Chanelle Wilson is, in numerous aspects of her life, a teacher. Full time, she guides her students at Bryn Mawr College. But outside the classroom, she educates others in the finer points of wine, a palate for which she developed living in South Africa. The Bryn Mawr College faculty spotlight presented her story.

Wilson has been at Bryn Mawr since 2017. She advanced into an assistant professorship of education and the director role of its Africana Studies curriculum.

She is wholly devoted to teaching. “I love, love, love the students here,” she said.

But outside the PowerPoint presentations and issue-driven discussions, she works the business she launched, The Wine Down.

It’s a commercial entity born of her experience of wanting to educate herself on vintages shared with friends, as they shed workday pressures to wine down.

Her business is based on information, events, and support.

“We offer wines from Black and Black woman-owned brands,” she said.

“Just like anywhere else, there’s room for more Black people and for women to push in and create space for themselves in the wine industry.

“So, I’m excited about that” she concluded.

Wilson is working toward getting her sommelier certification.

The full story of Chantelle Wilson is at Bryn Mawr College.

_____

It’s a difficult process to rise to the status of master sommelier.