About Us
COME TOGETHER—A Community for Wine Inc was formed in May 2024 by
three wine industry professionals–wine journalist Karen MacNeil, and public
relations and communications executives Gino Colangelo and Kimberly Noelle
Charles, DipWSET, each of whom owns their own small business.
By the beginning of 2024, all three had become increasingly aware that wine’s
positive role in culture and society was an idea that was vanishing right in
front of them. They believed that wine is (and should always be) a beverage of
moderation; a beverage devoted to enhancing food and fostering friendships.
These were the narratives that MacNeil, Charles, and Colangelo felt, and
continue to feel, passionate about.
They formed COME TOGETHER—A Community for Wine as a “gathering
place” for wine lovers around the world. Through the company and its
activities, they hope to tell the story of wine’s role as a beverage that brings
people together. All three professionals are donating their time and efforts to
the company, its projects, and its events.
Karen
MacNeil
Speaker, Consultant, Author of The Wine Bible
Karen MacNeil has won numerous prestigious awards including the James Beard award for Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year, the Louis Roederer award for Best Consumer Wine Writing, the International Wine and Spirits award as the Global Wine Communicator of the Year, and the Wine Appreciation Guild’s Wine Literary Award. In a full-page profile on her, TIME Magazine called Karen “America’s Missionary of the Vine.” Karen has been named one of the “100 Most Influential People in Wine in the United States.” She is the author of the award-winning book, THE WINE BIBLE which has sold more than a million copies and was featured in the Netflix series Uncorked and the Starz series Sweet Bitter. Karen is the creator and editor of the digital newsletter WineSpeed and the Substack newsletter Wine Bible-ing. She is Chairman Emerita and founder of the Culinary Institute of America’s Professional Wine Studies Program and teaches wine as an adjunct instructor at Stanford University. Karen wrote and hosted the 13-part PBS television series, Wine, Food, and Friends with Karen MacNeil. Karen
Gino Colangelo
President, Colangelo & Partners
Gino founded Colangelo & Partners in 2006 after spending more than 10 years in global communications with Dentsu Inc. and 10 years running his own retail business, a unique experience in the agency world. Colangelo & Partners is now the leading wine communications agency in the US with a prestigious domestic client list as well as a A+ international client roster, all supported by a diverse and talented team of communications professionals representing 16 countries from around the world. Colangelo & Partners offers four core services: Press Relations, Digital Marketing (Social Media, Influencer Marketing and Media Planning), Event Marketing and Trade Relations. Gino is very proud of the Colangelo & Partners team, the growth of individual employees, and the partnerships the agency has built with our prestigious global family of clients.
Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET
President & Founder, Charles Communications Associates
San Francisco, California
Kimberly Charles’ name is synonymous with wine marketing at its best level. Over her 40 year career she has, through her creative marketing strategies, versatility and natural story-telling gifts, helped brands attain a level of distinction and draw in the marketplace. Her firm, Charles Communications Associates celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023 and specializes in strategic branding, and corporate social responsibility with a focus on women in leadership. Kimberly holds the Diploma of Wine Spirits from the WSET. A passionate supporter of good causes, she serves on the board of the Glancy Wine Education Foundation, most recently the San Francisco chapter of Les Dames Escoffier and formerly the board of Dress for Success San Francisco and the Society of Wine Educators. She is an ominvore of history and culture and a passionate yogi. Follow her firm on Instagram @AlltheSwirl
