Tasting Salon Host
Carlie had grown up in wine country in San Luis Obispo county, but never thought much about the vines that lined the highway in her hometown. It wasn’t until she moved halfway across the world to pursue her dream of studying French Literature in Paris when she finally caught the wine bug. Ironically, it came in the form of a part time job to pay the bills as a bartender at a microbrewery.
That year, she had an incredible amount of exposure to great wine from France as well as around the world. When she returned to Sonoma County to finish her degree at Sonoma State University, she thought it might be fun to become a Sommelier on the side (not quite realizing that was less of a hobby as it was a full-time career). She decided to make the switch and began working in the wine world and pursuing certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Carlie spent her first few years of her career at predominantly Cabernet producers, including Jordan Winery, where she enjoyed exploring the food and wine pairing aspect of the industry. However, there was always something about those beautiful and versatile Pinot Noirs from Burgundy she had enjoyed in France that kept calling her name.
Her first bottle of Williams Selyem was at a “meet the parents” dinner with her partner, Ky. It was a Block 10 Mass Selection Pinot Noir, the closest thing to Burgundy she had tasted in California. It was spectacular! When Carlie joined the team in Spring of 2019, the first thing her in-laws asked was, “Does that mean we will be drinking more Williams Selyem?” She was happy to report that the answer was yes!
Sales, Marketing & Hospitality 
Our People Merle, Ellie, Dip and friends — the Boer Goats of Williams Selyem