Chrissa Chase
The Scheherazade of wine lore, with 1001 stories to enchant. Unabashedly pro-vigneron, with a nod towards global selection, my selections delight connoisseur and newcomer alike. I thrill in enticing people with food, matchmaking with drink, and luxuriate in gastronomic revelations that occur.
UPCOMING EVENTS
"Inquisitive Drinking": Wine radio show/podcast co-hosted with Ladona Harvey exploring the way San Diego and beyond eats and drinks.
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS
San Francisco Wine School. San Francisco, CA. Wine Program Management
Wine Scholar Guild. Washington, DC. Master Level Champagne
Neptune School of Wine. Costa Mesa, CA. WSET Level 4 Diploma (in progress), French Wine Scholar
Court of Master Sommeliers . Level 2 Certified Sommelier
Neptune School of Wine. San Diego. Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits
Napa Valley Wine Academy. Napa, CA. Service/Tasting Intensive with Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser
West Valley College. Saratoga, CA. Architecture
Canada College. Redwood City, CA. Interior Design
Wine Scholar Guild. Washington, DC. Master Level Champagne
Neptune School of Wine. Costa Mesa, CA. WSET Level 4 Diploma (in progress), French Wine Scholar
Court of Master Sommeliers . Level 2 Certified Sommelier
Neptune School of Wine. San Diego. Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits
Napa Valley Wine Academy. Napa, CA. Service/Tasting Intensive with Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser
West Valley College. Saratoga, CA. Architecture
Canada College. Redwood City, CA. Interior Design
EXPERIENCE
Innerplaces | Innerspaces Design. San Jose CA. Lead Designer
TravelingSomm. San Diego. Wine Director
TravelingSomm. San Diego. Wine Director
SKILLS & EXPERTISE
Private Cellar Consultation
Inventory Management
Regional Expertise: France
Regional Expertise: Oregon
Regional Expertise: California
Regional Expertise: Western Europe
Wine and Food Pairing
Inventory Management
Regional Expertise: France
Regional Expertise: Oregon
Regional Expertise: California
Regional Expertise: Western Europe
Wine and Food Pairing
Wine Educator
Wine List Creation
Wine Retail
Wine Service- Bar or Wine Bar
Wine Sourcing and Purchasing
Wine Radio, "Everyday Drinking"
Regional Expertise: Italy
Wine List Creation
Wine Retail
Wine Service- Bar or Wine Bar
Wine Sourcing and Purchasing
Wine Radio, "Everyday Drinking"
Regional Expertise: Italy
The Scheherazade of wine lore, with 1001 stories to enchant. Unabashedly pro-vigneron, with a nod towards global selection, my selections delight connoisseur and newcomer alike. I thrill in enticing people with food, matchmaking with drink, and luxuriate in gastronomic revelations that occur.
MY LIGHT BULB MOMENT
I have always loved wine. Years ago I was sitting at Dominique's in DC with a well traveled friend sporting a liberal expense account. Being part of the last luncheon seating we ordered Lobster Dominique and Montrachet. My brain went to wine elysium. My senses sparkled with electricity. We ordered a second bottle to contemplate the epiphany and surrendered to the greater gastronomic power.
Traveling, wine and food are optimal experiences. My goal is to see that people reach elysium. WHAT I'M DRINKING NOW
- 2009 Gangloff Saint Joseph
- 2010 Bergstrom Le Pre Du Col Pinot Noir
- 2009 Vincent Paris Cornas
- 2004 Philipponnat "Clos de Goisses" - Absolutely Etherial
FAVORITE FOOD & WINE PAIRINGS
- 2010 Vilmart "Cuvee Rubis" with Red Footed Partridge and Foie Cabbage Roll
- 2008 Dettori Romangia Bianco with Linguini Uni and Clams (make it rain white truffles)
- 2004 Zind Humbrecht Rangen de Thann Pinot Gris with Charcuterie
SPONSORSHIPS & ENDORSEMENTS
Los Pilares Wine Groupie
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Chrissa Chase
San Diego, CA
United States
Traveling Somm
Wine Director
San Diego, CA
United States
Traveling Somm
Wine Director
Women of my vintage who wished to succeed in life learned the importance of being half chameleon. The only thing that remains constant in life is change. The ability to adapt to situations a significant skill.
My life ambition has been a career in wine. It began while living in the Willamette Valley. Portland has always been one huge daily food and wine festival. They "bring it" even if it interferes with the bottom line. Impeccable quality and integrity in all things was instilled as a sensibility over the years. There I began a career in real estate and interior/architectural design while eating and drinking myself to the top of the food chain. I grew, hunted, fished and foraged on pristine land and thoroughly enjoyed the bounty of my efforts. A friend invited me to Napa/Sonoma and I really fell hard for the wine industry. I remember standing on a hill saying "someday, this is what I will do".
Moving to SoCal was a turning point for me. NorCal was more progressive about great design and willing to pay for it. Every contract I closed in San Diego ended up being about cutting corners and saving money. It became increasingly difficult to get payed during the economic crash. The thrill was gone. Already over educated I decided to change course and enrolled in WSET. I then became a Certified Sommelier, and a French Wine Scholar. People still weren't ready to hire a Sommelier full time so I came up with the idea of a Traveling Somm. They could pay for parts of a program instead of paying someone full time. That has proven to be winning strategy. I can reach a number of wine programs and uplift them to compete with others while encouraging them to adapt and dare to be different.
My life ambition has been a career in wine. It began while living in the Willamette Valley. Portland has always been one huge daily food and wine festival. They "bring it" even if it interferes with the bottom line. Impeccable quality and integrity in all things was instilled as a sensibility over the years. There I began a career in real estate and interior/architectural design while eating and drinking myself to the top of the food chain. I grew, hunted, fished and foraged on pristine land and thoroughly enjoyed the bounty of my efforts. A friend invited me to Napa/Sonoma and I really fell hard for the wine industry. I remember standing on a hill saying "someday, this is what I will do".
Moving to SoCal was a turning point for me. NorCal was more progressive about great design and willing to pay for it. Every contract I closed in San Diego ended up being about cutting corners and saving money. It became increasingly difficult to get payed during the economic crash. The thrill was gone. Already over educated I decided to change course and enrolled in WSET. I then became a Certified Sommelier, and a French Wine Scholar. People still weren't ready to hire a Sommelier full time so I came up with the idea of a Traveling Somm. They could pay for parts of a program instead of paying someone full time. That has proven to be winning strategy. I can reach a number of wine programs and uplift them to compete with others while encouraging them to adapt and dare to be different.