Hi friends — I’m Rachel! Certified Specialist of Wine, home bartender, and nondiscriminatory beverage enthusiast.
About Outside The Wine Box
Over the years, I’ve worked as a wine sales representative and educator, bartender, brewery events manager, and owner of a mystery-themed beer tour.
You can see there’s a common thread between all of these jobs. And that thread is beverages 😂
I started Outside The Wine Box so I could write about what I love: wine, liqueurs, spirits, and cocktail recipes. I’m a Certified Specialist of Wine, which is essentially the equivalent of a Sommelier but with a focus on education instead of the service industry. My goal is to share my passion and knowledge in an approachable, unpretentious, and hopefully entertaining way!
On Outside The Wine Box, all of the wine content is written by me (Rachel), but I develop most of my cocktail recipes with my partner Ethan, who’s both an incredible bartender and software developer! We live in Durham, North Carolina with our two guinea pigs, Poppy and Peppy.
On Outside The Wine Box you can expect:
=> Wine education and reviews
=> Tried and tested original and classic cocktail recipes that anyone can make
=> Liqueur/spirit guides and recipe roundups
Quick facts about me
If that wasn’t enough information about me, here are a few of my favorite things!
Favorite wine: I could never choose a favorite child! Right now though, I’m loving northern Italian reds.
Favorite liqueur: Yellow Chartreuse because it tastes like the golden hour and speaks to the boujee 60 year old French lady within me.
Favorite cocktail: The original Mai Tai! It’s nutty, fruity, tart, balanced, and showcases the best Caribbean rum… what’s not to love!?
Favorite spirit: This is a tough one, but I think I have to choose rum since there are SO many different types and the cocktail variations/possibilities are endless.
Alright, that’s all for today, folks! Whether you are a beginner or seasoned professional, all are welcome — just remember to BYOW 😂