An Influencer Spotlight from Chelsie Petras of Chel Loves Wine
We were interested to learn more about the minds and passions behind some of our favorite wine accounts. The following are a few pieces of insight gathered from wine influencer, Chelsie Petras, of Chel Loves Wine
Read below to find out what we asked her!
Image provided by @Chelloveswine
1) When do you serve Malbec, and why?
I serve Malbec whenever I’m serving steak! To me it’s a better match than Cabernet Sauvignon and steak. Malbec is also one of the first grapes I really enjoyed and it’s something I share with new wine lovers as well!
2) What gets you most excited about wine?
I love that there is infinite things to learn about wine. Every single day you can learn something new. I’ve always said if you’re not learning something everyday, you’re not growing and wine allows me to learn something every day, I also get really excited when I’m blind tasting and I guess a wine right!
3) Do you consider yourself an Enthusiast? Connoisseur? Recreational? Other?
I would say I’m more of a connoisseur with aspirations to be an enthusiast. I’m more on the enthusiast side when it comes to Champagne, but I can’t say I’m that way (yet) for wine as a whole. I think once I have a house with some proper storage space for bottles I’d like to age, I’ll be able to really dig into some special wines!
4) What do you look for when selecting new bottles to try?
I go 1 of 3 ways when I’m looking for some new bottles. First, I base a lot of my decision on wines recommended from friends and other wine industry experts. I trust people who I follow and love to try out their recommendations. My second way is to go in with a variety in mind and then spend some time researching in the wine shop, utilizing the staff for more information (because they know the most about the wines they’re selling!). Third, which I must admit I do often, is go in open minded and find a bottle with a fun label, a variety I’ve never tried or from a region I haven’t explored much. This last way is dangerous because I usually leave with multiple bottles!
5) Are you loving any particular varietals lately?
Now that we’ve been shifting into spring I’ve been drifting towards some lighter, more acidic varieties. I’ve been drifting towards Gamay from Beaujolais, Pinot Gris from Alto-Adige and Pinot Noir based rosés from Germany! Any wines you can put a chill on are what I find myself reaching for these days!
6) What experience cannot be fully enjoyed without the right bottle of wine?
I think this totally depends on your personal preference. For me, wine enhances every experience. Everything from a home cooked meal with my boyfriend on a random Tuesday night to celebrating an anniversary or wedding. To me wine acts as a time machine. Every time I enjoy a wine, it takes me back to the first time I had that wine and the special moments surrounding it. Sometimes it's as simple as having Cloudline Pinot Noir on a cold winter night and it takes me back to enjoying it at my parents house in the warm Florida air. I think I went off on a tangent here, but the long and short of it is, every experience can be a little more special with the right wine in hand.