At Georgetown University, Kimberly Noelle Charles was studying foreign service, rowing crew, carrying a full credit load and was paying her expenses while studying. Looking for a practical way to earn extra income, she enrolled in a sommelier course and started selling wine to lobbyists in Washington, D.C.
She thought it would be a side hustle.
Instead, it became the foundation for a career that would span more than four decades and take her around the world.
Today, Kimberly is the president & founder of Charles Communications Associates, one of the country’s most respected wine marketing communications firms. She was part of the first American contingent to earn the prestigious Wine & Spirit Education Trust (W.S.E.T.) Diploma and has spent her career helping tell the stories behind wineries, wine regions, and the people who make them.
But what struck me most during our conversation wasn’t Kimberly’s resume.
It was her curiosity.
Forty-five years after that first sommelier course, she is still chasing new wine regions, exploring different cultures, learning from winemakers and sake brewers, and asking questions.
As she told me, “Wine is an endless, fascinating subject, and I’m still not tired of it.”
In this episode of The Gomes Guide Podcast, Kimberly shares how a chance job changed the course of her life, the California wine regions more travelers should be exploring, what Japan taught her about humility, and why wine is ultimately about bringing people together.
It’s a conversation about travel, curiosity, community, and saying yes when life unexpectedly opens a door.
🎧 Click on the above audio link to listen to our podcast interview on Substack, or find and listen to “The Gomes Guide Travel Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
From Georgetown to the Wine World
What began as a college side hustle quickly became a calling.
The surprise wasn’t the wine itself. It was the people behind it.
Winemakers and winery owners regularly visited to train staff, and Kimberly found herself captivated by their stories. Photographers. Former Air Force pilots. Bankers. Entrepreneurs. Each had found a completely different path into the wine world.
“They all had different backgrounds,” she told me, “and I loved their personal stories. And since I’m a storyteller by nature, I delved a little deeper.”
That curiosity never left.
In 1997, Kimberly was one of the first U.S. trained cohort, to earn the W.S.E.T Diploma, one of the wine world’s most rigorous credentials. Only about one-third of her study group passed. Kimberly was convinced she hadn’t, but she did.
“I decided I was going to study the world through a glass,” she told me. “And I’m really glad I did.”
A year later, she left a successful 12-year career in Manhattan and headed west to lead communications for E. & J. Gallo, focusing on the relaunch of Gallo of Sonoma.
She’s been telling the stories of California wine ever since.
“There are almost 11,000 wineries in this country,” she told me, “and 4,700 of them are in California. We have no shortage of great places to visit.”
Three California Wine Regions You May Be Driving Right Past
After spending decades exploring wine regions across California and around the world, I asked Kimberly a question every wine-loving traveler wants answered:
Where should we be going that we’re not already going?
Her answers immediately sent me down a rabbit hole.
The Petaluma Gap
You know that stretch of Highway 101 near Cotati that’s usually breezy and wrapped in fog?
That’s the Petaluma Gap.
“It used to be dairyland and egg farms,” Kimberly told me. “And many people are converting over to wineries. When you visit, you see these great old barns where you can have your tasting. It feels very relaxed. Easy.”
Part of the appeal is that it still feels undiscovered. Kimberly also pointed me toward La Dolce Vita Wine Lounge in downtown Petaluma, where you can sample wines from Gap producers without spending an entire day winery hopping.
And yes, Kimberly and I are already talking about attending the Wind to Wine Festival in Petaluma this fall.
The Sierra Foothills
Most people drive right through the Sierra Foothills on their way to Tahoe.
Kimberly’s suggestion?
Leave a day early.
“It’s 2.6 million acres and eight counties,” she said. “You have the warm days for ripening, but you have the alpine chill at night. And that’s what grapes like. They like to cool down, like we all do in the summertime.”
The region’s winemaking roots date back to the Gold Rush, and today it’s home to small family-run wineries tucked among rolling hills, historic towns, and mountain scenery.
I’ve driven through the Sierra Foothills more times than I can count on my way to Tahoe and never once thought about stopping for wine. Now, I’m planning to spend a full day in this region.
Anderson Valley
While Anderson Valley isn’t exactly a secret, Kimberly believes it still doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
The three-hour drive from San Francisco scares some people off.
It shouldn’t.
“You go through that redwood forest and your nervous system just starts to regulate,” she told me. “It feels almost cathedral-like.”
Honestly, I was sold before she even got to the wine.
The drive alone is worth it.
Then come the vineyards, the mountains, the Navarro River, dramatic coastal scenery, and a food-and-wine culture that celebrates simplicity over showmanship.
Think Dungeness crab paired with crisp aromatic white wine and wild mushrooms with earthy Pinot Noir.
“It should not be overthought or overwrought,” Kimberly said. “Simple ingredients. And the beauty is unparalleled.”
Why Americans Are Better at Wine Than They Think
After talking wine regions and travel destinations, our conversation took an unexpected turn.
We started talking about how people experience wine.
Kimberly shared something that genuinely surprised me.
“Europeans have said they’ve never encountered a more informed consumer than the American wine drinker,” she said.
