Servus, wieder!
As a passionate advocate for Austrian wine, I bring a unique blend of cultural immersion and academic expertise to the table. With nearly three years spent living in Austria and a master's degree in German with a specialization in dialects, I've honed my understanding of the country's language, culture, and wine heritage. My two-year stint in the Wachau, working hands-on for a winery, has solidified my commitment to showcasing the beauty and quality of Austrian wines on the global stage.
My Story
During my year-long Study abroad in Vienna, I took a hike in the Wachau with two friends on the 31st of March, 2019. With the plan to hike from Krems to Melk in a day (impossible!) we found ourselves standing at a bus station in Spitz at 8:56 pm on a Sunday night.
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The wrong, bus station.
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With no cash, dying phone batteries, and much-too-thin jackets, we had no choice but to go from Heuriger to Heuriger, asking for help. It was at the third Heuriger that a retired English teacher from Spitz turned around, and bade us to sit. He and his wife took pity on the three idiot Americans, and gave us a place to sleep.
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But before we said our prayers of thanks and drifted off to - they opened a bottle of wine - of which there is but one left in existence, and it's in my cellar. This bottle, they said, was the product of their talented future son-in-law. A bottle - and connection - that would become my return to Austria post-covid, and spur my first steps into the wine industry.
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That bottle was Dürnstein Grüner Veltliner Federspiel 2018 - Weingut Tegernseerhof.
Education
Court of Master Sommeliers - Americas
Introductory Certification
May 2024
Introductory Sommelier course and exam to be completed May 2024.
Wein Akademie Österreich
General Courses
2022-2023
General courses completed in German: Basiskurs, Aufbau I, Aufbau II. Participated in tastings and events; good knowledge of all Austrian wine.
DePaul University
M.A. in Germanistik
M.A. Certificate in Translation
2020-2021
Graduated in 364 days with research topics on the utilization of regional Dialects (Vorarlbergersich, Schwäbisch) in Germanic and Austrian legens. Final thesis on applying the theory of Martin Luther's translation of dialects into a Standardized German to the use of Swabian dialectal inclusions in the Brother's Grimm "Die Sieben Schwaben."
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Completed a certificate of German to English Translation.
DePaul University
B.A. in German Literature & Language, Communication & Media Studies
2016-2020
Graduated with top honors, Summa Cum Laude. Took coursework in Journalism, Business German, international HR, PR & Advertising, cross-cultural communication, international business communication, and more.
