Michelle Souza, Southern Glazer's: The Consummate Coach
Wine, food and celebrations are mixed together in Michelle Souza’s mind. She grew up in a large extended Italian family, and wine was part of their get-togethers. “My first fond memory was in the early 1970s when my mom would melt candles on the empty Mateus and Chianti Fiasco bottles,” says Souza, who spent her formative years living in the San Francisco area. “Suffice it to say, wine was part of my childhood.”
Today, it’s a career. Souza is the commercial director of Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits of Delaware in New Castle. She’s also taught in the beverage management program at the University of Delaware. Women who live at Delaware beaches may recognize her for the successful Wine & Women events she led for years at Lupo Italian Kitchen.
“Michelle has an insatiable appetite to educate others,” says Carrie Leishman, president and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association, where Souza is a board member. “You inherently recognize the wine lists that she touches, as they are thoughtful and professionally personalized within each location.”
Xavier Teixido, owner of Harry’s Savoy Grill and Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House and Saloon in Wilmington, agrees. He’s known Souza for more than 20 years. “She’s very dedicated to learning and the advancement of her craft,” says Teixido, who is also active in the University of Delaware’s hospitality management program. He admires her ability to tell it like it is to students. “She’s like: ‘This is a profession. You better learn about it.’”
Like many of those who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, Souza sipped her share of apple wine and white zinfandels. “I’m happy to say my palate has changed immensely,” she says. It was while working in a restaurant on the Eastern Shore that she attended a mandatory class on the art of selling wine. “I knew instantly that not only did I want to pursue a career in wine but also that I wanted to be an ambassador of continual education and mentoring,” she says.
How did Souza get from the West Coast to the Eastern Shore? Her mechanical engineer father worked for General Motors and the family frequently moved, from California to Ohio to Delaware. Souza finished high school in California then joined them to study education at the University of Delaware.
Souza briefly taught, but in her 20s the hospitality industry was more enticing. She was bartending in 1991 when she was recruited to work for Delaware Importers. Despite the sense she might be a token female, she jumped at the opportunity. In 2007, Southern Wine and Spirits purchased Delaware Importers, and the company merged with Glazer’s in 2016 to become the largest distributor in the United States.
Today, her entire management team is female, which is unusual in the beverage-management industry. “My proudest role is to lead, motivate, coach and develop an incredible team of division managers and sales consultants,” she says.
While most of her time is spent in planning sessions, visiting customers remains a favorite part of the job. Her customers appreciate her efforts. “When you want to get a deal done or you want a particular wine brought into the state, she makes it happen,” says Mike Zygmonski, director of the wine program for Rehoboth Beach-based SoDel Concepts, which has 12 restaurants.
Souza’s office is filled with books on wine, but her thirst for knowledge doesn’t end there. When she’s not spending time with her family and friends—“cooking, laughing or, occasionally, dancing”—you’ll find her doing a “handy woman project.” Recent projects include refacing her parents’ kitchen cabinets, hanging crown molding and laying a hardwood floor. “It’s all about having the right tools and You- Tube,” she quips, “and you can do anything.”
In Souza’s life, knowledge is power.
Hostess Tips
Michelle Souza of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is happy to say that rosé is here to stay. Many people lean toward sweet rosé wines, but there is a plethora of drier versions. For heartier palates, go for a red blend. “In the past three years, the rise of red blends has hit the market hard,” she says. “They continue to be a strong category.”
