In a recent seminar for wine educators titled 'Classes Beyond Glasses,' Tracy Ellen Kamens demonstrated a number of the techniques that make her such a wonderfully effective educator. Whether she's presenting as a sage on the stage or a guide on the side, Tracy has moved well beyond a static classroom format to engage and enlighten her students. Sign me up!
No. CA Editor, The Tasting Panel and contributor to Vineyard & Winery Management Magazine
Tracy is a world-class wine educator. She delivers information in a clear, original and easy-to-retain style. With Tracy, you can be sure your learnings are not only practical, but also a great, fun adventure.
Tracy is a dynamo in the classroom, spreading her enthusiasm for whichever subject she is teaching, whether it is a simple introduction to the wines of Germany, or a detailed discussion of academic andragogy. This enthusiasm is backed up by deep expertise, which makes her an authority. But she uses this authority effectively as a guide to support learning, without ever being intimidating. She does all of this with bubbly good humour, and always is a pleasure to watch.
WSET®
Tracy Ellen Kamens is a very knowledgeable and resourceful teacher, who is passionate about wines, and who energetically communicates her enthusiasm to her students. She has traveled extensively, so has first-hand knowledge of the wine regions themselves, as well as the wines and the winemakers. She is well organized and takes a fresh, creative approach to engaging her class.
The Dunn/Robbins Group
As a fellow wine educator who has attended a number of Tracy's seminars, I am always impressed by her breadth and depth of knowledge. She is professional and extremely thorough, maximizing a wealth of information in a relatively short amount of time. All the while, her deep passion for wine clearly shines through.
Tracy Ellen has the gift: She teaches, you learn, you love every minute.
Poured with Pleasure
I had the pleasure of meeting Tracy a few years ago and I think she is one of the wine educators who best understands the identity of Italian wine. With her professionalism and precision, Tracy has contributed to make known in the United States some of the most important names of Italian wines such as Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Her style combines the grace of a woman and the professional preparation of one of the best wine educators and I believe that this combination makes it a point of reference for the promotion of Italian wine in the United States.
Gheusis Srl
Tracy is a highly regarded wine educator and I reached out to her to host some classes for my clients based in Bordeaux. She recently ran her first class for the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc whose aim is to create greater awareness on this diverse range of wines within the American market. Feedback from the attendees was very positive and Tracy perfectly knew her subject. I look forward to working more with this talented wine expert who just happens to adore Bordeaux!
Speechmark Bordeaux (Wine education, PR and marketing)
If you haven't seen Tracy present yet, then you must not love wine! Tracy gains her vast knowledge by traveling the world experimenting and investigating with all aspects of viniculture. She is in touch with the newest and greatest wine connoisseur styles and favorites. Over the past six years, I have moderated for her presentations and watched as the oenophiles listened intensely while having fun. Make sure that you do not miss any of her inspiring presentations if you have the opportunity and she comes to your area.
American Wine Society and Owner, The Klein Vine, LLC
I have known Tracy for several years through various wine organizations. I’ve had the opportunity to attend some of the seminars she’s taught at various trade conferences and I’ve always been impressed. She has an infectious personality and is very accessible, but her knowledge is what keeps you coming back for more. You might not realize at first how much you did learn because her style is so entertaining. I encourage you to take one of her classes if you want to learn more about wine or just want to have fun. Tracy has something for everyone!
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, The School of International Hospitality and Service Innovation, Rochester Institute of Technology
The WSET contacted Tracy to write a piece on the sparkling wines of USA for Diploma students. She very quickly understood what we required, completely embracing the brief, and produced an outstanding piece which was thoroughly researched and written with a sparkling clarity. This is a unique piece that will offer Diploma students a fantastic amount of insight into the US sparkling wine industry. It was always a pleasure to work with Tracy who was efficient and punctual throughout the project.
WSET®
I have attended several classes taught by Tracy. Her knowledge of wines is exceptional and her classes are not only informative but also entertaining.
