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Jenny Shirey
Jenny brings 10 years of teaching experience, including at UC Berkeley, to her role at the San Francisco Wine School. She began studying wine while living in San Francisco—first informally through visits to vineyards in Sonoma and Napa, then formally as a way to transition into the wine industry after 15 years working in tech. She loves sharing her passion and knowledge of California wine with others.
Jenny has a California Wine Appellation Specialist CWAS® certification with honors, a Certified Beverage Specialist certification, and has passed the Level 1 CMS Examination. She works as a consultant and part-time at Flatiron Wines in San Francisco.
Get To Know Jenny
What is your favorite wine region to visit?
Currently I’m enjoying the Sierra Foothills—less touristy than Napa or Sonoma, with high quality wines and lots of experimentation.
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What is your favorite class to teach?
California Wine Appellation Specialist.
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What's your most memorable wine experience?
Opening a bottle of 1977 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon on Christmas Eve in 2022, bringing it to our favorite restaurant, and sharing it with the team there. It had aged beautifully!
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Why did you decide to become an instructor?
I love using storytelling to help make concepts approachable and understandable for others, especially those new to wine.
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What's your most memorable food and wine pairing?
An aged Riesling paired with a filet mignon—a perfect yet unexpected pairing.
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What's the biggest challenge in your job?
I always wish I had more time for learning more!
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What other passions beside wine do you have?
Traveling to as many new countries as possible and learning new languages.
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Name some recent wine discoveries that you find exciting.
I’m excited by the work that Elisabeth Forrestel from UC Davis is doing to update the Winkler Index using recent technology and taking our changing climate into consideration.
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What do you think is the most unappreciated wine or region in the world?
California Zinfandel—it’s part of our heritage and can be beautifully balanced and easy to pair with food, but it doesn’t get the same respect as Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.
Jenny's Favorite Blogs
San Mateo Journal Article: Famous Wine School Opens A ‘ Not-So-Secret’ Wine Bar
San Mateo Journal During the height of COVID-19, Kristin Campbell and David Glancy, who both run the San Francisco Wine School, noticed more customers were not in the wine or hospitality industry —...
Press Release: Secret Wine Bar Now At San Francisco Wine School
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESouth San Francisco, CA – April 28, 2025 Unlock the Secret: A New Wine Experience Awaits in South San Francisco There’s a hidden gem tucked away in South San Francisco - and no...
I Got My California Wine Appellation Specialist Certification Online. Was It Worth It?
After pouring different California wines in off premise accounts through event agencies, I finally decided to obtain my California Wine Appellation Specialist Certification (CWAS) from the San Fran...