Creative Wine Solutions

«A thirst for knowledge that will remain as robust as a rich glass of red!»
I have been a server/​bartender for over ten years now, but before my first trip to Napa with Mark Cartland, I had never known that I was a wine lover. Over the last three years, I have had the privleage of Mark’s enjoyable tutelage both in wine tours and one-​on-​one tasting/​learning sessions. The best thing I have taken from my lessons with Mark is the confidence I have gained in feeling comfortable talking about and suggesting wines for my customers, (and myself :).
Mark has a great personality and keeps the education fun, personal, and interesting. Mark’s enthusiasm, passion, and approachable style make him the perfect guide for anyone who wants to learn more about drinking, serving, and appreciating wine!
Thanks Mark for getting me started on this tasty journey!

While working at a high in restaurant in San Francisco, learning a hefty and ever-​changing wine list was intimidating. I was expected to be familiar with tasting notes and suggest food pairings for both the several dozens of wines by the glass as well as hundreds of wines by the bottle. Mark was essential in helping me learn both the basics (descriptive words and pairings) as well as more in depth knowledge (how climates affect grapes, what makes wines unique, how to know read labels, etc.).
As a certified sommelier, Mark is incredibly knowledgeable about wine on innumerable facets, but never lets this knowledge intimidate you, regardless of your wine background. To the contrary, I found that Mark would often ask me what I thought of wines, as he believes everyone’s experience of a wine is different and equally important!
Further, Mark could not fake his passion for wine: it is his true love. He gets excited about new bottles or vintages or varietals. This is refreshing, and speaks to his professionalism as well.
Mark has a great attention to detail, from meticulous presentation to ensuring that you are happy with your selection (regardless of the service that he is providing) to making sure that your wine fits into your event seamlessly and as you envisioned it. I would recommend Mark for any wine consultation or service that you are considering, without question.

So much wine, so little time!
Mark Cartland of Creative Wine Solutions has been an asset to many of our wine/​dining adventures throughout the years.
He delivers unpretentious knowledge and enthusiasm to whatever your palate/​occasion desires.
Whether you are in San Diego (where I was first introduced to his wine expertise through my brother), Los Angeles, or Northern California, he has enough knowledge and many connections so he can take care of your needs.
You will not get the cookie cutter wine suggestions that some «wine industry professionals» like to give who are just looking to get kick-​backs for pushing certain wines. He will take your palate and budget into mind and if you dont know what your palate is, he’ll be sure to ask the right questions (without intimidation) so he can help you find what you desire.
He is especially helpful with food/​wine pairings!
I will be sure to use his services again next year when we head back up north for the Big Sur Marathon!
Cheers!
:)