American Wine Society
Tracy Ellen Kamens is a one-of-a-kind wine educator. Her careful preparation, up-to-date information and guaranteed to be fun format makes her wine education classes very unique and rewarding. It is apparent that Tracy loves wine and is eager to share her wisdom and wit.
Collins College of Hospitality Management
Tracy I taught my 1st class since your session at #sweconference, it was my best class ever! Thanks for the guidance @winederfullife. (via Twitter)
As a board member of the Society of Wine Educators, I have had an opportunity to observe the organizational and administrative management skills of Ms Kamens. I can say, unequivocally, that she demonstrated a high level of professionalism and efficiency in her actions.
Kobrand Corporation
Tracy Ellen Kamens is an excellent teacher! She is well-organized and her presentations are always concise and informative. She knows what she is talking about and does a great job!
Glazer’s Family of Companies
I hired Tracy to train the staff of my family's wine and spirits store in East Hampton. The team members not only learned a great deal, but truly enjoyed "wine school" and working with Tracy. Tracy's value was clear: increased confidence and selling skills among the staff and a boost in overall morale. Tracy has been back to train new staff members.
Park Place Wines
As a long time wine educator I have met and have been associated with many fine and dedicated wine educators through the years. As a charter member of the Society of Wine Educators and a 35-year member I have been able to evaluate many educators from all areas of wine. Tracy Kamens is by far in the top 5% of the best wine educators in the world. Ms. Kamens is brilliant in her extensive knowledge of all areas of wine. She has mastered the technique of wine information teaching and is excellent in her presentations as the responses from her class attendees are always positive and laden with accolades of her performance. As the long-time American Wine Society Chairman for Conference Programs, I always go to Ms. Kamens first to see if she is available to do a presentation at our annual wine event and when she accepts I know that we have a successful seminar with her at the helm. Her extensive range of knowledge is amazing and impressive. Tracy Ellen Kamens is, indeed, a special lady and a special, outstanding wine educator.
American Wine Society
Tracy Ellen Kamens is a dear friend of mine, and I admire her talents. She has great organizational skills, and is very thorough. Her preparation for lectures and seminars include solid information and well-done Power Points. She has a lot of poise, and is an excellent communicator.”
I have attended Tracy’s presentations at the Society of Wine Educators Annual Conferences, and also worked with her on education initiatives for the SWE Board of Directors and Board of Examiners. Tracy is a consummate professional and also very approachable. As an instructor she is always well-prepared, has a strong knowledge of her material, and makes students feel comfortable. Tracy’s writing and presentation skills are top-notch and I would highly recommend her for any teaching or writing opportunities in wine education.
TAPAS – Tempranillo Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society
Tracy Ellen Kamens has taught seminars at several American Wine Society National Conferences. She demonstrated an exceptional ability to provide wine education on a variety of topics while making the session interesting and entertaining. Her seminars are well received by the attendees and we receive numerous requests for her to teach at future conferences. I highly recommend Tracy as a wine educator.
American Wine Society
I just wanted to ‘thank you’ again for a great experience these last three days. You are a refreshing, unpretentious instructor and very giving to the group. I would also love the opportunity to work with you somehow.
Ritz-Carlton
I wanted to thank you for a great 3 days of Tuscan wine classes. I found the seminar to be so much more relaxed than any other I have attended in NYC. You gave enough detailed information at a higher level that it served as a good review for me, kept me informed of any of the numerous changes that are always taking place, and gave a fun slant on some historical aspects. The tone of the seminar was relaxed, yet informative. Over the past three years I have attended over 50 trade tastings and many of the trade seminars to increase my chances of passing all the WSET exams, and I found your seminar to be the best.
Winewise
I've had the privilege of working with Tracy on a number of projects and am always impressed with her level of knowledge and her confidence with the subject of wine. Her approach to wine education is engaging and informative, without being overly complicated. She is at the top of my list of people in the wine business who 'get it'. Tracy is quite simply the best.
