them.

How I would train my new staff member in their first 7 days of joining.

Teach them to listen to the guest's requests before talking to them about their own personal favorite. Find out more about their taste, budget, etc. before recommending a wine that may be wonderful but not suited to the guest. Have them learn about the culture and background of the business so they can introduce it to the guests. Work with them to understand profit margin and good values in choosing wines to sell and promote.

What methods do you use to grow wine sales - top line? Please explain with examples.

Weekly promotions with a different focus each week utilizing items we have gotten good deals on.

What methods do you use to grow net profits?

Focus on getting good margins.

How do you self-learn and improve your skills?

I attend classes, tasting groups, and trade shows to continue learning about wine and spirits. I have been honored to compete in many blind tasting events and I love the challenge and opportunity to grow in my wine analysis abilities. I teach wine classes and continue to learn from them.

Image: Elizabeth Kowal doing a tasting at Gary Ferrell Winery

What's the best part of your job?

The positive feedback from guests. Expanding our wine selections while learning about new wines

How do you elevate the guest experience? Please give 4-5 examples and insights here.

I share the extra knowledge I have from my studies with them. Sometimes it is food & wine pairing, learning about a new region or grape, or even how to taste wine.

Your favorite TV show right now?

TCM Noir Alley.

An unforgettable wine experience for you - tell us the whole story!

Oregon Pinot Camp 2023! From the first time I heard about it, it became my goal to attend. It was even better than I could have imagined. Walking the vineyards with the pioneers of Oregon wineries like David Adelsheim and Ken Wright was an incredible experience. Meeting winemakers and even experiencing a wine blending class with Robert Brittan of Winderlea was a one-of-a-kind opportunity. Having private tastings at some of the most beautiful wineries like Brooks and Van Duzer was incredible. It was a wine education like no other and I am so grateful for the opportunity!

What are the biggest faux pas that customers tend to make when ordering and drinking wine?

Relying on what they have had in the past and are most familiar with. It can really limit the possibility for them to discover something new. Walking the vineyards with the pioneers of Oregon wineries like David Adelsheim and Ken Wright was an incredible experience. Meeting winemakers and even experiencing a wine blending class with Robert Brittan was a one-of-a-kind opportunity. Having private tastings at some of the most beautiful wineries like Brooks and Van Duzer was incredible.

Any favorite food and wine pairing suggestions for drinks enthusiasts?

In June 2020 I was one of 61 chosen out of 2100 entries submitted to JancisRobinson.com for the Best Food & Wine Pairings from the Hospitality Industry. Here is the pairing featuring Sicilian Carricante from Mt. Etna and a link to the article. https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/hospo-pairings-very-nearly-best.

"Elizabeth Kowal from Geneva Wine Cellars in Illinois takes us into her classroom and treats us to Carricante: ‘Here is a pairing I did at the College of DuPage where I teach wine classes and wine pairing in the student-run dining room:

Guest chef John Coletta / Early Autumn Italian Celebration: Seared line-caught wild Alaskan halibut with celery root puree, early autumn shaved celery hearts, and radish salad, paired with Tenuta di Fessina, Erse Etna Bianco (2016). The fresh and herbal aromatics complement and enhance the celery accompaniment of the fish while providing the brightness of lemon to the fish itself and finishing with a touch of salinity. Also, the wine has some weight to it in the mouth, which I believe comes from the volcanic soils and matches the medium body of the fish."

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Your favorite book?

Wine & War by Don & Petie Kladstrup.

What's your personal career goal? And how are you investing or planning to get there?

Wine education is my passion and I am continuing my certifications and studies to teach others about wine, both as a working Sommelier and an educator. I hope specifically to expand my study of Italy and to be able to educate consumers about the many regions and native grapes. I want to travel to these areas and learn first-hand about the history, the grapes, and the wines and share my experiences as a wine professional.

Give us one good story that you remember of a customer and you.

A guest planned a small private party and requested Pinot Noir, but nothing specific. I chose a producer from Sonoma and while I was serving it turned out that she traveled to California for business frequently and really knew wine. She loved my choice for the evening and we quickly bonded over Pinot Noir. She and her husband became frequent guests and I have introduced them to many more wines. They often bring friends and family for private parties.

How can suppliers work with you to drive sales?

Working with us to do unique promotions and offering special pricing.

Can you share with us an example of a solid wine program?

Know your audience. Know how and when to introduce new things while staying true to their taste and budget.

Image: Elizabeth Kowal at the 2022 Wine Rival Blind Tasting Competition.

What are the four main things you focus on daily?

Researching new wines for the store, checking stock to see what has been moving, preparing a range of wines to pour btg and on wine flights, and promoting events on social media and newsletter.

What are the points you look at when selecting a new wine for your wine program?

A wine that will be approachable for our regular guests but is something new and unusual, also having it fit our price range.

According to you, what makes a good sommelier, and what qualities do you look for when hiring a sommelier?

At the wine cellar, I hire employees who are seeking to further their wine knowledge and experience. I take time to train them in-depth and work with them personally to practice professional wine skills and prepare for certification.

What do you look for when you have to evaluate the effectiveness of the wine program?

The reaction of the guests to the wine choices. When they learn to trust us to choose new and interesting wines, they continue to support us. This allows us to be able to experiment and introduce them to new wines.

Note: Image Source for Header and Index Image - Elizabeth Kowal