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
Long-listed for the 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Awards in 2024
On Air
We are currently producing 2 episodes each month. Recent guests include:
Episode 132 - Mark Neal, Winemaker and Viticulturist of Neal Family Vineyards
Episode 133 - Shauna Rosenblum, Winemaker for Ridge Vineyards at Lytton Springs
Episode 134 - Live audience with Sam Coturri of Winery Sixteen 600 at The Vine Club in Atlanta
Episode 135 - The 2024 "Unusual Suspects" Blind Tasting Champion, Joe Herrig
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
Warm vs Cool Climate Pinot
Monthly Tasting Series
Sunday, September 15th 1:00 - 3:00pm
@ Limoges Cellars in Cleveland, GA
Usher in the fall weather all with Pinot Noir! But does Pinot Noir taste that different from California, Oregon, France and Austria? Discover whether your go-to Pinot comes from a warm or cool climate so you feel confident discussing your preferences when shopping or dining out. Each class enjoys an ample charcuterie spread. Class participants also receive 10% off any wine purchases the day of class.
Atlanta Food Staples
Wine Pairing Dinner
Friday, September 27th 7:00 - 9:00pm
@ The Epicurean Atlanta Hotel
Join us in the Epicurean Theatre for an ATL-centric wine and culinary exploration featuring wine pairings designed by Ryan Mullins, a homegrown Atlanta sommelier, who will share the stories and Atlanta restaurants that have inspired these creative combinations. Chef Stephanie Echeverria will present dishes representing 5 classic Atlanta staples taking you through a journey of the Atlanta food scene and highlighting what makes this city so rich with flavor and tradition. Guests will leave with new palate skills and insights that could even inspire a night of recreating these pairings with friends and family at home!
Fashion and Wine Pairing
Sip & Style FALL Showcase
Sunday, October 6th, 1:00 - 3:00pm
@ The Epicurean Atlanta Hotel
Join us for our signature wine, food, and fashion showcase that will captivate all the FALL senses! Guests will explore unique pairing combinations of wines, small bites, and fashion ensembles featuring local Atlanta designers in a guided tasting and fashion show format. Guests will have a chance to meet the designers and shop the looks after the tasting portion of the event. Each ticket includes 5 wine tastings, paired bites by Chef Stephanie, and a fashion showcase featuring local Atlanta designers. Proceeds will benefit Giving Kitchen’s Dining with Gratitude campaign to help raise crucial funds for food service workers in crisis!
The Second Annual
SOMMLYMPICS
Sunday, December 8th, 10am - 9pm
@ The Oenophile Institute in Smyrna, GA
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.
GET TICKETS HERE
Team Registration is OPEN
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 catalog
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
FOLLOW
@acorkintheroad #acorkintheroad
