The Wine Workshop was developed by sommelier Jason Kallsen and his artist/creative wife, Angela Kallsen, in March of 2020 as the covid pandemic shut down the world. Their core business at the time, Twin Cities Wine Education, was entirely based on in-person events and wine classes, so when the pandemic began, they found themselves instantly without income. After consuming way more coffee than two people should, they developed the business plan for The Wine Workshop from scratch, built the platform, advertised it to their email list, and hoped for the best. It was 72 hours from idea to profitability and now is enjoyed by thousands of students around the country.
Jason is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Specialist of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators, and a Certified Sherry Specialist. He brings over two decades of professional experience in all aspects of the wine business: restaurant, retail, wholesale, import, and marketing.
He founded Twin Cities Wine Education in 1998 and over the decades has taught over 40,000 students about wine. He has appeared on local, national, and international media discussing wine and wine education including an internationally broadcasted episode of Performance Today, where he paired wine with classical music. He also teaches wine appreciation courses at the University of Minnesota.
Jason does not work for any wineries, retailers, or brands. As a fully independent sommelier and wine educator, he’s in a good position to speak the truth and shout opinions when needed. First and foremost, however, Jason’s goal is to make wine more fun for all.