Balzac Communications & Marketing
One of the best wine education classes I ever took was led by Tracy. It was not so much her expert knowledge of wine that stood out, but the ideas, skills and techniques she shared about how to engage and enthuse your audience around the subject you are presenting. The class was terrifically enjoyable and gave us many practical tools.
Westchester Wine School
Just a quick note to say thanks for a very informative and lively program this week. I enjoyed your perspective on the topics and your first hand knowledge (and pix) of the subject matter. Your focus on the historical aspects of the regions and the producers was especially rewarding for me. I am a firm believer that just as wine is a living and breathing organism, so too is the history of the wine makers that are behind each wine. It is this perspective that makes every wine unique. Thanks for adding that element to the program. And your persistence in answering and/or ferreting out info on audience questions and comments was admirable.
We love working with Tracy. She is always organized, well-prepared, and her presentations are full of information. In fact, I’ve seen some of the biggest names in wine taking copious notes while she was teaching…
Balzac Communications & Marketing
Tracy is an outstanding teacher and educator in so many ways. She possesses a rare combination of wonderful presentations skills, the ability to connect with any audience and a great depth of knowledge.
Thank you so much for the history, passion and edification you shared this week.
I have known Tracy for several years now and as a wine importer, it has been a real plus to receive professional and independent feedback on the wines we bring in to the US market. It is always great to share a glass or two with Tracy and get her point of view. Her extensive knowledge and passion about wine are truly contagious, and so is her ‘joie de vivre’.
Cognac One, LLC
I handle the Educational Department at Sopexa USA, which is a Marketing agency for Food, Wine, and lifestyle. I have worked with Tracy on several projects, she did an outstanding job for us educating both trade and consumers on numerous occasions. Her writing skills are great as she has posted several articles on Examiner.com. Tracy is one of our best educators and we will certainly work with Tracy on many new opportunities in the future!
Sopexa
Tracy is passionate about teaching wine. She is highly professional, yet approachable & down to earth. Whether you are a consumer, in the wine trade, or a college student, her Doctorate of Education helps her deliver the essentials in an orderly, logical fashion that is easy for you to remember. While her wine credentials speak for themselves, Tracy’s great sense of humor is a perfect complement to the subject matter because wine is fun, first and foremost.
Thank you so much for such a wonderful class! I had an awesome time and so glad I now have a much better grasp of Tuscan wines.
Fred Thomas Corp., Wine Import/Export Division
For two consecutive years, and to our great satisfaction, Tracy has conducted the seminar in New York presenting the Chianti Classico appellation and wines. She is a highly prepared journalist with excellent knowledge of Italian wines and especially of our Chianti Classico. We have been very pleased with her work for us and hope it will continue. In addition to her fine professional training I would also like to mention her warmth and humanity, two gifts that surely increase her value and prestige.
Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico
I first met Tracy at a Society of Wine Educators Conference where I attended a seminar that she was leading and immediately became aware of her knowledge and passion for wine. Since that time, I have attended many wine events, seminars and tastings with Tracy and learned more about her love of teaching and ability to make the learning fun. As a fellow wine educator, I can sincerely and enthusiastically recommend Tracy and her fabulous wine classes for anyone with a desire to learn more. She is professional, fun, smart, knowledgeable (and adorable). I am proud to call her my friend and colleague.
As a wine educator, Tracy Ellen Kamens brings together great characteristics and skills in her presentations:
- – as a professional educator, she plans her presentations, speaks eloquently, makes good use of visuals, "reads" her audience, and works within given physical and time constraints.
- – as a wine educator, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, having studied and traveled the wine world extensively to develop a grasp of the essence of wine.
- – as a passionate lover of wine and all the facets of its history, production, and consumption, she comes to every presentation motivated by much more than her fee, and shares that successfully with participants.
It Was A Good Year, Inc.
