Had she known that going to college for wine studies was an option, she may have chosen a different path in the beginning. She instead decided to pursue her passion in art. While in school, like many, she worked as a waitress in an Italian restaurant. She was expected to have a deep understanding of the extensive Italian wine list and was excited to learn. Sherri would also frequent her local winery, Millbrook Winery, where she had her very first sip of Williams-Selyem wines.
Looking to take things one step further, Sherri decided it was time for her to learn the winemaking process. Her first vintage was in 2011 and she immediately took to the craft. She knew this was where she would thrive.
Over the years Sherri worked for many notable Virginia wineries such as Blenheim Vineyards, Michael Shaps Wineworks, and Thibaut & Janisson Winery. In 2015 Sherri became the winemaker for Stone Mountain Vineyards and got to oversee the fruit from the pick to bottle. Over the years she worked many vintages in central Virginia as well as the Finger Lakes region of NY. She and her husband were able to travel to Mersualt, France and work in the vineyards of Bouzeron pruning the vines for the winter, an offer they couldn’t refuse.
Seeking a change during the pandemic, Sherri came to Williams-Selyem as an intern in 2021. She fell in love with Sonoma County and determined this would be her next venture. She took everything across the country and returned to the Williams-Selyem team fulltime in the spring of 2022.
As a continued effort to learn, Sherri recently completed the UC Davis winemaking certificate, the WSET level 3 Award in Wines and is a Certified Sherry Wine Specialist by the Wine Scholar Guild. Sherri continues to make pottery and enjoys kayaking, hiking, and foraging for wild mushrooms with her husband.
