New York Wine Expert and Sommelier Sarah Tracey
For my fancy, ‘official’ third-person bio and high-res headshot downloads , click here. For my story, read on!
About Sarah Tracey
I'm a certified sommelier, cocktail connoisseur, lifestyle expert, writer, and educator– dedicated to helping you live your most delicious life.
Welcome to The Lush Life, where I pour everything I've learned in my 15+ years in wine, food, and hospitality into helping you make every day a celebration— whether it’s a milestone or a Monday! No matter if you’re throwing a multi-course dinner for a big group, or a party for one with a great glass of vino and a couple of perfectly-paired cheeses, I'll show you how to host with style, confidence, and ease.
I know what you're thinking… that doesn't sound like a real job. So, how did I get started in all this?
My hospitality journey started with cleaning out spit buckets at a local winery (the opposite of glamorous, but we all have to start somewhere, right?). Truthfully, I wasn't very interested in food or drink, career-wise: I was pursuing a singing career, and needed a way to pay the rent in between concert gigs and recording sessions. I did NOT have discerning tastes back then— my strategy with wine was picking the bottle with the cutest label and praying it was drinkable (sound familiar? PS. I do not, in fact, recommend that method!).
But, life takes you to unexpected places sometimes— and after getting a waitressing job at a wine bar, I did eventually fall under the spell of wine. I started to see opening a bottle as uncorking a magical potion that's a unique product of geography, geology, agriculture, history, and gastronomy. I became obsessed with how it altered and enhanced the flavors of food, and how one sip could transport me halfway around the world. And I decided to learn as much about it as I could.
The beginning of The Lush Life
The more I learned, the more I wanted to help my friends drink better. I realized not everyone cared to spend their evenings geeking out over The Wine Bible or watching hours of YouTube mixology videos like I did... but I could take all that knowledge I was building, and share quick tips that were genuinely useful (without the snobbery of most of the ‘experts’.) So, in 2014 I started The Lush Life as a 'drinks-centric' lifestyle blog. My first few posts were: an ode to screwcap bottles, a cheat sheet on how to pair a $12 rosé with cheese, and a breakdown pairing every song on Beyoncé's self-titled album with a different wine. Let's just say I did things my own way from the beginning!
Fast forward to now…
New York Sommelier Sarah Tracey
Through many years of hard work developing my palate, tasting, and studying, I eventually earned my certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers, becoming a Beverage Director for Michelin-star restaurants in New York City, the wine expert and resident sommelier at Martha Stewart Living, and drinks contributor at The Food Network. (You can check out most of my published articles here).
Now I spend my days traveling the world visiting wine regions across the globe, creating mouthwatering pairings, and developing cocktail recipes for major spirits brands. I've taught hundreds of virtual and in-person workshops on wine, mixology, spirits, cheese, chocolate, and charcuterie boards. I often appear as a broadcast media personality with news outlets all over the country.
And now, I'm here to help you– whether you're hosting a dinner party for friends or just looking for some new ideas for date night (or if you want to geek out like me, I'm here for it!). I believe the more you know, the more empowered you are to be confident when picking out fabulous wines, pairings that make your mouth water just reading about them, and cocktails as vibrant as you are– with just the right balance of sweet-to-sour.
Want to do a Virtual Tasting with me? Click here for more info!
Sommelier Sarah Tracey mixing cocktails
Fun facts about me:
My idea of ‘self-care’ is a solo Beyoncé dance party with a glass of rosé Champagne (try it, you’ll feel better!)
If I could share a bottle with any celebrity, it would be a toss-up between Michelle Obama and Ina Garten
Guilty pleasures: HGTV (I think I’ve seen every Property Brothers ever made), sheet masks, making a charcuterie board for dinner, consistently overspending at Target
I’ve been featured in O The Oprah Magazine, People, The Food Network, Food & Wine, Town & Country, Refinery 29, Cosmopolitan, Real Simple, CheddarTV, and many other outlets (my mom thinks I’m famous now)
On weekends you can usually find me onstage, singing with my ‘60s girl group tribute band (really!)... or hanging out with my guitar and a glass of Syrah
In 2021 I teamed up with my bestie to buy and renovate an 18th-century farmhouse in the Hudson Valley… and you can stay there! Check out Black Walnut Farm
I also spend a ton of time on Instagram— come say hi!
If you want to be the first to know about classes and tastings, virtual workshops, new articles, videos, and more, I’d love to bring all of that straight to your inbox!
Ready to pop the cork on some new knowledge? Here are a few posts to start with... Cheers!
