Beth Merrill-Belval
Sacramento
Summary
Wine professional transitioning to marketing, leveraging expertise in writing and editing. Recognized for meticulous attention to detail and strong project management skills. Proven ability to collaborate with diverse teams and effectively manage multiple tasks. Committed to delivering high-quality results under tight deadlines.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Wine Shop Sales & Marketing, Sommelier
Matteo's Pizza and Bistro
05.2024 - Current
- Elevated experience for customers/guests
- Make decision/purchases for new wines
- Maintain and plan by-the-glass menu
- Design marketing materials
- Process orders/payments/shipping
- Act as floor sommelier as needed
- Support dining room as needed
- Assist in wine tastings and events
- Maintain inventory
- Maintain an orderly, well-thought out shop
Freelance Writer, Editor, and Proofreader
Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
02.2021 - Current
- Proofread and edit tasting notes, articles, and blog/newsletter posts
- Work with a content resource management tool
Wine Director, Sommelier, Bartender
Casa East Sac
09.2022 - 04.2024
- Opened a new restaurant and established the beverage program
- Phase out old wines and select new ones (quarterly)
- Train servers on new wines, wine pairings, and general wine knowledge
- Maintain inventory
- Work with distributors and reps (wine and beer)
- Update winelist and menus in Canva
- Make wine recommendations to guests, pour wine and wine-based cocktails
- Serve guests seated at the bar
- Answer phones to take reservations and to-go orders
- Maintain a clean and orderly bar area
Tasting Room Manager
Due Vigne Winery
02.2017 - 12.2022
- Oversee day-to-day operations of the tasting room, creating a memorable experience for each guest
- Content creation and editing
- Email campaigns
- Tasting Room Menus
- Other in-room communications
- Oversee social media efforts (Facebook, Instagram)
- Website Management (Wordpress)
- Ensure products and content are current and update as needed
- Staff Management
- Hire new staff
- Onboarding
- Ongoing staff training
- Create schedule
- Approve timecards, time off, and sick days
- Terminations
- Creation of training manuals
- Wine Club
- Supervise Wine Club operations
- Select wines for wine club memberships
- Run billings
- Respond to inquiries and other customer service
- Contributed to rework of wine club structure
- Event planning
- Winemaker's Dinners
- Educational series
- Large and small-scale member events
- Other gatherings for guests to use event space
- Participate in tasting trials to determine blends and readiness to release
- POS knowledge and maintenance of the backend
- Inventory management
- Sales strategy
Marketing Communications Specialist
Balanced Body, Inc.
05.2007 - 12.2017
- Launched and maintained all social media accounts
- Contributed content for blog, newsletters, and email campaigns
- Proofread instructional training manuals, emails, webcontent, and catalogs
- Contributed to creation of Holiday gifts, including sole ownership of a collection of Pilates-inspired Holiday song parodies
- Reviewed, evaluated, and wrote product descriptions for submitted products
- Coordinated photo/video shoots
Education
M.A. - English Literature
California State University
Sacramento, CAB.A. - English
Truman State University
Kirksville, MOSkills
- Windows and Macintosh
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- InDesign and InCopy
- Photoshop
- Time management
- MailChimp and Canva
- Toast software proficiency
- Customer engagement
- Content creation
- Effective communication
- Specials promotion and upselling
Certification
- Certified Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers)
- French Wine Scholar, Highest Honors (Wine Scholar Guild)
- Italian Wine Professional (Italian Wine Central)
- WSET Level 3, Merit (Wine Spirit Education Trust)
- DipWSET student
- ServSafe California Food Handler certified
Social Handles
@sactownwinoandfoodie, Beth Merrill-Belval, Beth Merrill-Belval, sactownwinoandfoodie.com, rantsravesandvarioussundries.com
Timeline
Wine Shop Sales & Marketing, Sommelier
Matteo's Pizza and Bistro
05.2024 - Current
Wine Director, Sommelier, Bartender
Casa East Sac
09.2022 - 04.2024
Freelance Writer, Editor, and Proofreader
Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
02.2021 - Current
Tasting Room Manager
Due Vigne Winery
02.2017 - 12.2022
Marketing Communications Specialist
Balanced Body, Inc.
05.2007 - 12.2017
M.A. - English Literature
California State University
B.A. - English
Truman State University