Meet Our Estate Hospitality Manager, Kevin Goldsmith
If you’ve visited Seven Springs Vineyard in the last few months, you’ve had the pleasure of meeting and connecting with our tasting host extraordinaire, Kevin Goldsmith.
At the ripe age of 21, Kevin took his first Certified Sommelier test. Soon after, he found himself moving to Chicago to develop and manage wine auction acquisitions at Alinea while completing his Advanced Sommelier Certification. The cherry on top of his recent successes has been being part of the team that pushed Smith to its third Michelin star while fulfilling the role of Wine Director.
So what brought Kevin to Evening Land Vineyards? “2014 La Source Chardonnay was my proverbial entryway into Oregon wine, so after hearing about how much growth has been developing behind the scenes for Evening Land's next chapter, it was a no-brainer for me,” he says. Kevin’s background has always been in restaurants, particularly in growing teams or education programs, so coupled with his passion for hospitality, it only made sense that he’d be the perfect fit for our team.
“For me, the most important part of any hospitality experience—especially one where you're representing a place and a product and people in one location—is seeing what the guests want and what they’d like to learn, as well as providing something new for everyone,” he says. At our tasting room, Kevin seeks to create a place where guests can laugh, tell jokes, and simply lean back and have a good time, yet also learn something along the way.
“Ultimately the experience should feel good, and guests should leave somewhere with a smile and a memory, whether a photo or conversation or restaurant recommendation,” he says. “It’s about finding that and meeting people where they are at when they come to visit and give you their time.” Lately, Kevin’s been enjoying leading our Seven Springs Tasting Experience and sharing special bottles with guests. “I want guests to immediately recognize that we're here for engaging conversation, great stories, and world-class wine, all wrapped in an environment where everyone should be able to relax and share a few laughs.”
Come and pay Kevin a visit at the vineyard Wednesday through Saturday by appointment.