Jess Helfand
Instructor, dipWSET, WSET Certified Educator
Jess is an economist by training who has always had a love of wine and spirits. She completed the WSET Diploma in 2016 and has been teaching for the academy since 2017. Her primary goal as an educator is to make wine accessible at any level, from the beginner to the advanced student. Jess is a WSET Certified Educator and holds the titles of Italian Wine Professional (IWP), Certified Sherry Wine Specialist (CSWS), Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), and is an Italian Wine Ambassador and an Official Ambassador of Orvieto Wines. Her area of focus is sparkling wine, and she is the academy’s lead Champagne Educator, as well as a Certified Cava Educator. Additionally, she holds an MA in Policy Economics from Tulane University and an MBA from the University of Maryland. Jess lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and four cats. When not teaching, Jess works in a wine and spirits boutique in Nashville.
Csilla Kato
D.W.S., A.I.W.S, Winemaker, Instructor
Csilla was born and raised in beautiful Budapest, Hungary, and was bitten by the wine bug during high school when she helped with regular tastings at her brother’s wine shop. After a short stint in law school, she changed her focus and spent five years earning her Masters degree in Fermentation Science and Post-Harvest Technologies. Right after graduation she had the opportunity to work and travel and landed a harvest in Sonoma, California. Csilla worked with Zinfandel, Cabernet, and Chardonnay while learning the process of winemaking first hand in the famed Ravenswood Winery. After her first harvest, she was hungry for more and went on to take part in harvests in Italy, Hungary, and New Zealand, as well as Napa. She has spent years working in winemaking labs analyzing the myriad of aspects that make wine great while also making great wines along the way. Since 2007 she has been with Beringer Vineyards, where she began as an Enologist and today is an Associate Winemaker with a few labels under her supervision. Tramping around vineyards, tasting fermentations at various stages and assembling final blends are some of her favorite parts of being a winemaker. Csilla also enjoys sharing her passion and knowledge about the wine industry with those who care to know. She holds her Level 4 Diploma with the prestigious Wine & Spirit Education Trust and relishes the opportunity to educate new students at Napa Valley Wine Academy. Married to an amazing brewer, who has taught her to appreciate great beers, she is a mother of two and spends most of her free time enjoying watching them grow.
Related Courses
and Classes
Wine Can Be Complex.
Wine Education Shouldn't Be.
Wine Education Shouldn't Be.
Whether you’re looking to advance in your career with a WSET certification or just be more confident in the wine aisle, we offer the instruction and support you need to achieve your wine education goals. With Napa Valley Wine Academy, you can:
- Earn your WSET certification (Levels 1-4) from the world’s largest, most-awarded program provider
- Get the basics without the stress of certification in our Wine 101 or 201 courses
- Gain an edge in a certain wine region with one of our specialty certifications
- Learn hands-on in an immersive wine experience