About My Wine Journey

My name is James Matuszewski (Aka Somm James) and my path to fine wine and food is unconventional at best. I purchased my first 'real' bottle of wine in 1992 which I still have in my cellar, a 1988 Beringer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Although I may never actually open it for sentimental reasons, it symbolizes the beginning of what would be a true love affair with everything that is the wine country lifestyle. Fast forward to 2008 when I made a huge career path change and decided to move to Napa to "get in the business" where my family gave me three months to 'go figure it out'. I had completed my Levels I&II certification with International Sommelier Guild (ISG/CSW) on a whim while in BC Canada on a project where I had my nights free and decided to just 'learn a little more about wines...'. Little did I know how captivated I would become about everything wine and food as a lifestyle.

See my featured restaurant review on 'Check Please Bay Area':

wine vine napa valley somm

During my time at a well-known local wine and food tasting bar as the 'Somm' and front of house restaurant manager, I gained extensive knowledge about Napa Valley (and Sonoma) and the people working behind the scenes. I seized the opportunity to be someone the wineries were eager to host at their boutique properties, allowing me to experience firsthand some of the region's best hidden gems. In 2010, I identified a demand for a more intimate and hands-on approach to exploring Napa and Sonoma, focused on personal experiences.


Thus, I launched Flex Wine Tours to highlight the “roads less traveled” in Napa and Sonoma. I developed a thriving tour business that reached the top of the Trip Advisor rankings in 2015-16. Throughout this journey, I explored and uncovered the finest offerings of Napa and Sonoma while forging invaluable relationships along the way. I felt incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to share my passion with visitors from around the globe each day. However, this fulfilling chapter came to an unexpected halt due to the devastating fires in 2017 and again in 2018, which left the hospitality industry reeling for the subsequent years.

In 2019, following the devastating fires, we made the tough choice to leave California and return to Colorado, where family awaited us. For the next five years, I immersed myself in a startup; however, I yearned to reenter the wine industry, where I could continue sharing my discoveries. Therefore, I resolved to leverage the connections and relationships I had cultivated over a decade in Napa and return for the 2024 season. In my first week of reaching out to everyone with, "...I'm back...", my passion for wine has been reignited, and being back here feels extraordinary.


Now, let me introduce SAGE Fine Wines services. Why use the name SAGE? First, sage happens to be one of my favorite herbs, both for cooking and for the joy of growing it each year. It also symbolizes the act of cleansing and removing negativity from our spaces. Additionally, it's a color I frequently wear and incorporate into my home decor. Finally, the term ‘sage’ embodies wisdom and profound knowledge of something unique and personal. Wine is not just my expertise; it's my true passion. From wine education and history to tastings, food pairings, global wine regions, wine country tours, or simply discussing wine, it’s an integral part of my daily life. For us, wine is truly a food group, and I’m eager to share that passion and knowledge with others through my services.


I look forward to being your 'Somm for a Day' in any way I can, and you can learn more about my offerings and rates HERE.



Cheers, 

James - Chief Wino

Local Wino

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