Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Kennedy.
Hi Michael, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in St. Louis in a fantastic family. I had the most inspiring French teacher in middle school, Chantal Morrissey, from Bordeaux, France. She taught us about the history, culture, tradition, and spirituality of wine & from that moment on, I was hooked. I studied French at university and began working for a local winery straight out of school. After a couple of years and passing my Certified Sommelier exam, I accepted an offer as a sommelier at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC. That was a groundbreaking experience – finally tasting all the wines I had studied for years. After learning so much about hospitality and wine, I was fortunate again to move to the Cayman Islands and take over the program for The Ritz-Carlton there – along with the program for one of the best restaurants in the world: Blue by Eric Ripert – sister restaurant to Le Bernardin in New York. After years of being humbled and experiencing incredible growth as a professional, I had the opportunity to start a very small wine label – based initially on two barrels – Component Wine Company. Once it sunk in that this would require all of my time, I left the Ritz and dove into entrepreneurship. In 2017, I was shocked to be nominated (and win) Forbes 30 under 30 for my winery. We then expanded to Bordeaux, opened a second winery, opened a third, then a fourth, and now we are opening our first hotel!
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ha, No! It’s been tough. There have been so many lonely, embarrassing, and scary times as an entrepreneur. It forces you to grow in more ways than one. But with all that being said, it has been the most rewarding and character-building years of my life!
I appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Fraìche Wine Group?
We are a family of wineries created with excellence, artistic expression, and passion as our goal. We focus on single-site wines from California, Oregon, Tuscany, and Bordeaux, among other regions. We are one of the few sommelier-owned, multi-national wine companies in the world. Our wines are made by an incredible artist, Marc Gagnon, and a team of incredible winemakers in each location.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I live in St. Louis, which surprises people, considering where we make wine!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fraiche.wine
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/winebymichael
Image Credits
Suzanne Becker Bronk, Meg Smith Photos
