Wine Blog
"Juicy Tales by Jo Diaz"

In a word… Workaholic…

Need more?

After an 11-year career in radio broadcasting, involving PR and photographing rock and rollers, I moved to California (1992). Rather than continuing in radio, I segued into the wine industry.

I’ve been in the wine industry as a publicist for 18 years now. I’ve worked for Belvedere, Grove Street, Barefoot Cellars, Mondavi, Ironstone Vineyards, and K-J wine companies, as an employee.

I have 60 college units dedicated to wine sales and marketing (which includes enology, vit, and wine components with industry professionals from Sonoma County). That translates to 15 classes. There were 16 weeks for each course. I spent 20 hours a week studying and attending for each = 320 hours. Those 320 hours x 15 courses = 4,800 of studying wine. I believe I’m at least as educated as a sommelier, but the minute details of a sommelier’s study would be a slightly different focus than the one I’ve lived, as some of my studies have been more specific to regions and varieties, but no less intense or time consuming…

Then, lets talk about my 60 hours a week for the last 18 years in the wine business…

• My work for Belvedere, Grove Street, and Barefoot Cellars was as a sales manager and communications coordinator.
• My work at Robert Mondavi was as a wine educator.
• I’ve educated about wine in 40 of our 50 states.
• I’ve traveled to Europe to learn about – then teach – wine.
• I’ve organized panels and conducted seminars with my panel members: Kent Rosenblum, Dave Pramuk – one of the owners of Robert Biale Winery, Mike Phillips of Michael~David Winery, Greg Lint – president of oak Knoll Winery, Paul Foppiano of Foppiano Vineyards… that list goes on…
• I’ve taught the teachers: the Society of Wine Educators, American Wine Society members
• I’ve educated consumers: Santa Fe Chile Fiesta, Florida Wine Festival… the list is endless, it seems.
• I founded and was the executive director for the Association of African American Vintners, and was the Executive Director in 2002… the year of its founding.
• I founded and am the executive director of PS I Love You, the advocacy group for Petite Sirah, for which I travel the country and open any of my 80+ member bottles and pour, educate, and sample Petite Sirah in ways that no one else has the luxury?
  • I am the producer and director of the Annual Symposium of Petite Sirah. It was at Foppiano for the first six years, and has been at Concannon for the last two.
  • And… I produce and direct the annual Dark and Delicious event for PSILY, going into its fifth season of Petite (Dark) and gourmet foodies (Delicious)…

All while blogging and taking care of our Diaz Communications clients.

You know the saying, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.

Need me? Call me. I’m always looking for someone as passionate as I am, and someone who would love to get more exposure. That’s my core competency and true passion. I love hitting the target. [707] 620-0788