Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Carlson.
Hi Kristen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Believe it or not, my story starts in cybersecurity, where I ran global software projects for Fortune 500 and automotive clients. After years as a successful IT professional, I left to pursue wine, sustainable agriculture, and herbalism. My husband and I now co-host The Carlson Collective, a podcast on health, spirituality, and marriage. I call myself a Beverage Consultant, but I hold accolades no other sommelier can claim. Captain Ignazio Tatulli of Puglia, my wine mentor, connected me to my Italian roots in Trentino and pushed me to pursue WSET Level 2, skipping Level 1 at his direction. That mentorship led me to build a 189-bottle wine list at The Wine Grotto at St. John’s Resort – Michigan’s #1 resort – my proudest achievement. Five years of tasting and one year of writing later, that list earned me a Wine Spectator Award as Director and Sommelier, plus national press. Those opportunities led me to found my own company, Mrs. Vino LLC.
Mrs. Vino LLC focuses on wine list creation, beverage menus, and consulting for new and existing Detroit venues, specializing in both wine and non-alcoholic trends. I soon wrote a non-alcoholic beverage article featuring Michigan’s top NA producers, which fit naturally with my husband’s and my bodybuilding and fitness lifestyle. That sober-curious journey built a new community and led me to my current role: Regional Sales Ambassador and Business Development for Little Saints, a non-alcoholic, sugar-free, nootropic spirits and canned cocktail brand made with organic lion’s mane and reishi mushrooms. It combines my love of herbalism with the social ritual of a good drink – minus the hangover.
I’ve also run family-owned retail wine shops, consulted with hospitality groups of every size, and managed Nico y Vali, a family-owned Italian restaurant in my hometown of Plymouth.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The industry is fraught with challenges – like a wine left open too long. But every challenge has brought growth, friendship, connection, and personal improvement. The real challenge is building a culture that balances sober-curious living with a healthy lifestyle. I’ve found partners, and now Little Saints, who champion that same balance: mentally, spiritually, and in the glass.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Mrs. Vino llc?
I’m known as Mrs. Vino, a Certified Sommelier with WSET Level 2, featured across Detroit news outlets, CBS News LIVE, national magazines, and as an HOUR Detroit partner. I specialize in philanthropy: donations and sponsorships for charities across Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Traverse City. Giving back is what fulfills us. No bottle is exclusive – every glass is for everyone.
On Premise – I consult on new concepts, existing restaurants, event spaces, special events, and wine bars. Services include staff training, beverage menu creation and revamps, wine and food pairing evaluations, and private event planning and hosting. I offer tableside sommelier service, disgorgement, sabrage, and Coravin experiences, and coordinate wine dinners with chef collaborations for up to 50 guests alongside winemakers, proprietors, and ambassadors. I also procure vendors and manage partnerships with live musicians, event designers, and local businesses, including organic farms for bar garnishes and culinary additions.
Off Premise -As Wine Club Creator, I structure monthly wine clubs across the Midwest featuring hand-curated wines from specific AVAs that showcase each region’s character, paired with in-store promotions for a full tasting experience at home. I build customer relationships through bi-weekly newsletters, host in-store tastings with distribution partners, and drive social media and SEO growth for my independent retailer clients.
Private In Home & Consulting: I host wine dinners and tastings (with or without food pairings), charity dinners, and private parties with chef partners. I also re-evaluate and catalog cellars, and partner with local charcuterie and catering companies.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
SoberSomm.com and several other IPs are mine – one of my longtime industry secrets, kept alive for over 20 years. My edibleWOW article predicted that non-alcohol would surge not as a trend, but as a lifestyle. Still, I see dealcoholized wine remaining a niche: wine culture, generational practice, and the microorganisms that create terroir all depend on fermentation i.e. alcohol. The best NA wines, in my opinion, have bubbles – the familiar mouthfeel makes up for the heat that alcohol would otherwise provide.
Health-consciousness now goes beyond sober-curious: consumers want sugar-free, functional drinks that are genuinely good for them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mrsvino.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrs.vinocarlson
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristencarlsonbye/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mrsvinocarlson
- Other: https://linktr.ee/kristencarlsonbye
