The Gomes Guide Travel Podcast
The Gomes Guide Travel Podcast is where travel, food, and culture meet. Hosted by San Francisco–based travel writer, storyteller, and mom of two teens Shannon Gomes, the show features thoughtful conversations with experts in the food and wine world, avid travelers, creators, tastemakers, and locals who reveal what truly makes a destination memorable—and how to experience it like a local, with food always at the center of the journey.
From unforgettable meals and hidden neighborhoods to meaningful cultural experiences and practical travel insight, each episode is designed to inspire curious travelers—especially Gen X listeners who value depth, connection, and great food—to explore the world more intentionally and to bring a sense of discovery back home.
Shannon is also the writer behind The Gomes Guide (https://thegomesguide.substack.com), a weekly travel-focused Substack filled with stories, recommendations, and inspiration for meaningful travel. Listeners are invited to subscribe for fresh ideas, insider tips, and destination inspiration delivered each week.
Whether you’re planning your next trip or simply dreaming about one, The Gomes Guide Travel Podcast celebrates connection, community, and the joy of experiencing new places through food and travel.
The Gomes Guide Travel Podcast
She Studies the World Through a Glass: A Conversation with Kimberly Noelle Charles
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Some conversations make you want to pour a glass and never stop listening. This is one of them.
Kimberly Noelle Charles is the founder of Charles Communications Associates, one of the most respected wine marketing communications firms in the country — and one of the most passionate storytellers I've ever had the pleasure of sitting down with. She started her career as a part-time sommelier at Georgetown, selling wine to lobbyists on commission while studying foreign service and rowing crew. She thought it would be a side hustle. Instead, it became the foundation for a career spanning more than four decades and taking her around the world.
She's 45 years deep in this industry. And she is still completely lit up by it.
We go well beyond wine in this one. This conversation is really about curiosity, connection, and why the best glass is always the one you share.
In This Episode:
- How a college side hustle selling wine to D.C. lobbyists accidentally launched a 45-year career
- What it took to become one of the first Americans to earn the WSET Diploma — and why she was convinced she'd failed
- The move west to lead communications for the Gallo of Sonoma relaunch and what California taught her that New York never could
- Three underappreciated California wine regions you're probably driving right past — the Petaluma Gap, the Sierra Foothills, and the Anderson Valley
- Why Americans are actually some of the most informed wine drinkers in the world — and what Europe still does better
- What the Toji sake masters of Japan's Niigata prefecture taught her about humility, craft, and leadership
- The quote that stopped me in my tracks: "They are asking not to be taught about wine. They want to be invited to wine."
- The Come Together campaign she's been building with Karen MacNeil and Gino Colangelo — and why it matters right now
- Rapid fire: favorite SF restaurants, a hidden gem in Marin, a dream Paso Robles road trip with the Ladies Who Lunch, and the bottles she'd open to convert a wine skeptic
Links:
- Charles Communications Associates — charlescomm.com
- Follow Kimberly on Instagram: @alltheswirl and @cbrulee
- Itata in Chile https://www.winesofchile.org/winegrowing-regions/
- Niigata prefecture & sakes https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/en/
- Petaluma Gap https://petalumagap.com/
- Visit Mendocino https://www.visitmendocino.com/
- Sierra foothills https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Foothills_AVA
- Paso Robles https://www.travelpaso.com/plan-your-trip/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1588561142&gbraid=0AAAAAC7I7giEs9G1jN9jgjTKcWY5L4QKc&gclid=CjwKCAjwxb7RBhA5EiwAQ-AAdHSdu5R0ooP7Uscil3DonWJEjMUq7Hh4tcs8D_Di-lRUPqi4ri5-zBoCQckQAvD_BwE
- Red Clay Strays https://www.redclaystrays.com/home; Kimberly's favorite song https://open.spotify.com/track/1HbzxLqpNVPdiBXvpC7Ovb?si=e799c21a2c4a496d
- Stephen Wilson Jr. (Best new vocalist CMAs this year)
Kimberly's favorite song: https://open.spotify.com/track/72RX8sK4OKFnUX2MBDOdBD?si=e912b7f6e43f47c2 - Enclos in Sonoma for her favorite pairing: https://enclos-sonoma.com/
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to The Gomes Guide on Substack for more travel inspiration, tips, and stories. You can also follow on Instagram at: @thegomesguide.
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