Victoria James is the Director of Beverage and a Partner at Michelin-starred COTE in NYC & Miami, founder of COTE Wine Club, and she recently received a James Beard nomination for "Outstanding Wine Program."
She has worked in restaurants since she was thirteen, fell in love with wine and when she was twenty-one became certified as a sommelier, the youngest in the country, going on to work at some of the most prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants in NYC.
Victoria’s name has appeared on many notable lists: Forbes "30 Under 30," Food & Wine's "2018 Sommelier of the Year," Zagat’s “30 Under 30,” Wine Enthusiast’s “40 Under 40,” Wine & Spirits’ “Best New Sommeliers,” and The Back Label declared her “New York’s Youngest Sommelier.”
She is the author of DRINK PINK, A Celebration of Rosé (HarperCollins) and the international bestseller WINE GIRL (Ecco/HarperCollins). She also has a print column for Forbes magazine, "Buy, Hold, Sell," and a column for The Daily Beast. She has contributed to Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Munchies, and Bon Appétit.
She also is a co-founder of the 501c3 non-profit, WINE EMPOWERED, which diversifies the hospitality industry by offering free wine classes to women and BIPOC.