“Who the hell is this SeattleWineGal girl,” I thought as I started my tweeting and blogging adventure in November. Her avatar was cute…her blog showed a picture of her chuggin’ wine from a bottle and there was a social media slide show on her site called “What the F**k is Social Media.” Seattle Wine Gal was an enigma wrapped in a mystery.

Enter the scene six months later and now Barbara Evans (aka @SeattleWineGal) is a Seattle socialite, Twitter Goddess (dare I say Twoddess), and full time Social Media consultant. Barbara is one of the rare few that have successfully transformed her passion for people and wine into real cash. Talk about ROI (return on investment). I had the fortune of meeting Miss Evans at Taste Washington in Seattle and she is a ball of energy and full of knowledge. Trust me; she is more than a pretty face.

Barb is a self professed “non-blogger” and considers herself a tweeter. She uses her masters in Social Anthropology and experience as a Director of Interactive Internet Marketing to carry over into the Social Media space. SeattleWineGal has transformed from a hobby to a full fledged brand. Most recently SeattleWineGal has been seen hobnobbing with Twitter elite (Mike Whitmore and Chris Pirillo) at Seattle Social Media conferences and hosting various events across the region.

Later in June, Barb will be on a panel at the 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference talking about Growing Your Audience From Other Bloggers To Consumers with Andrea Robinson and David Honig. I’m looking forward to learning from her expertise in search engine optimization (SEO) and marketing. Barb’s enthusiasm is contagious. From her “drinking in the shower” video to the weekly #WIYG (What’s in your Glass) tweets, some may find her antics slightly over the top but when you boil it all down, she knows her stuff.

Check out the video interview as Barb shares her secrets to success, her tips for wineries entering the social jungle, and a few little know pieces of trivia. The Skype chat is pretty pixelated, but contains some good stuff! Thanks for watching.

For those that tweeted in specific questions for Barb, here are her answers:

Q1 @readyaimshoot wanted to know about Marlborough Sav Blancs. They like Kim Crawford better than Nobilo. Any others they should try?

A1: I recommend asking your local wine shop owner what the best Marlborough Sauv Blanc is for your budget. My guess is that he/she will chose something less mass-produced, but I do like both of the wines you mentioned… on a boat in the sun.

Q2 @winesisterhood wanted to know what is your favorite Seattle wine shop and why?

 A2: I like Petes because I love #WAWine and Bubbly- they have the best selection of both, and they manage to keep their costs super low.Tell them I sent you!

Q3 @readyaimshoot also asks – Is seattlewinegal a fruity Beaujolais, a sophisticated Cab Sav, a spicy Pinot Noir or a sweet Sauterne?

A3: I am all of those things! Well, some would debate about the sweet part.

 About Barbara Evans (from her web site)

“Internet Marketing, Social Media Wine Enthusiast Chick.” True loves of Wine and Social Media. Other passions: ultra marathon running, aviation, technical writing/web content writing (nerd alert), World travel, intellectual pursuits, roller derby (was a Bellingham Roller Bettie) all outdoor activities, philosophy, astronomy, SCUBA, martial arts, self improvement and success principles.

• www.SeattleWineGal.com
• @SeattleWineGal on twitter
• Linked’In Professional Profile
• Contact@SeattleWineGal.com

DrinkNectar is excited to be invited to Taste Washington in Seattle this weekend. I’ll be a part of the new live video stream. Can’t make it to Taste Washington in Seattle this weekend? Have no fear – stay tuned to TWTV for all your seminar, interviews, and vino news during the event. The live video stream is below.

Here is a schedule:

Saturday 10:45 – Food and Wine Pairing with Tom Douglas

Saturday Noon – 1:00 – Various interviews (tentative)

Saturday 1:45 – Mighty Malbec with Sean Sullivan

Sunday 4:00 (ish) to 7:00 pm - Various winemaker interviews

I want to thank Yashar Shayan and the Washington Wine Commission for asking DrinkNectar to be a part of the event. I also owe huge props to Hotel Max for co-sponsoring my trip. If you’re staying in Seattle, make Hotel Max your first choice.

Tips for Enjoying Taste Washington

• Have a gameplan. Wineries bring a limited supply of juice. The top wineries are often very busy and you could run the risk of catching them when they are out. If you’re keen on trying some Quilceda Creek, Leonetti or Long Shadows Family you better get to the table early.
• Hydrate early and often. The combination of tasting, walking, talking, indoor lights, etc can be a recipe for dehydration. Drink water!
• Eat. Nothing says “wino wimp” faster than someone who can’t hold their juice. Tastings of this grand scale are intimidating. You’re not going to be able to taste them all, but working your way through 30-50 wineries on an empty stomach is a disaster waiting to happen.
• Spit. Don’t be afraid to spit. The enjoyment of wine is the swirl, sniff, and sip. After 10-20 small one ounce pours, you’ll be tipsy even if you’re hydrated and have a full tummy.
• Socialize. Some of the best times at events like this don’t come from drinking wine, they come from interacting with and learning from the wine maker and their staff.

If you’re not able to make it to Taste Washington this weekend, consider coming to the Spokane event on June 6 - DrinkNectar will be there too!