The Cultured Somm

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The Cultured Somm

Our founder, a seasoned sommelier, realized that there was a gap in the market for a comprehensive, approachable, and joyful international wine community.

Where Wine Meets Wanderlust: Join a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 with Merit Sommelier and former United States diplomat in curated, exceptional wine experiences, education, & cultural adventures around the globe. The Cultured Somm was born from a passion for the finer things in life and a desire to share unique discoveries from the world of global wine, food, and travel. She envisi

oned a place where everyone from novices to connoisseurs could come together to explore, learn, and celebrate the world of wine. Inspired by the French concept of 'Joie de Vivre,' or the joy of living, we set out to create more than just a wine club – we've built a community that embraces life's most beautiful moments, from intimate tastings at home to grand adventures across the globe. We believe that wine is not just a beverage, but a passport to culture, connection, and unforgettable experiences. With authentic cultural experiences, we’re bringing high taste to all levels of exposure to the world of wine and wanderlust. Our journey begins with curated wine tastings and events, and will soon expand into a vibrant hub for wine lovers, offering everything from cellar recommendations, entertaining selections and pairing suggestions with recipes, to travel guides within a membership structure, all designed to help our community sip, savor, and celebrate life to the fullest. We welcome you to join us as we cultivate a community celebrating the joy of living life to its fullest.

05/25/2026

Today we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of global democracy, liberty, and freedom. These are the same values that led me to serve as a United States Foreign Service Officer and Diplomat for nearly a decade.

For over 80 years we have lived in relative peace in a world shaped by the service and sacrifice of those who served and fought in World War II like my maternal grandfather, Donald McBroom.

Today, more than ever, we would be foolish to take those values and governing systems of peace and prosperity for granted.

I carry the words of General Dwight D. Eisenhower to the 180,000 Allied troops who sailed across the English Channel on June 6, 1944 in my heart today: “The tide has turned. The free men of the world are marching together to victory.” I pray we need never do so again.

05/21/2026

Cheers to International Chardonnay Day!

Did You Know:

🍾 Chardonnay is the primary white wine grape in traditional method sparkling wine, including British Bubbly & Champagne.

🥂 A Blanc de Blancs is 100% Chardonnay.

🍇 Chardonnay is the most widely planted white wine grape globally & can grow in cool, moderate, & warm climates.

Chardonnay is The Cultured Somm’s favorite white wine grape! Let’s pop a bottle of sparkling or still Chardonnay today in celebration of this stunning grape varietal.

Cheers 🍾🥂 to Chardonnay!

05/18/2026

The English countryside & British sparkling wine are as delightful, delicious, & enticing as anticipated. We’ve been treated to warm British hospitality, delicious food, & stunning wine at every turn. Cheers to another The Cultured Somm journey to the heart of where wine meets wanderlust.

Fancy an adventure to British Sparkling Wine Country in Summer 2027? DM to be the first on our trip release list!

05/13/2026

TCS Travel specializes in bespoke, small group journeys to the heart of Where Wine Meets Wanderlust led by our founder Stephanie, a former diplomat and expert sommelier who holds a Level 3 Award in Wines with Merit from and

You’ll experience insider access to vineyards hand-selected by Stephanie for their excellence & your enjoyment, stay in stunning luxury accommodations, and enjoy fine dining and local cultural gems.

We only have 4 rooms left for our January 2027 adventure in Bordeaux and the Dordogne in partnership with and in Summer 2027 we’re curating a journey to a rising wine region racking up awards & accolades!

Follow along over the next week as Stephanie hops across the pond for a dry run. Based on these 4 photos can you guess where she’s headed? Comment below and DM to be the first on the waitlist for this epic Summer 2027 journey!

05/10/2026

Moms make the world go round. They are the magic. They are the beating heart of every home. They are everything and today, especially, we honor and celebrate them. On Mother’s Day we give thanks for our Moms and all the other incredible Moms in our lives. Cheers & Happy Mother’s Day from The Cultured Somm 🥂

05/07/2026

Basically craving wine every day, everywhere. Which one’s calling your name today?

05/03/2026

At only $6.99 a bottle, my expectations were modest for Trader Joe’s 2024 Tuatea Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand’s famed Marlborough wine region. Unfortunately, and for the first time in this series, I cannot recommend you buy this wine - even at this low price - I would rather drink water.

