Source: Oklahoma Magazine
Summary
André Hueston Mack, a world-famous sommelier, built a multimillion-dollar company, and became a winemaker, restaurateur, graphic designer, author, social media influencer, and globe-trotting sommelier. He discovered his passion for wine after watching the TV show “Frasier” and began learning everything he could about wine. Mack worked at prestigious restaurants, including The French Laundry and Per Se, and founded his own wine company, Maison Noir Wines. He has over 950,000 followers on Instagram and his YouTube videos have been viewed millions of times.
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The habit gets a new name.
André Mack’s journey to becoming a sommelier started with watching “Frasier” and learning about wine. He took a job waiting tables at The Palm in San Antonio and tried hundreds of different wines. Mack saw the sommelier role as a way to entertain and educate customers, not just curate wine lists. His passion turned him into a well-known wine enthusiast with a distinct style and irreverence toward standard wine culture.
Now, his lifestyle is a show in itself, with millions following his journeys and wine reviews on social media. He’s proud to carry the torch for others to follow in the predominantly white wine world.
His product line, Maison Noir Wines, features “garage wines” with distinct names and labels. Mack hopes to combine his wine and public figure success in the next five to 10 years.
André Mack’s career is a testament to the power of finding one’s passion and running with it – no matter how unconventional the path may be.
As he says, “I think what led to a lot of those opportunities is, it was kind of like Where’s Waldo? Every week, I was on a plane in a different market, and people could follow along on my journeys through me posting on social.”
André Mack’s story is a reminder that with hard work and determination, anyone can turn their passion into a career – and a lifestyle.
Author: Evan Null
