Tiffany Westlie Pondelik

Tiffany Westlie Pondelik is a sommelier whose passion is helping her clients become their own wine experts. After working in marketing and on/off-premise tastings for Southern Wine and Spirits, Tiffany moved into sales, where she specialized in Italian wines. Realizing that the most enjoyable part of both jobs was helping her clients navigate the wonderful and often perplexing world of wine, she decided to devote herself to the world of wine education. As a full-time wine educator and consultant, Tiffany draws from both her extensive experience in the world of wine and hospitality and her continued studies at the International Wine Center in New York City. She holds both the Intermediate and Advanced Certificates of Wine and Spirits with Distinction and is currently studying for her Diploma of Wine and Spirits through the internationally recognized Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET). She is the Director of Business Development of Swirl Events, a New York-based wine event company, where she also manages purchasing and event planning for everything from bachelorette parties to large corporate events. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and is writing a travel memoir based on her experiences with wines and spirits of the world.

Posts by Tiffany Westlie Pondelik

Bachelor Ben’s Envolve Wines

“The Bachelor” is back for yet another season of guilty pleasure. This season, however, strikes my interest as a wine lover as the Bachelor in question is winemaker Ben Flajnik, also known for his memorable turn last season on “The Bachelorette.”

Wine for Thanksgiving

Turkey day is almost here and that means finding the perfect wines to pair with your feast. As your guests arrive it is always nice to have a palate cleanser such as a Champange or Prosecco to get them in the festive mood!

Open Your Mind-Open a Brazilian Wine!

Brazilian wine has long fascinated me since I first heard about their production of top-quality sparklers. When a friend of mine, Glen, who is my partner in crime and travel—as well as an expert in the food, wine and history of Brazil, recently learned that I was undertaking some serious study of wine, he began […]

Château d’Yquem, The Most Expensive Bottle of White Wine sold for £75,000

French collector and restauranteur Christian Vanneque has bought the most expensive bottle of white wine in the world, a 200 year-old bottle of Château d’Yquem for £75,000. Sold by the Antique Wine Company this record-breaking sale was made at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Central London.

King of Champagne Don Johnson buys $270,000 bottle of Armand de Brignac Midas

It is a summer of celebration for “Champagne King” Don Johnson who Page Six recently called “the most popular and prolific big spender on the New York nightclub scene.” Last Monday he bought a 15-liter bottle of Champagne at Avenue for the Women’s Soccer team and followed that with a $50,000 evening of Champagne at SL the next night.

Great Kosher Wine Finds

I have a bit of a varied history with Kosher wines. I can vividly remember a sukkot dinner with my old roommates where we shared a lightly sparkling sweet kosher wine that was so memorable I can still remember it today as well as a time I picked up a frighteningly tannic Cabernet Sauvignon for […]

Haute Summer: Wines for the Grill

Summer is here and that means evenings of summer grilling! I recently spent an amazing weekend in East Hampton firing up the grill and thinking about summer wine and grilling pairings.

Haute Wines: Torrontes of Argentina

This past week I had the pleasure of attending a luncheon celebrating the Santa Julia line of wines from the familia Zuccardi at Landmarc Time Warner Center in New York City. I was thrilled to enjoy food prepared by Landmarc’s chef Marc Murphy in collaboration with Ana Rodriguez Armisen of Santa Julia’s Casa Del Vistitante

Haute Wines: Bertaud Belieu Rosé

Nothing says summer to me like a cold glass of Rosé. As the weather begins to turn and you are finally able to use your patio or enjoy a picnic in the park, a bottle of Rosé is a must. Rosé is a traditionally dry wine (thought it can be vinified sweet) and is made with various types of grape varietals depending on the region in which it is produced. Contrary to some skeptics, it is a world away from its evil twin, White Zinfandel, which it sadly still gets mistaken for. This refreshing summer libation is the choice of the summer jet set worldwide and from the south of France to the Adriatic coast you will see revelers enjoying bottle after bottle of this perfect summer wine!

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