Caroline Leblanc joins the Star Wine List team
Canadian sommelier and marketing manager Caroline Leblanc is Star Wine List’s new PR and Social Media Manager.
”I feel like being part of Star Wine List will enable me to remain connected with sommeliers from around the globe and help amazing venues shine,” says Caroline who is based outside Montreal, Quebec.
Welcome onboard! How does it feel to join Star Wine List as PR and Social Media Manager, and what are you looking forward to the most as a part of the team?
”I am so happy!!! It felt like the best person-position pairing! If there is one thing that I love about the wine industry is its PEOPLE! I feel like being part of Star Wine List will enable me to remain connected with sommeliers from around the globe and help amazing venues shine; I am extremely thankful to have been chosen to join the team! I mean, is there anything better than being part of a project that you genuinely believe in?”
Caroline Leblanc’s way into the wine business started when she was very young: Every Saturday, her family used to go to her aunt’s place to have dinner, and every week she would see her aunts and uncles gather around the kitchen island and taste different wines.
”That’s when wine sparked a little something in me (pun intended @alittlesommthing): I started to wonder, what is it with wine that brings people together? Why is it that it has them connect and enjoy a moment even more?” she says.
When Caroline turned 18, she got a job as a sales clerk at the SAQ (Quebec’s monopoly), and she says that it was then that she confirmed her love for the industry that had captivated her for years.
”Seeing people look for a wine or beverage to celebrate a special occasion or to make an ordinary moment oh-so more enjoyable caught my interest and I started to dig in and understand more of wine’s special powers.”
”Since then, I have had the chance to do my Master’s Degree in Marketing Management at ESADE in Barcelona. Then, I understood that I could actually make a living out of a “wine-related” job. I, therefore, embarked on an amazing journey with Familia Torres and was their Brand Ambassador and Export Area Manager for about five years. Thanks to Familia Torres, I was able to complete my sommelier certification here in Montreal and my WSET Level 3 in wines.”
If there is one thing that I love about the wine industry is its PEOPLE!
Caroline Leblanc is originally from Quebec City but moved to Montreal a decade ago. In January 2021, she joined Vins Fins L’Agence, where she now works as a Senior Brand Manager.
”As part of the marketing team, my job consists of building the yearly strategic brand plans to ensure the successful launch and commercialization of more than 50 products.”
Leblanc is also the president of the Quebec sommeliers (CAPS association) and has managed the social media for ASI (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale) for several years.
What is a great wine list, in your opinion?
”One that can transport the client into an immersive experience: no matter if it is a local wine bar or a 3 Michelin stars restaurant. The wine list should be aligned with the many ’whys’ of the place and should be a living representation of the restaurant’s key differentiators. I also believe it is essential not to forget that a great wine list should have a reasonable price structure: to maximize both the clients’ pleasure and the restaurant’s profitability.”
What are your favourite wine places in Montreal?
”What I first fell in love with when I moved to Montreal was the incredible amount of qualitative restaurants and wine bars. Amongst my favourites: Le Mousso for its incredible wine and food pairings, le Rouge-Gorge for its French signature, la Buvette Chez Simone for its simplicity and conviviality, Montréal Plaza for Elmo (when you know, you know!)…”
Anything else you want to add?
”Star Wine List followers: let’s get social!”
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