Today we’d like to introduce you to Mona Elyafi.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have worked in the field of Entertainment PR and Special Events for well over two decades. When the pandemic hit, I took that opportunity to focus on my passion: Champagne. I decided to enroll with the Wine Scholar Guild to pursue a Champagne Master-Level Program. The curriculum was very thorough and intensive but extremely rewarding. After a year of study and a few trips to Champagne, France, I took the final exam and passed with Highest Honors. From that point on, I launched my new business venture, ChampagnePLZ.com
I specialize in champagne tasting events (in-person and/or virtually) and champagne-themed webinars and presentations to teach people about the history of Champagne, and shed light on “La” Champagne (the region) and “Le” champagne (the wine).
I design programs that run the gamut of special occasions & exceptional moments – whether personal, professional or corporate – for which Champagne will always stand as the unmistakable centerpiece of the celebration. I work closely with clients to curate custom champagne tasting experiences to educate, entertain, and create an engaging experience for all participants to ultimately become champagne experts in their own rights.
I’m thrilled to able to apply my communication skills and years of PR and special events experience into my passion and share my knowledge and expertise about one of the most popular and festive wines in the world! I also write articles about Champagne and interview many of the female trailblazers, grower champagnes and heads of champagne houses who give Champagne its unique effervescence and bubbly personality.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When you start a business, you’ll always face challenges but I prefer to focus on the positive. I just keep going. You can’t go wrong if you do what you are passionate about. But like anything else in life you have to put in the time, energy and effort. I love the quote from Walt Disney: “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” That is my mantra. In other words, to be successful, you have to show up.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a longtime publicist, I have made a successful career telling stories. Now I am still a storyteller but I share stories about Champagne.
We’re all made of stories. It is universal to our human experience. We tell stories for entertainment, informational and/or educational purposes. The art of storytelling forges connections among people and becomes a viable vehicle to inspire and transform us. That’s how my champagne journey started, with a simple story. I was raised by my (single) mom and grandparents. As a French-Lebanese, we’re very family oriented and would always celebrate every holiday together. Christmas has forever been my favorite celebration because of the magic that they created for me and yes, champagne was always part of the rendez-vous. So champagne naturally became synonymous with family and unconditional love.
During the pandemic since my PR business was put on hiatus, I decided to read more about my to go drink, Champagne. The turning point was the book by Don & Petie Kladstrup called “Champagne: How the World’s Most Glamorous Wine Triumphed over War and Hard Times.” It was such a compelling read it made me want to know everything there is to know about champagne. I lost count of the number of books I read about champagne, but I was thirsty for knowledge, and enjoyed every minute of it. That organically led to my Champagne Master studies with the Wine Scholar Guild and my WSET Level 2 course.
Again, we all have a story to tell and in Champagne, as they say, every bubble tells a story. So much history is encapsulated in every single bottle, and with the pop of the cork the past is magically brought into present life – champagne evokes some of the fondest memories of my childhood and brings back to life the magic of family.
Champagne has such an incredible history filled with larger-than-life iconic characters and unbelievable stories. In sharing my knowledge, my goal is for people to have fun, be entertained, learn something, and of course enjoy some great champagnes.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I don’t think that there is necessarily something that people do not know about me. I think people do not always understand the breadth and depth of the history of Champagne. People forget that Champagne is more than just a bubbly wine. Champagne is perhaps the least understood of wines. It’s ironic that it stands as the ultimate symbol of celebration and success when in fact it is a region marked by many wars, conflicts and disasters (more so than joy & happiness). It’s quite interesting to see the many common misconceptions about champagne. Yet as complicated as the world of Champagne can be, it is above it all, an absolutely fascinating one.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.champagneplz.com
- Instagram: @champagnepleaze
Image Credits
Courtesy of ChampagnePLZ
