Who We Are
The Oenophile Institute was founded in September 2022 by Chelsea Young; a self-proclaimed cork dork and, after more than 15 years in the hospitality & wine industry, a seasoned professional to boot.
Chelsea spent those years selling wine, studying it, teaching it, and thinking hard about why it so often felt out of reach for the people who wanted to learn. Wine education had a habit of going one of two ways: either so rigorous it felt like a slog, or so casual it didn't stick. She wanted something that was both serious and genuinely enjoyable to be part of. So she built it herself.
Because here's the thing about wine, it has never really been a solo pursuit. It's the bottle passed around a dinner table, the glass shared with someone you've just met, the reason a conversation goes longer than anyone planned. Wine is, at its core, communal. The Oenophile Institute was built with that in mind.
What started as a one-woman mission has grown into a faculty of more than a dozen instructors and a community of students who bring that same spirit to their studies by asking questions, tasting together, and learning from each other as much as from the curriculum. Since opening, the Institute has guided hundreds of students through structured study with many going on to pass multiple certifications, others finding their way into careers in wine and hospitality, and plenty more simply discovering that understanding wine makes sharing it a whole lot better. That last group matters just as much as the first.
The Oenophile Institute is still driven by the same idea Chelsea started with: that curiosity deserves a real answer, that learning wine should feel like an invitation, and that the best glass is almost always the one you're not drinking alone.
After all, wine is about community.
Chelsea Young
dipwset, wset certified educator, Etc
Founder & Lead Educator
Chelsea Young is an Atlanta native and “retired” hospitality professional. Starting in restaurants at the age of 19, she quickly moved from corporate chains to fine dining .
In 2011, she was introduced to “good juice” by a local sommelier. It was a bottle of Hermitage that lit the original spark of interest. However, it was not until 2017 that the spark truly ignited and her wine journey began. She has since completed certifications with the Court of Master Sommeliers, the Society of Wine Educators, and the Wine & Spirits Educational Trust.
In 2018 Chelsea was an inaugural recipient of the Fuel Your Dreams Scholarship for Women in Wine by Women of the Vine & Spirits. With this, she passed both WSET III with Merit and Certified Specialist of Wine with highest honors. As of January 2023, she completed her WSET Level 4 Diploma and became a WSET certified educator in November of 2023. She is continuing her education with Wine Scholar Guild programming, international travel, and pretty much any book she can get her hands on.
Education has always been a passion and she loves to share her knowledge within the Atlanta wine community. She organizes a weekly blind tasting group for over 100 members, writes reviews for Blood of Gods wine zine, and holds staff trainings for local wine shops & restaurants.
Certification Educators
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Ted Beteta | WSG & Certified WSET Educator
Ted has a passion for wine education. He has worked as a retail wine specialist since 2017, leading public classes and training new associates. He also conducts public and private tastings with an emphasis educating his clients on wines they might not otherwise taste.
He holds a WSET level 3 award in wine with merit. An admitted foodie, he and his wife enjoy cooking and finding new wine pairings to share with family and friends.
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BK Kapella | WSG Educator
BK Kapella comes from a global public health background, and was bitten by the wine bug a few years ago in Portugal. As a lifelong nerd, "we drink and we learn things" resonated.
BK passed his WSG French Wine Scholar with Honors and his WSET 2 with Distinction. He looks forward to accompanying you on your wine learning journey, and diving into additional wine rabbit holes himself.
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Joel Verbist | WSG Educator
Joel is a committed wine enthusiast whose love of travel and regional exploration fuels a deep, ongoing pursuit of wine knowledge.
He has earned the CSW, WSET Level 2 and Level 3 (both with Distinction), the Champagne Specialist credential, and the Spanish Wine Scholar (SWS) with Highest Honors. He is currently advancing his studies through the French Wine Scholar (FWS) program.
His passion extends beyond personal learning—he’s driven to share wine knowledge and inspire others through education.
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Jade Palmer | WSET Educator
Jade is originally from London, England (and proud of it), though she has called Atlanta home for most of her life.
Jade found her way into wine while she was working as a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines. She became a "Sky Sommelier," informing Business Class customers about the wine selection onboard as well as pairings with their chosen meals.
During the pandemic, Jade worked a short stint at a local wine shop, where she really discovered the depths of the wine world. Thanks to a glass of 2017 Gérard Duplessis 1er Cru Chablis, she never looked back, eventually leading public tastings and private events.
Jade has her WSET Level 3 Award in Wine after passing with Merit in 2022 and is a Certified Specialist of Wine. She is now a Roots Fund Scholar starting WSET Diploma in the fall of 2023.
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Dawn Marie Brown | Certified WSET Educator
Certified Wine Whisperer & Reformed Restaurant Gladiator
After surviving more than two decades in the glorious chaos of the restaurant industry - I traded in my black slacks & flats for windshield time & an iPad.
WSET 3 Wine Certified & fluent in "wine speak"; I have spent the last 10 years on the distributor side of the wine world, spreading the gospel of grapes through fun & approachable wine tastings that prove learning about wine doesn't have to feel like a chemistry exam. Less lecture hall & more wine fueled TED Talk with snacks.
I have a passion for making wine accessible, memorable, & occasionally hilarious. I love bringing equal parts knowledge, charm & a healthy splash of sass to wine certification, sommelier training or a fun wine night.