The more she explained it, the more it made sense. Americans are curious. We love discovering new places, trying new things, and diving deep into subjects that interest us. Wine is no exception.
But Kimberly also pointed out that Europeans tend to have a much more relaxed relationship with wine.
In many places, it’s simply part of the meal.
“They consider wine a food in Europe,” she told me, “as opposed to an alcoholic beverage.”
I loved that perspective.
No intimidation. No overthinking. No feeling like you need to memorize tasting notes before ordering a glass.
Just good food, good company, and a bottle on the table.
As Kimberly put it: “Let’s stop talking and let’s start letting the wine talk to us.”
What Drinking Sake in Japan Taught Her About Wine
One of my favorite moments in our conversation came when I asked Kimberly how travel had changed the way she thinks about wine.
She immediately brought up Japan.
In 2005, she traveled to the Niigata prefecture, renowned for sake production. What stayed with her wasn’t the sake itself, but the people making it.
“There is no celebrity winemaker energy,” she told me.
Instead, she was struck by the humility of the Toji masters, sake brewers who dedicate years to perfecting their craft before passing it on to the next generation.
“In Japan, you’re a steward,” she said. “You pass it along. It’s a really beautiful ritual.”
The experience changed the way she thought about leadership, storytelling, and the people she wanted to work with.
She returned home with a deeper appreciation for those who combine expertise with humility.
As for where she’s excited to travel next?
Sardinia, where she lived as a teenager and where she has been closely following their white wines. The Atacama Desert in Chile. Moorea in Tahiti. Greece. And a return trip to Japan, this time to explore the country’s emerging wine culture.
The Wine Campaign That Has Her Most Excited
For the past several years, Kimberly has been working alongside Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible, and Gino Colangelo on an initiative called Come Together: A Community for Wine.
But the quote that stayed with me most wasn’t about the campaign itself.
It was this about Gen X, Millenials, Gen Z, and wine:
“They are asking not to be taught about wine. They want to be invited to wine.”
As someone squarely in the Gen X camp, I felt that in my bones.
The initiative encourages people to gather, share a bottle, and reconnect with one another around the table.
In an era when so much of our interaction happens through screens, there’s something refreshing about that simplicity.
“We can’t just do it all online,” Kimberly told me. “We have to get off our phones and connect over the table.”
I couldn’t agree more.
🔥 Rapid Fire
Before we wrapped up, I put Kimberly through my favorite part of every interview: the rapid-fire round.
A few highlights:
Favorite San Francisco restaurants right now: Dalida in the Presidio (incredible Eastern Mediterranean food) and Rich Table in Hayes Valley (”the porcini doughnuts” — she said it before I could, and I could not agree more).
Favorite hidden gem: Rodeo Beach in Marin. Just minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge, yet it somehow feels worlds away.
Top bottles to convert a wine skeptic: The López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva from Rioja — aged ten years before release, a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo; and Garden Creek Chardonnay — made from 11 different estate grown clones, released after 4–5 years of bottle aging. (In case you missed it, be sure to listen and read highlights from my interview with Karin of Garden Creek Vineyards.)
Dream California wine road trip: Paso Robles (West Side), with her group of women in the wine industry she calls the “Ladies who Lunch” — and a playlist featuring Steven Wilson Jr., the Red Clay Strays, and a hard pivot to 80s music and 70s ballads.
Final Thoughts
What stayed with me most after our conversation wasn’t a specific bottle, wine region, or travel destination.
It was the reminder that curiosity can change the course of a life.
A college job selling wine to lobbyists became a 45-year adventure spanning continents, cultures, friendships, and countless shared meals. Along the way, Kimberly never lost the thing that started it all: a genuine interest in people and their stories.
Maybe that’s the real lesson.
Stay curious. Ask questions. Follow what fascinates you. You never know where it might lead.
For Kimberly, it led to a life spent studying the world through a glass.
Cheers, Kimberly!
🎧 Click on the above audio link to listen to our podcast interview on Substack, or find and listen to “The Gomes Guide Travel Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Meet Kimberly Noelle Charles
Kimberly Noelle Charles is founder and president of Charles Communications Associates, one of the wine industry’s leading communications firms. The first American to earn the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma, she has spent more than four decades helping shape the stories behind wineries, wine regions, and wine brands around the world.
A lifelong traveler, storyteller, and wine educator, Kimberly is also co-founder of Come Together: A Community for Wine, an initiative dedicated to fostering connection, conversation, and community around the table. She serves on the board of the Glancy Wine Education Foundation and has held leadership roles with numerous wine and nonprofit organizations throughout her career.
When she’s not working with clients or exploring wine regions, Kimberly can often be found planning her next adventure, practicing yoga, cooking for friends, or discovering new food and drink traditions around the world. Her travels, from Japan and Iceland to Lebanon and Greenland, continue to fuel her curiosity and belief that some of life’s best conversations happen over a shared meal and a good glass of wine.
To keep up with her travels and adventures, follow Kimberly on Instagram at @alltheswirl and @cbrulee.
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