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A Cork in the Road
A Cork in the Road
Creating Opportunities for Wine Education and Exploration
Creating Opportunities for Wine Education and Exploration
Wine Media and Events Specialist
A Cork in the Road, LLC uses wine as a platform for connecting and communicating with wine enthusiasts, novices, professionals, travelers, etc. Through designing wine events, teaching wine classes, producing audio journalism, and creating social media adventures, we help people develop skills to explore their own tastes in wine.
Wine Media
Writes articles and creates digital media for wine travel and education
Tasting Events
Customizes events and designs educational class formats
Wine Handbags
Designed and retails a leather wine handbag with an insulated pocket
Podcast
Interviews people shaping the Southeast wine industry and beyond
About
We partner with wine retailers and restaurants to host wine dinners, classes, and tasting experiences - both in-person and virtually. We also team up with private chefs to design wine pairings for clients. Currently, we are also seeking venue partnerships for hosting our signature "Wine vs Beer Dinners" for continued data collection. If you or your organization are looking for wine event media coverage, we are available to offer promotional partnerships. And per request, we have recently agreed to accept wine samples for assessment as long as there is no endorsement expectation. CONTACT US
Kelly @acorkintheroad
Founder of A Cork in the Road, LLC / Host of "The A Cork in the Road" Podcast
Born in Minnesota, Kelly holds a Masters in Exercise Physiology and completed a study abroad program in Argentina during her undergraduate studies in Kinesiology. While pursuing her career in public health, however, she simultaneously fell in love with wine and has since accumulated 10+ years of wine industry education and experience.
From 2011 - 2013, she worked for a South African winemaker while managing a winery in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia learning all aspects of wine production and tasting room sales. Since then, her interest in the people, places, and history of wine has taken her biking to wineries in Mendoza, exploring tasting rooms in Napa and Sonoma, learning about Gamay vines in Beaujolais, meeting with producers in Northern Rhône, studying Pinot Noir in Burgundy, expanding perceptions of Port in Portugal, and discovering the diversity of microclimates in the Willamette Valley.
After founding A Cork in the Road, LLC in 2018, she has contributed to wine and travel publications, designed multi-course wine pairing dinners for restaurants, produced 100+ episodes of the "A Cork in the Road" podcast, and partnered with retailers to create a wide variety of unique education experiences. She continues to share the joy of all things wine through custom tastings, virtual classes, and Wine vs Beer adventures.
Wine Pocket Handbag Designer
with P. Sherrod & Co. in Atlanta, GA
Partnership with P. Sherrod & Co. began in Atlanta, GA when Donna was planning a fashion show for her line of leather handbags in the fall of 2018. She found Kelly by searching online for a wine educator who could pair wines to several ensembles for the show. At the event, Kelly selected wines based on the style of each look to serve to guests as each model walked the runway. It was a sold-out success and sparked ideas for further collaboration.
Kelly recognized a need among wine lovers for a more practical yet stylish way to carry wine bottles between events, and Donna had the skills and resources to facilitate a design and manufacturing process. Their teamwork guided each wine-loving detail and business decision that has led to the launch of their co-branded specialty handbag for wine lovers.
The first Fall Collection in 2021 sold out, but now after launching several new colors, we have grown to establish retail partners in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and California as well as have inventory available for sale through Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
CONTACT US with interest in fashion event collaboration or wholesale partnership.
PODCAST
The "A Cork in the Road" Podcast highlights people who are shaping the Southeast wine industry and beyond.
Or search for "A Cork in the Road" wherever you get your podcasts.
To honor incredible people and share inspiring stories, this podcast shines a light on those who are inspiring education and truly setting the bar in the industry. This series goes behind the wine so you can meet the distributors, retailers, educators, beverage managers, etc. who are shaping the wine market.
Recipient of The Hue Society's
"2023 Podcast of the Year" Award
On Air
We are currently producing 2 episodes each month. Recent guests include:
Episode 128 - WInemaker Rajat Parr, Phelan Farm
Episode 129 - Steven Grubbs, Multi-Program Sommelier and Wine Director
Episode 130 - Alice Tétienne, Cellar Master and Vineyard Director for Champagne Henriot
Episode 131 - LIVE audience with Randy Bennett, the Winemaker and General Manager for Sojourn Cellars
All episodes from Seasons 1-6 are also still available. Share and write us a review. You can also make a monthly contribution on Anchor's platform.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Join us for a ticketed wine education and exploration experience - follow @acorkintheroad for all updates and event announcements
Chillable Reds
Monthly Tasting Series
Saturday, July 27th, 4:00 - 6:00pm
@ Limoges Cellars in Cleveland, GA
July's tasting class up in North Georgia will feature a lineup of lighter-bodied red wines to chill and take on a picnic by a lake! Because it's summer and we're hot but sometimes you STILL want a red wine. You'll also get to enjoy an ample charcuterie spread, and all class participants receive 10% off purchases the day of class.
The "Unusual Suspects"
Blind Tasting Competition
Sunday, August 4th 5:30-8:30pm
@ The Oenophile Institute in Smyrna, GA
Are you ready to put your taste buds to the test and take a walk on the wild side? Join us for the second annual blind tasting competition like no other. Seven wines will be poured, each from a variety or region that is on the fringe of testable (or not at all) according to CMS and WSET. The competition will be graded on a point system with one point for each of the following: climate, country, region, variety, and vintage. All attendees and competitors will taste all 7 wines. Cash prizes will be awarded to 1st and 2nd place finishers!
