Stacy Nelson

Stacy is responsible for the purchasing and display of all our meats, cheeses, gourmet foods and wine accessories. And she drinks wine, too!

How old are you, you don't have to answer? My name is Stacy Nelson, I am proud to say I am 50 years young, and I am the food and accessories buyer for Grapevine Cottage.

What did or do you do in the real world? Prior to this job, I spent most of my career as a school counselor. I have also been a certified fitness instructor for a long time as well, and I teach classes in Zionsville.

When did your love of wine begin? Wine has been an interest of mine for quite some time. In fact, my first experience with the Grapevine Cottage was ten years ago, when my husband and I were eager to learn about and try new wines.

When I was in my 20s, and my family was young, I became very interested in healthy eating, gardening, cooking, fitness and wine. My palate started with Beringer White Zinfandel. It wasn’t long until my husband and I started branching out. We wanted to learn more about wine and food pairings, so we bought some books.

You can learn a lot from books, but I really feel the best way is through experience. So, we made our first trip to Napa Valley. At Domaine Carneros, the first thing I learned the hard way was that when you have a flight of wine, it is okay to dump after you taste a wine. That’s why they have those silver buckets on the counter. Needless to say, once my buzz wore off (which was probably from only one glass of wine), we were good to go! My daughter currently lives in the San Francisco Bay area, and we love to visit her — but who am I kidding, we love all of the wineries in Napa too!

Old or New World? Most of my knowledge is with new world wines, but once I started at the Grapevine Cottage, and after a couple of trips to Europe, my tastes have grown. I have to say, I really love old world, French, Italian, and Spanish wines, which are now the wines I am eagerly learning about.

Do you have a favorite memory of a winery? I have been to several wineries in Napa, each unique and beautiful. My favorite to this point, however, was a winery in Tuscany that we visited when doing a tour in Italy. Of course, the Italian countryside is just gorgeous, but the winery tour was fascinating. They took us underground, where they ferment and store the wine. There were racks full of dusty wine bottles and old terracotta containers filled with wine. If I close my eyes right now, that earthy and fruity smell rushes back. That is a great memory that makes me smile as I write this.

Favorite food and wine pairing? A nice Cabernet and filet.

What is your current favorite bottle? It is hard to choose just one, but Marietta Roman Zinfandel is my current favorite.

Most memorable bottle? This Spring, my husband and I traveled to Italy again to celebrate 30 years of marriage (yes, 30 years!) and we enjoyed a 2001 Barolo Riserva Gran Bussia while overlooking the Bay of Naples. It was heaven!

Your favorite restaurant? Indy has such an amazing food scene, but I do love Ryan Nelson’s Late Harvest Kitchen.

Your favorite guilty pleasure? Five Guys. OMG, they have the BEST fries!!

Funniest moment working here? Probably trying to pronounce all the French, Spanish and Italian terms. I really butcher them at times, but I am not afraid to laugh at myself and Adele is not afraid to correct me. I keep learning and I am getting better.

 I LOVE working here! The people are fun, and I am learning so much about wine. I love helping customers find wine and answering questions. My knowledge grows each day that I work here. I don’t know everything there is to know about wine, but I do know that wine meant to be enjoyed with good friends and good food. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive, and you should drink what you like. Everyone has a unique palate, so don’t waste your time drinking stuff you do not enjoy. The worst thing about working here is that I think I end up spending my whole paycheck at GVC. It’s a tough job … but someone has to do it! CHEERS!