Chelsea Franchi.
–Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance has announced the winners of its 2020 Winter Wine Awards. The winner in the category of Cellar Worker is Chelsea Franchi, the senior assistant winemaker at Tablas Creek Vineyard.
This award is meant to recognize a cellar team member who has contributed the most to help their team produce outstanding Paso Robles wine.
Franchi grew up in the Sierra Foothills of Northern California with a family that encouraged (and applauded) her enthusiasm and fascination for wine. She attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo to study Agricultural Business and Wine and Viticulture. While working on her degree, she got a job at Tablas Creek as a Greeter/Hostess and from there, moved into the tasting room. Upon graduation in 2008, she started her production career working hard as a “cellar rat” under the guidance of Winemaker Neil Collins. To further her knowledge and appreciation of wine, she took the first level sommelier exam in the middle of her first harvest.