It was a delight to work with Tracy Ellen Kamens when she presented an excellent seminar about South African wines at a Society of Wine Educators Conference not long ago. Tracy was very well-prepared with an on-target PowerPoint presentation and provided thoughtful commentary on all the wines that were tasted. She provided interesting context for the wines, giving just enough information about the country, the climate, its geology, wine-making history, and the people involved in today's industry to keep the audience eagerly listening. Tracy is a fine public speaker, clear, engaging and friendly. She handles questions with aplomb. Her knowledge of wine is wide-ranging and her enthusiasm for the subject is truly inspiring.
Wine & Food Associates
I have had the opportunity to attend numerous seminars conducted by Tracy Ellen Kamens and have thoroughly enjoyed them all. As an educator myself, I understand and respect her educational skills and look forward to attending her next seminar. Tracy has the ability to present a vast amount of information in a light, informative and entertaining way. She obviously enjoys what she does and this enjoyment is conveyed to her audience. I have found her to extremely organized and well prepared and has the ability to present her information in the time allotted. I would not hesitate to recommend her classes to any of my colleagues.
Rutgers University
A glass of wine delivers many joys. There's the absolute pleasure of tasting a well-crafted wine, and imagining all the elements that went into it. There is also the great joy of learning about fine wines, which is an endlessly pleasurable endeavor. Few people are more knowledgeable about wine than Tracy Ellen Kamens, and I'm certain that no one makes learning about wine more fun. Tracy can sing the praises of a Left Bank Bordeaux, and she's equally at home with a giant Zinfandel from Sonoma. Her passion for fine wine is contagious. Truth be told, for Tracy, wine is a metaphor for life. Cheers!
Roanoke Vineyards
It has been my pleasure to attend many of Tracy Kamens wine lectures and seminars and have always been impressed with her preparation and presentation of the material. Her wine knowledge accrues yearly and she is always eager to pass on this knowledge on to her students. I am proud to be a colleague of hers.
'An Adventure Into Wine'
We've received exceptional feedback during the tasting, on Twitter, and from a few more customers this afternoon who have strolled in for tonight's tastings. Additionally, Tracy's lead and presentation truly aligned with the experience we're creating around wine. By all accounts, we met our sales goals and made an impact (invariably intangible) that are positive for the near and long term.
67 Wine & Spirits
Boy do I owe you a big thank you for the miracles you worked at the Four Seasons. Of course, everyone there knows volumes about wine, but you added a lot of fantastic information and excitement that refueled their passion for wine. Thank you very much.
Regina Ink Ltd.
Tracy Ellen Kamens conducted Italian wine classes on behalf of my client Accademia di Vino, an Italian wine bar and restaurant in Manhattan. I attended two of her classes and found them to be extremely well organized and informative. Tracy’s presentations were always well-researched and well attended. I would definitely choose to work with her on other programs and recommend her to any company seeking a wine expert to conduct tastings, seminars, classes and other activities. I would definitely speed dial Tracy when you want an informed wine expert to conduct seminars and tastings for your group.
The Connected Table, Inc.
Thank you again. We really enjoyed the event and learned a few things!
Thanks so much for a fun and informative class last evening. The team really enjoyed it and learned a lot. I know you said that you don’t call yourself it, but you are a true wine expert! We really appreciate you sharing your expertise. Warm regards.
Undertone
Tracy Ellen is extremely knowledgeable about wine, wine tasting, wine making and wine enjoyment. In the article(s) she wrote for me, she was clear, concise and informative. I highly recommend Tracy for writing, lecturing or teaching in regard to the wine industry.
Wine Enthusiast magazine
Tracy’s knowledge of her craft is exceptional. Her teaching style allows people with all levels of knowledge to walk away with a better understanding of the various wines tasted and the regions covered.