The aromatics of Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough are renowned. And the 2024 vintage in particular, which was exceptional in Marlborough, producing highly aromatic and intense wines with often vibrant tropical fruit and herbaceous notes, should deliver an excellent wine.

Shockingly, this wine was incredibly muted on the nose with only lemon and a hint of green apple coming through. On the palate it was very unbalanced, with the high acidity overwhelming everything else and causing an unpleasant pucker after each sip. Rather than the “pleasant blend of zesty citrus, guava, and understated lemongrass...with a persistent clean finish” advertised on the back of the bottle, I found the wine to be dominated by tart, unripe citrus with a very short, unremarkable finish. It was less refreshing than a glass of water and did not improve after the first sip. Nor did the wine live up to its meaning in New Zealand’s native Maori language, “crest of the wave” - there was no refreshing salinity or minerality here.

Having spent much of April enjoying local Maryland Sauvignon Blancs from excellent producers, as well as stellar California and French iterations, I cannot recommend Trader Joe’s 2024 Tuatea Sauvignon Blanc to my Sauvy B lovers. You are much better off doubling your budget and buying a bottle of Touraine from the Loire Valley and if you have some flexibility with cost, show our local producers like some love because their Sauvignon Blanc is phenomenal.

04/30/2026

Next week is full of gift giving occasions with Teacher Appreciation Day on Tuesday May 5th & Mother’s Day on Sunday May 10th. Celebrate your favorite teachers & moms with the perfect gift that doesn’t expire - a The Cultured Somm Gift Certificate in any amount - that can be used in so many different ways!

🥂 for a future TCS Wine Tasting Class or Event

🍷 toward a private TCS Wine Tasting Experience at home

✈️🥂 toward a Bespoke Wine Journey through TCS Wine Travel

🧳 🍷 toward TCS’s hourly, customized Travel Concierge & planning services

🍾 toward TCS’s Wine Concierge service which assists clients with curating and crafting their private wine collections

For those looking for an extra sparkling gift, TCS can include a bottle of wine selected in consultation with you in a beautiful TCS linen wine bag to give along with a TCS gift certificate.

Email [email protected] or DM us today to give the gift of joie de vivre through wine this Teacher’s Appreciation Day and Mother’s Day. Bonus: you’ll also be supporting a woman-owned small, local business during National Small Business Week which runs from May 3 to May 9th this year.

Cheers to celebrating the incredible teachers & moms in our lives while supporting local, small businesses like TCS 🍾🥂

04/22/2026

On April 6th, a typical Midatlantic day with blustery breezes and temperatures in the low 60s, I spent a restorative afternoon walking amongst the vines with their Team as part of a experience focused on regenerative viticulture & how it shows up in your glass. We marveled at the early bud break & cradled the vulnerable young shoots, discussing how approaching warm temps in the 80s would accelerate bud break.

Just two weeks later, in the early hours of April 21st, temperatures across the mid-Atlantic, plummeted into the 20s. This shock to the ecosystem at the exact wrong time, had immediate & devastating impacts at Dodon & so many vineyards across the region. Dodon is predicting 60% loss of their crop (see photo 1, top left); & farm farmer wrote a moving piece entitled “2026, the Lost Vintage” (photo 4, bottom right); & friends wrote of a “whole vineyard...frozen solid.” (photo 2, top right)

These hard working farmers did everything they could to protect their vulnerable vines, the third photo (bottom left) shows heroic efforts including lighting fires at 3 am & hiring a helicopter to fly laps to mix up the air over their South Mountain Vineyard. Their efforts saved a block of chardonnay and a portion of their albarino with everything else “scorched by the cold.”

My heart is so heavy this Earth Day. Climate change is real. Its impacts on farmers around the globe are devastating. From Maryland to Champagne; Burgundy to Canada & Canberra the first months of 2026 have brought significant damage to vineyards. Please join The Cultured Somm in supporting our local wineries in their time of need.

Visit local vineyards, buy their wines, join their wine clubs, ask restaurants & wine shops for their wines, & come to one of The Cultured Somm’s classes or events where we pour wines made by small family farms doing the hard work. Vote for leaders who support local farms & wineries, prioritize the health of our earth & families, & are building a future where your grandchildren roaming amongst these beautiful vines is a reality, rather than a mirage.

Address

Annapolis, MD
21403

Website

http://www.theculturedsomm.com/

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