My name is Nataliya, and I've been working in Calvert Woodley's wine department since January 2019. The best part of my job is the process of getting to know wines through daily tastings and sharing my knowledge with customers. It's a wonderful experience.
My passion for wine is tremendous, and I always seek to expand my expertise in the industry. Before joining CW, I was part of two harvest seasons — one in New Zealand and one in Australia. I also worked as a wine sales representative for almost three years in Bulgaria, where I'm from originally. Bulgaria is a small country in Eastern Europe surrounded by Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, and the Black Sea. Set directly at the optimal northern latitude of 30-50 degrees, the land of Bulgaria is perfectly situated for growing grapes and the country’s wine history spans thousands of years. Bad management under Communism led to quantity over quality, which gave Bulgaria a reputation for mass-production with no signature.
Today, family-owned wineries are building a new identity. An enthusiastic new generation of forward-thinking winemakers are earning respect with fine wines made from indigenous grape varieties. Most of these winemakers are friends and colleagues from university. I know how hard they work to raise the bar and compete in the wine market. I believe these winemakers offer a hidden treasure to uncover and explore by tasting some of their unique wines coming to the American market for the first time.
There's always something new to discover in the wine industry. I find the wine culture in Washington, DC extremely sophisticated, and I'm pleasantly surprised at how many people educate themselves and try to develop their palates. While I was home in Bulgaria last summer, I identified a limited selection of wines to import directly with Calvert Woodley. These three wines represent a small part of what my country has to offer, but I have confidence that our customers will be excited about these selections. My biggest hope is this first batch of Bulgarian treasures will fly off the shelves! |
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