Meet Chelsea, Our Newest Key Accounts Specialist
You may find yourself shopping in a K&L store every day of the year, but never see some of the behind-the-scene faces that help make the magic happen. Some of that magic happens with our Key Accounts team, a small but mighty group of experts who assist customers with specialized purchases along the lines of allocations and collectibles.
We’re pleased to welcome a new KA Specialist, Chelsea Herholdt. Chelsea, located in San Francisco, comes to us with years of experience in the biz, and can help guide you through the process of building your collection. If you’re curious about where to start with a collection, drop her a line.
I got to chat with her and find out more about what wine means to her and where her interests lie.
KS: How did you get into wine?
CH: Wine found me in some ways. I started working in restaurants/hospitality pretty young, and by my early 20s I was at a Burgundy-focused wine bar in Santa Barbara (the late Les Marchands) owned by Master Sommelier Brian McClintic. I was able to taste some striking wines super early on that set a firm foundation focused on old world classics.
I thought I was going to go to grad school for chemistry but I kept finding more and more fun wine jobs and connections. Eventually I realized I was happy in the wine world with endless wines to taste, science to read about, and history to learn.
KS: Chemistry! That feels like a far throw from the wine world, but actually I bet that skill set is really relevant to learning about wine? Did you ever think about being a winemaker with that kind of background?
CH: Surprisingly, they connect pretty easily! I did consider winemaking and have some chemistry colleagues who went that direction. The creative, historical, and storytelling aspect of working on the sales and education side of wine kept me here. I managed a wine program for a private club here and was able to teach some super fun classes as well as help some folks begin collecting wines. My bookworm self has plenty to stay invested.
KS: As a bookworm myself, I appreciate those aspects about wine, too. How did you get to K&L?
CH: (K&L Virtual book club coming up? ha!) I knew the excellent reputation that K&L had, but I wasn't sure where I might fit in. When the Key Accounts spot opened up it sounded like a perfect fit (it is!). I get to work with the world's best wines and work one-on-one with wine lovers of all backgrounds.
KS: I like that book club idea! Do you want to talk a little bit about your role at K&L? I think that Key Accounts might be a bit mysterious to staff and customers alike.
CH: Sure! It is understandably a mystery. For customers, our team is dedicated to leveling up our customer service for those looking to get more invested here at K&L. Some of the tasks we tackle for our customers include helping collectors look for specific special/rare bottles; offer some tailored sneak peeks on allocated and harder to find wines/spirits; and assist in complicated shipments and deliveries. Without giving away too much, there will be additional reasons upcoming that invested customers will want to be plugged into our team. For staff, we are a great resource for wines that they may not have had the opportunity to taste or interact with. The world of fine wines and spirits can be rightfully intimidating, and we're here to help soften that.
KS: It definitely can be intimidating! How do you stay on top of things? Are there publications you follow?
CH: Yes, we do the heavy lifting to keep tabs on major publications like Robert Parker, James Suckling, Wine Spectator, Jeb Dunnuck, Decanter, some more topic-focused writers like Jane Anson, Kerin O'Keefe, and many more. Personally I pay a fair amount of attention to Jancis Robinson. I also think that to look forwards you have to look backwards in this world. On road trips I'm diving into old "I'll Drink to That" Podcasts discussing Burgundy vineyards throughout history, geology and terroir influences, and interviews with Piemonte legends. I'll re-read books like Wine & War that highlight how wine and history are intertwined, and make sure to dive into newer books like The New French Wine to get some info that isn't available running around on the internet. We do want to see what is getting scored and written up, and we also are lovers of high-end wines and spirits and are interacting with these wines personally. We do some deep dives on how vintages are faring, when we recommend opening vs. continuing to cellar bottles, and anticipating what is coming up next so our customers can confidently collect (and drink!).
KS: You guys are a great resource! We all should probably pick your brains more often. What kind of wines do you particularly love personally?
CH: Yes, please pick our brains! I have to put this information somewhere. I was formerly the Lead Floor Sommelier at The Riddler, a female-owned and operated Champagne bar in the city, so I worked exclusively with Champagne for about a year and a half straight. Consequently, I am a big Champagne and Riesling nerd, but it was Burgundy that first caught my attention, so it will always be one of my first loves. Today, the world of imports is getting more and more exciting, so I'm happily exploring some up-and-coming regions like Sicily, South Africa, and South America. There is no substitute for the likes of a solid vintage Champagne, a well-aged Burgundy, a Bordeaux legend, or a balanced old Barolo, but in my endless quest for new and fun wines, there are some fun new regions to explore too.
KS: Any advice for readers wanting to start a collection?
CH: Yes, reach out to our team… Just kidding (halfway!). I am going to get some beginners resources launched soon for those who want to get into this world. Outside of our team, collecting is a combination of what you (the collector) wants to have around, as well as what is likely to increase in value (or at least stay stable) over time. Getting started alone is hard, so finding a trusted expert to purchase from and subsequently give personal feedback to is absolutely key.
A new collector should first figure out which regions appeal to their own palates from the major classics (in no particular order): Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Piemonte, Tuscany, Napa, Rhône. The best way to do that is to find someone (maybe us) whom you trust to both launch you with ready-to-drinks for a bit, but also receive your feedback on your personal preferences. If someone came to me looking to do this, I'd get them started with some vintage side-by-sides and sub-regional side-by-sides of the classics. For example with Burgundy, I would introduce them to the important 1er Crus and their key producers & vintages, and based on that get them some collectible Grand Crus worth aging, and some recommendations of when to drink (or sell). Each region has a way to get introduced without investing thousands of dollars at once, and that's where we come in. Once you have a handle on what you want to have around, then we can get into what is likely to increase or hold its value in line with what makes you personally excited.
KS: That sounds so great! I love that you have a method to hone in on a person's interests before the person has to start major investing. Maybe we can finish with a few lines about what you like to do when you're not emmeshed in the wine world? And maybe a desert island wine?
CH: Sure! Outside of wine nerd things (which includes a lot of eating and drinking fun things as well as reading, etc.), I am a distance runner so I'm often running trails in the headlands or Golden Gate Park/Presidio area here. My partner and I have a running Rummy 500 card game competition, and I'm currently losing by a few games. Between three animals, long runs, card games, travel, and time with friends, life is full here!
Desert island wine... I have a love-hate relationship with this question. Some wines that stopped me in my tracks over the years like 1978 Philipponnat Clos de Goisses, 1992 Selosse, a surprisingly young but stunning 2005 Meo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée Les Chaumes, 1974 Ridge, and so on—sometimes I think I'd want to revisit one of those over and over again on this fictional island. But, a family I never get tired of drinking from is the Cotat cousins in the Loire Valley. Old and young, both cousins, and all their vineyard sites, I find to be refreshing, complex, and textured. They go well with food (coconuts I'm guessing on this desert...), but by themselves are mouthwatering.