The Second Annual
SOMMLYMPICS
Sunday, December 8th, 10am - 9pm
@ The Oenophile Institute in Smyrna, GA
SAVE THE DATE - this unique event brings together teams of three industry professionals and wine aficionados, who will compete in a series of rigorous challenges encompassing wine theory, service, and the nerve-wracking blind tasting. Spectators can watch the competition unfold, enjoy tastings of fine wines, and learn from the challenges presented. Each evented will be ticketed separately with an all-day pass also available.
Team Registration opens June 8th!
Tickets will go on sale Fall of 2024!
BECOME A SPONSOR
APPLY TO VOLUNTEER
On June 4, 2024, Fox 5 Atlanta’s Good Day Atlanta invited us to preview some of the looks featured in our Summer Sip & Style Showcase at Epicurean Atlanta. During the segment, Kelly of A Cork in the Road talked about some of the wine and food pairings while Donna of P. Sherrod & Co. highlighted the themed pieces from our featured designers. We also gave away the secret that the handbag we designed together holds a bottle of wine...
Our Leather Handbag for Wine
A Cork in the Road, LLC and P. Sherrod & Co. have designed a fashionable, high-quality "everyday" style purse that can discreetly carry a bottle of wine separated from other purse items for wine lovers on-the-go between errands, work events, and gatherings with friends.- Insulated wine sleeve (fits most standard 750ml bottles)
- Flap closure snaps securely over the top of a wine bottle
- Inside zip pocket plus pocket for corkscrew
- Studded feet on bottom
- 13.5h x 12w x 5d
- Imported, Colombia
Currently available in 3 colors:- Fuchsia
- Golden Yellow
- Black
Our handbags are also for sale at the following retail partners:1. DRNK wines in Sebastopol, CA2. Deep Roots Wine Market & Tasting Room in Roswell, GA3. R Five Wines in Downingtown, PA4. Wine Enthusiast Magazine online catalogWine Events and Education
We host and design wine events for retailers and restaurants - some of our most popular ticketed tasting and event topics include:
Wine vs Beer Data Dinners
Wine Pairing Dinners
Palate Training and Wine Structure Workshop
"PINKies Up" Rosé Exploration
How to Navigate a Local Wine Shop
Discover Small Producers of Sonoma Valley
Discover Small Producers of Virginia
Discover Small Producers of Willamette Valley
Old- vs. New-World Blind Tasting
U.S. Expressions of Classic Grape Varieties
Ross Knoll Vineyard Partnership
A Cork in the Road, LLC serves at the Southeast Educator for a portfolio of wines produced in Sonoma County.
In partnership with Diane Carpenter, a Somm Films Executive Producer, we support the Ross Knoll Vineyard project. This opportunity brings us closer to our roots in wine production, and it is so fun to be able to share these thoughtful small-production wines as part of what we can offer at events and tastings. The Ross Knoll portfolio consists Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon wines produced by winemaker, Justin Seidenfeld.
MEMBERSHIPS
The Ross Knoll team introduced a membership program in 2023 that gets the first offer of our allocations. We are offering 2 membership levels: Premier Cru and Grand Cru. The Grand Cru membership includes "The Sonoma Wine Experience" in collaboration for 4 Sonoma wineries.
Shipping to 11 states: CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON, MINNESOTA, NEW JERSEY, MASSACHUSETTS, NEW YORK, ILLINOIS, FLORIDA, VIRGINIA, and GEORGIA. Join the Mailing List, Make a Purchase, or Request a Tasting.PUBLISHED
Available for reporting assignments and media bookings
Contact acorkintheroad@gmail.com
- Sip & Style featured on GOOD DAY ATLANTA - Live TV! June 2024
- BOLD Journey "Meet Kelly Cornett" - May 2024
- Guest Speaker at the Fifth Annual Shenandoah Cup, November 2023
- "Hello Grappa Days" feature in Chilled Magazine, September 2023
- "Things to Read Watch and Listen to this Month", Decanter, June 2023
- "Atlanta Blind Speed Tasting" in The SOMM Journal, June/July 2023
- "Grappa: The Perfect Discovery Spirit for Wine Lovers" in SOMM TV Online Magazine, February 2023
- "4 Women Leading the Revival of Port in Porto" - SOMM TV Online Magazine, September 2022
- "Tips for Aging Wine" Telesomm Blog, April 2022
- Included on "Top Wine Podcasts" List, March 2022
- Featured Contribution for Pix Wine, January 2022
- Quoted in Atlanta Magazine, October 2021
- Guest on the #InVinoFab Podcast, October 2021
- Featured in Whalebone Magazine, October 2021
- Featured by Shoutout Atlanta, March 2021
- Contributed to Eggnog Taste Test in HuffPost, Dec 2020
- Quoted in Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Fall 2020
- Article in DiningOut Atlanta Magazine, Spring 2019
- VoyageATL "Trailblazer" Feature, April 2019
- Article in REVEAL Magazine, Fall 2017
The Blog
August 4, 2021Introducing a new handbag designed for wine lovers on-the-go A Cork in the Road, LLC and P. Sherrod & Co. have designed a fashionable, high-quality "everyday" style purse that can discreetly carry a bottle of wine separated from other purse items for wine lovers on-the-go between errands, work...May 18, 2021Discover unexpected grapes from California with A Cork in the Road, LLC Tuesday, June 8, 2021 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Deep Roots Wine Market 1055 Canton Street #100 Roswell, GA 30075 Wine geeks & novices alike will thoroughly enjoy this fun evening comparing different grape varieties that...May 18, 2021The signature event designed by A Cork in the Road, LLC is back in ATL... Join us for a guided 3-course tasting exploration of wine, beer, and food pairings. Kelly of A Cork In The Road will go up against Hop CIty's beer expert, Kraig Torres (founder and chief hophead of Hop City), for this...Sign Up
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SOCIAL MEDIA FEED
Check out the latest wine escapades - find @acorkintheroad on Instagram
Copyright 2015