Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kimberle Elbery. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kimberle , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I’ve always been an avid supporter of small production wineries for many reasons. I started working as a consultant for a direct-to-consumer winery that supports small producers and once I learned the real truth about the wine industry and what can lurk in that bottle of wine, I’ve made it my mission to help education the consumer so they can make better choices when purchasing wine. It’s not only better for us and our health but also for the environment.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hello, my name is Kimberle and I’m the Founder of Southern Sunshine and Wine. As a wine consultant for a direct-to-consumer winery I found while out sharing the wine with people there is a huge lack of awareness by the consumer on what is really in that bottle of wine they’re drinking but also a huge desire to learn about it.

I created Southern Sunshine and Wine as a platform to share my mission of supporting small production wineries but that very quickly turned into a mission to educate consumers on the massive wine industry and how to be more conscious consumers. We do this not only through in person/virtual tastings but through a wine education experience that allows people to learn the basics of wine and to feel more confident in picking the perfect wine.

I’m so proud of the community we’ve created through our love of wine. Our tastings are both fun and educational and leave you feeling more confident and having tried something new.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Honesty and Authenticity has helped me build my reputation in this market. I don’t waver from my mission and what’s important to me. Customers know I’m not only educated in this field but that I am honest and authentic about what I”m educating on. When they book a tasting or a class it’s going to be filled with a lot of learning, a lot of fun and a lot of attention to detail.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

I started my business during covid when my full-time industry was shut down. I wanted something to do that would allow me to be a person outside of being a mom and a wife. I have always loved wine so I decided to really put some time and effort into having my own business. I had about four months I was able to work on a plan and kind of figure out exactly what I wanted to do before I went back to work full time. Once back to work I fit wine tastings into the nooks and crannies of my scheduled and started to pursue my formal wine education in the evening and on weekends. At the end of 2021 I left my full time career to focus more on my own business and have been able to continue to grow it slowly but steadily over the last 2.5 years. In December of 2022 I won Best of Georgia 2022 for Wine Tastings & Tours.

Contact Info:

• Website: southernsunshineandwine.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/southernsunshineandwine
• Facebook: facebook.com/southernsunshineandwine

Image Credits
Kierston Parks Photography