Tracy has a wonderful approach to teaching about wine. I have taken her classes in different settings in New York as well as at their education center in the North Fork. Her Vine to Wine course was informative, comprehensive and interesting. I loved the Champagne course as did two friends that came with me to that class. Her approach is friendly, organized and insightful. I remember much of what she taught and enjoyed the wines that were selected for the tasting.
I have been fortunate enough to attend several wine seminars where Tracy Ellen Kamens excelled in her teaching skills. Her style, poise and wine knowledge was transferred from the podium to the pupils in the audience. The audience for Tracy's wine seminars is always made-up, primarily, of advanced wine knowledge attendees, of which many are sommeliers and wine educators. Her popularity always results in 'standing room' crowds, all vying for that empty seat. When Tracy Ellen Kamens speaks, students listen!
The Wine Hub, Bayou Buzz, Berkshire Beacon, The Tasting Panel and Wine Enthusiast Online
Tracy has been a frequent guest speaker for 'It Was A Good Year,' a very active wine tasting club in Dutchess County. She has lectured and conducted wine tasting events on numerous subjects over the past four years (including Long Island wines, New Zealand wines, and California Cabernet Sauvignon) which have included computer presentations to enhance her vast wine tasting and travel experience. Her very articulate and interesting presentations on sensory attributes of the wine, as well as wine and food matching are well received by all participants. Solicited discussions are always animated with the club, which includes both those learning about wine and very experienced wine tasters alike.
It Was A Good Year, Inc.
I have attended one of Tracy Kamens’ classes at the SWE conference so I know she does a fantastic job! She offers and insightful and thoroughly researched educational experience for her clients. Her enthusiasm for wine shines through every class, building appreciation and interest among her clients and students. I highly recommend Tracy for fun-filled wine events, formal study, and as a source of enlightened research.
Prawdzik Group LLC
It is a pleasure to call Tracy Ellen Kamens a colleague. She and I met at the Napa Valley Vintners’ Wine Educators Academy and I have followed her career since then. She is an amazing educator and has done so much for the industry. Plus, the information she provides is always a great resource. I think the world of her and highly respect her professionalism.
The Wine Center
Tracy's love for wine and her excitement about teaching come through in her educational, thoughtful, and always well-researched presentations. Her style engages audiences at all levels of wine knowledge, from novice to veteran industry professionals.
In the Grape
I was honored to judge at the same table as Tracy at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. Her knowledge is amazing and she is wonderful to work with.
Tracy is one of the most knowledgeable people that I have come across when it comes to wine. She carries out her duties in a very professional, yet friendly manner, making it a joy to work with her on any project. She ensured that nothing fell through the cracks on any of the projects that we worked on together, and made it extremely easy for me to ease back into work after three months off. I would be pleased and honored to have the opportunity to work with her further.
Klazema Communications
Tracy is a well informed wine educator. She and I prepared and presented the program, ‘Sex, Wine, and Chocolate’ to various audiences. She is well organized, detail oriented, excellent with budgets, and fun to work with. I happily recommend her as a wine educator, program presenter, and colleague.
Judith Steinhart, Inc.
Tracy did such an amazing job, and we could not have been happier with the event. It was EXACTLY what we wanted, and though many of our vendors did a great job, I have to say that you really delivered exactly what we were hoping for. Thank you so much! Everybody had a great time, the wines and cheese were all delicious, our guests were so impressed that we could have put together such a thing –and all we really did was find you! The effort and thought you put into everything was so apparent, and it was truly noted and enjoyed.
We were really pleased with the way [the Chianti Classico press luncheon] went. Tracy was a true pro and a great resource to have engaging the guests. In addition, we held the Chianti Classico Tasting Event at our store last night and it went very well. The event sold out and nearly everyone came in spite of horrible weather. Tracy presented the wines in a clear and very informative way, and there was much good and lively discussion about the high quality of the wines and the steady evolution of quality and winemaking methods in Chianti Classico. As proof of customers’ enthusiasm, we had sold a lot of Chianti Classico after the event.
Morrell & Company