Don't ask me to pick a favorite varietal, or style or region. Just kidding...IT'S CHAMPAGNE!!
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Jess Helfand | Certified WSET Educator
Jess is an economist by training who has always had a love of wine. She completed the WSET Diploma in 2016 and has been teaching since 2017. Her primary goal as an educator is to make wine accessible at any level, from the beginner to the advanced student.
Jess is a WSET Certified Educator and holds the titles of Italian Wine Professional (IWP), Certified Sherry Wine Specialist (CSWS), Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), and is an Italian Wine Ambassador and an Official Ambassador of Orvieto Wines. Her area of focus is sparkling wine, and she is a Champagne Educator, as well as a Certified Cava Educator.
Jess lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and four cats. When not teaching, Jess works in a wine and spirits boutique in Nashville.
Drop-In Class Educators
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Manuel Patterson | WSET 3
Manuel Patterson is a wine educator and certified mixologist with a passion for helping people better understand and enjoy wine. Committed to lifelong learning, he continually seeks opportunities to deepen and broaden his knowledge of wine and spirits.
Manuel’s teaching philosophy centers on improving the drinking experience through clarity, context, and confidence. By connecting wine theory to what’s actually in the glass, he helps students develop practical tasting skills and a deeper understanding empowering them to make more informed decisions.
Born and raised in Florida, based in Atlanta, Manuel credits his broad palate and cultural curiosity to an eclectic upbringing and extensive travel throughout the US and abroad. He brings over 20 years of experience as a Healthcare IT Consultant to the classroom, which informs his structured, adaptive communication style. Through education, tasting, and conversation, his goal is simple: help people know better, drink better, and stay curious.
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Jordan Alexandria | Spirits Specialist
Jordan is many things, among them a beverage educator specializing in spirits and sustainability.
In teaching spaces, her top priority is making complex topics approachable, engaging, and relevant. With years of hands-on experience visiting distilleries, producers, and farms across the world, Jordan connects the dots between people, place, and process.
Her teaching style blends deep technical knowledge with real-world stories, empowering learners to understand not just what’s in the glass, but how it got there and why it matters.
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Arushi Uppal | WSET 3
Arushi Uppal is an engineer by trade, but decided to make the switch to wine after discovering wine as a source of play and joy. She's spent a lot of time living in Europe's prominent winemaking regions and working with different wine professionals globally while also pursuing wine certifications (what up WSET Level 3).
Arushi’s all about making wine feel less intimidating and more like a conversation; especially for folks outside of euro-centric traditions. She’s big on community, big flavors, good food, and building spaces where curiosity is always welcome.
*Languages: Hindi (Conversational; heritage speaker)
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Sofia Yankelevitch | WSET 3
Sofia Yankelevitch is a former filmmaker who found her true calling in the world of wine. Since 2021, she’s been immersed in the industry, currently working in retail wine where she shares her knowledge and enthusiasm with anyone who asks…or dares to.
She just passed her WSET 3 and is eager to continue her learning! Hopefully taking the Spanish & Italian Wine Essentials course this fall and maybe…eventually… dipWSET!
After traveling to 27 countries, she’s passionate about exploring new cultures hence why she’s such a geography nerd. She’s really excited to start teaching some fun courses and learning throughout the process. Salud!
*fluent in Spanish
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Kimberly Jones | WSET 3, Champagne Specialist
bio coming soon
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Jason Wilfore | Advanced Sommelier, WSET 3
Jason was born and raised in upstate New York and moved to Atlanta in 2016. He has been in the restaurant industry since 1997, where he began as a host and singer at Romano’s Macaroni Grill.
Jason has been fortunate enough to work at such establishments as South City Kitchen, Ecco, Marcel & the Michelin-starred Mujo. He has passed his Certified Specialist of Wine, WSET Level 3 Award in Wine, and most recently, the Advanced Sommelier examination with the Court in 2025.
Jason currently works as the lead sommelier at The Perlant, a private wine focused club in Buckhead. He looks forward to being able to share his knowledge and passion with students at OI.
When Jason is not thinking about wine, he enjoys music, golf, films, and World of Warcraft. Let’s do this Leeroy Jenkins!
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Eric Crane | Beverage Guru
Eric S. Crane, a Georgia native, is the Director of Training for Empire Distributors, Inc.
He likes to learn and talk about fermented and distilled things. He’ll talk about this stuff to pretty much anyone who will listen.
In his spare time he writes fan fiction about his dogs, watches stupid movies, cuts his own hair, and listens to bad music.
And he drinks a lot of Riesling.
*Editor Note: and he hates writing bios
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Kelly Cornett | Wine Communicator
Kelly Cornett of A Cork in the Road is a wine media and tasting event consultant based in Atlanta, GA with 10+ years of experience working in the wine industry. From 2011 - 2013, she worked for a South African winemaker while managing a winery in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia learning all aspects of wine production and tasting room sales.
Now, since founding A Cork in the Road, LLC, she contributes to wine and travel publications, designs wine pairing dinners for clients, hosts and produces the "A Cork in the Road" podcast, and continues to partner with restaurants and retailers to create a wide variety of unique education experiences. You can follow her adventures and insights on social media at @acorkintheroad.
