Wine Education, Mastered: Kryss Speegle

Jun. 2, 2021

Earlier this year, Kryss Speegle, who leads corporate wine and spirits sales at O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, joined one of the most exclusive clubs in our industry when she became a Master of Wine (MW) through the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW). Induction into the club is an intensive process — one doesn’t simply saunter into the Institute and become a MW. You earn the title Master of Wine by passing the rigorous MW exam, completing a thorough research paper, and signing the IMW’s code of conduct, agreeing to forever “act with honesty, integrity, and use every opportunity to share their understanding of wine with others.”

The first exam at the Institute of Masters of Wine took place nearly 70 years ago, and since then, only 493 people around the world have become Masters of Wine.

The “use every opportunity to share their understanding of wine with others” element of the MW pledge really rings true when it comes to Speegle because of her deep passion for wine education. She studied at University of California, Davis, earned a MS degree in food science/oenology, has earned her WSET diploma, and has held multiple leadership positions at O’Neill, including Director of Winemaking.

Now, she leads sales and business development role for O’Neill, while also teaching at the Napa Valley Wine Academy where she teaches WSET-level courses to develop the next generation of wine leaders.

We spoke to Speegle about her career path at O’Neill and what she felt like after she got confirmation that she is now a Master of Wine.

Tell us about your induction into the Institute of Masters of Wine. What does this honor mean to you?

Kryss Speegle: My call from the IMW was scheduled for 11 at night and up until that moment, I didn’t know whether I would become a Master of Wine or be referred and have to submit extensive revisions to my research paper. When I learned I had been admitted to the Institute, my initial feeling was relief. Then, elation kicked in the next morning. What it means to me internally is the tremendous joy and self-confidence of a difficult goal achieved. In terms of opportunity and career, it means that the end of something big is really the start of something bigger and I am very excited about that.

We are approaching the point where it’s no longer obligatory to attach
the word “only” to a quantification of female MWs, which is
also encouraging, and I want to see that in other sectors of the industry.

There are only 149 Masters of Wine who are women in the world. What does it mean to you to be a part of this exclusive club?

The number of female MWs has grown steadily since I began the program, which is encouraging. Many of these amazing women are part of the educational program or otherwise accessible to students. We are approaching the point where it’s no longer obligatory to attach the word “only” to a quantification of female MWs, which is also encouraging, and I want to see that in other sectors of the industry.

What initially drew you into the world of wine?

My parents were occasional wine drinkers, but my first memorable exposure was visiting a winery near my home in northern Virginia. I didn’t have a clue what I was tasting but somehow it was a revelatory moment.

I went from studying for the Foreign Service exam to making fruit wines with my dad, reading James Conaway’s Napa and ultimately applying to graduate school at UC Davis. It didn’t occur to me that wine was an industry with many types of work. I just knew some people made wine for a living and that’s what I wanted to do.

What was your first job in the industry, and what was that experience like?

My first job was at Trefethen Vineyards, which has a tradition of hiring UC Davis interns. There was a good mix of vineyard, cellar, lab, and bottling work. My favorite days were spent sampling old head-trained vineyards. My roommates were all friends who worked at other wineries, so we got to share in each other’s experiences while having fantastic dinner parties.

What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?

Becoming an MW tops the list! Apart from that, I’m proud of the quality-oriented wine culture I’ve helped foster at O’Neill. I’m also a long-time wine educator and it’s a real privilege to meet people at different stages of their careers and add to their knowledge and love of wine.

Tell us about your career at O’Neill. How has the company evolved and grown under your leadership?

I was Director of Winemaking for O’Neill from 2014 through early 2017. Then I relocated back to the Bay Area and transitioned into a sales and business development role, which is what I do now. O’Neill has grown tremendously in the ten years I’ve been here. My biggest contributions in winemaking were hiring and mentoring our fabulous winemaking team, applying “tough love” quality standards to our wines and introducing more of what one might call “coastal” winemaking practices. On the sales side, our client base has diversified to include a variety of business models and I play a large role in bridging the experience gap between the traditional wine producer and these new buyers.

What advice would you have for women looking to break into the wine industry?

Identify the things you want to do and then do them. Don’t wait for an invitation. Whatever part of the business you’re in, seek to understand the numbers that drive it, whether they’re gallons, dollars, or kilowatt hours. Apply for positions that are a stretch, not ones that you can already do perfectly. Be assertive and clear when introductions are made. Focus on projects that build quantifiable value for your organization. Seek independence and autonomy.

What does wine mean to you and your story?

I love the same things about wine that everyone else does — associations with food and friendship, history, craft, science and the earth. To me it has also been the conduit to a life of inquiry, discovery, and pleasure.

This story is part of our award-winning “Women in Wine” series, our long-running effort to highlight winemakers, sustainable specialists, executives, and others making a positive impact in the world of wine.

To learn more, please visit oneillwine.com.