Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolyn Covington.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My path into wine began with a love of travel, food, and bringing people together. I studied marketing at the University of Minnesota and spent time studying abroad in Florence, which helped spark my interest in the connection between wine, culture, and everyday life.
In 2018, I started The American Wine Girl as a place to share what I was learning about wine and my experiences traveling to different wine regions. As my curiosity grew, I wanted to build a deeper foundation of knowledge. I spent about six years pursuing formal wine education, culminating in earning my WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines in 2025. Throughout that process, I shared my own learning journey and worked to make wine feel more approachable for others.
Over time, The American Wine Girl evolved into my personal brand, Carolyn Covington, allowing me to bring together more of what I love: wine education, travel, entertaining, and creative ways to make gathering at home feel special. Today, my business includes content creation, brand partnerships, and private and corporate wine tastings. I love being able to connect with people both online and around a table.
Living in Charlottesville has also given me a wonderful connection to Virginia wine country. Sharing the wineries, people, and experiences here has become a meaningful part of my work, alongside exploring wine regions around the world.
At the heart of everything I do is the same goal: helping people feel more confident choosing wine, exploring somewhere new, or hosting friends at home. I want to give people ideas they’ll actually use and show them that a memorable experience doesn’t have to be complicated.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road! One of the biggest challenges has been balancing the creative side of what I do with the business side. Creating content and connecting with people are things I love, but negotiating partnerships, communicating the value of my work, and managing everything behind the scenes have been a learning process.
Building a business around social media also comes with uncertainty. You can put so much thought and effort into something without knowing how it will perform. I’ve had to learn to balance what resonates with my audience with what feels authentic to me, and to keep individual posts or numbers from defining how I feel about my work.
Pursuing my WSET Diploma while building the business was another challenge. It took years of studying and commitment, and much of that work happened behind the scenes. But having that foundation was important to me—I wanted to offer education that people could trust.
More recently, becoming a mom has added another layer of learning. I’m figuring out how to make room for my family while continuing to grow a business I care deeply about. It’s made me more intentional about my time and the opportunities I take on.
I’m still learning, but I’ve become more comfortable setting boundaries, adapting when plans change, and recognizing that growth doesn’t always happen on the timeline you imagined.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a wine educator, content creator, and the founder of Carolyn Covington, where I bring together wine, travel, and entertaining. I create content that helps people feel more confident choosing and enjoying wine, share wine destinations, and offer creative hosting ideas that people can recreate at home. I also host private and corporate wine tastings and partner with brands to create content that fits naturally into those experiences.
I’m especially known for combining wine education with approachable, elevated hosting ideas. That might be a seasonal food and wine pairing, an unexpected tablescape detail, or a simple DIY that makes a dinner party feel special. I love finding ways to turn an idea into something people want to try themselves.
What sets me apart is the combination of formal wine education and a creative, practical approach to sharing it. I earned my WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines in 2025, and that knowledge informs my work, but I always want the experience to feel welcoming. Whether someone is opening a weeknight bottle or attending one of my tastings, my goal is to help them discover what they enjoy and feel comfortable asking questions.
Living in Charlottesville also gives me the opportunity to highlight Virginia’s wine community, alongside the regions I visit around the world. I love connecting the wine in someone’s glass to the place, people, and food behind it.
Earning my Diploma is one of my proudest accomplishments because of the years of commitment it required. I’m also proud of building a business that brings together so many of my interests and creates opportunities to connect with people. Hearing that someone tried a new wine, recreated a hosting idea, or felt inspired to visit a winery because of something I shared makes the work especially rewarding.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
There are so many people who have supported me along the way. My parents deserve a lot of credit, both for encouraging me and for helping spark my interest in wine. My dad is an entrepreneur, so having his example and perspective has been especially meaningful as I’ve built my own business.
I’m also grateful for the other women in the wine and content creation space. Having peers who understand the work, share advice, and cheer each other on makes a big difference when you’re working for yourself.
The PR professionals and wine brands that have taken a chance on me deserve recognition, too. Their willingness to trust my ideas and work with me has given me opportunities to grow creatively, visit wine regions, and build relationships throughout the industry.
And finally, my instructors at Capital Wine School in D.C. played an important role in my education. Their knowledge, guidance, and encouragement helped me through a demanding course of study and shaped the wine educator I am today. I’m thankful to have learned from people who care so much about wine and helping others understand it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.carolyncovington.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/carolyncoving
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/theamericanwinegirl
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@carolyncoving
