Wine Girl by Victoria James

A special thank you to HarperCollins Canada for a copy of the book and Victoria James for the wine tasting experience and for signing my copy.

At the age of 21, Victoria James became the youngest certified sommelier. Arriving at this distinction was no easy task—she endured sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and lower pay than her male counterparts.

Even though she was a certified sommelier, James was still continuously belated for her age and gender and still faced sexism and the abuse of power from not only her employers, but also her patrons.

Taking a step back from the years of humiliation in the restaurant industry—even from those that were of the highest regard—Victoria visited France to experience what she envisioned as the life of a sommelier. She experienced an authentic experience and discovered her true sense of purpose.

James is now a co-owner and Beverage Director of Cote, a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City, where they have a zero-tolerance policy. The majority of hospitality workers are women and minorities and James asked the question: why isn't the industry's top tier management, community of wine buyers, and corporate leadership represented with the same diversity? To address this, she founded the non-profit educational organization, Wine Empowered, that provides tuition-free wine classes to women and minorities in the hospitality industry.

Wine Girl is incredibly well-written and captivating. Victoria shares her passion and love of wine, her knowledge is vast and nothing short of impressive and inspiring. Although there are many experiences that are traumatic and horrific, including her upbringing, James triumphs. This book is truly a gift that shines a much needed spotlight on the toxic male-dominated culture that exists in the hospitality industry. Bravo, Victoria. And cheers!

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VICTORIA JAMES has worked in the restaurant industry since she was thirteen. Becoming the youngest certified sommelier in the country at age 21, Victoria has appeared on both Forbes and Zagat’s “30 Under 30” lists. She is also the author of Drink Pink: A Celebration of Rosé, which Harper Design published in 2017.

Victoria has worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants in New York City, including Marea and Aureole. Currently, she is the Beverage Director and partner at Cote, a Michelin-starred hot spot in the Flatiron district.

James currently resides in NYC with her husband and dog, Rocco.