Ep 30: Becoming a Wine Concierge with Jennifer Carruthers of JC Select Wines

Today, let me introduce you to Jennifer Carruthers of JC Select Wines.  

Once a civil engineer, Jennifer "stumbled" into the wine industry during her move from Canada to California.  She started out on the broker/distributor side of the business over 10 years ago where she co-founded a brokerage.  Jennifer is passionate about the lesser-known, fantastic wineries & their stories. So in 2019, she launched a passion project, Great Pour Decisions®, a lifestyle and wine accessories brand, followed by her dream business, JC Select Wines® a couple of months later. Jennifer founded JC Select Wines to bring her favorite wines directly into the hands of those in search of the great gems out there.

Let’s dive into her wine story!

[00:01 - 11:50] Opening Segment 

• I introduce our guest for this episode
• How Jennifer got attracted to wine early on the consumption side
• The turning point from consumption to business
• An introduction to JC Select Wines

[11:51 - 20:50] Becoming a Wine Concierge

• Secrets of a Wine Concierge
• Make Wine Approachable to Anyone
• How Jennifer chooses her wines and adds them to her portfolio
• Jennifer shares her experience with people who are unsure about their wines 

[20:51 - 35:48] The Case of Wine for You

• The coming together of wines, stories, sellers, and people
• Jennifer’s biggest struggle with wine
• Finding the balance between supporting your friends’ wine business your own preferences
• Want to become a wine concierge? Jennifer lets us in her secret to success!

[35:49 - 40:24] The Tasting Round

• Favorite Wine
• • Talisman Adastra Vineyard Pinot Noir
• Favorite Go-to Pairing
• • Champagne and fried chicken
• Wine and Vineyard Resources
• • People in the wine industry

Connect with Jennifer on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Or you can visit their website!

Let’s continue the Everyday Wine Conversations and connect with me through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected]. You can also check out my website at ​www.​klevywineco.com.

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Resources Mentioned

• Sideways

Tweetable Quotes:

“I appreciated the culture of wine and how it brought family and people together.” - Jennifer Carruthers

“Make your wine look more expensive than it even is.” - Jennifer Carruthers

“Wine doesn't give you headaches. Bad wine gives you headaches.” - Jennifer Carruthers