Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Daniels.
Hi Kelsey, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My background actually began in film and television. I spent about 18 years working as a Producer and Production Manager, which was a pretty high-pressure, fast-paced world. I loved a lot about it, but over time I realized I wanted to do something that connected more with my personal interests, especially wine and travel.
I’ve always loved wine, and I started getting more serious about it through wine travel and education. Eventually, I made the decision to leave the film industry and completely change directions. I started working at a small, family-owned wine shop, where I was doing everything from washing dishes and putting together cheese boards to learning as much as I could about wine. I earned my WSET Level 2 certification during that time and pretty quickly realized I was hooked.
From there, I just kept going. I became a Certified Sommelier and Certified Specialist of Wine in 2019, completed WSET Level 3 and the Oregon Wine Expert program in 2021, and more recently earned my Professional Wine Educator certification.
In 2021, my husband and I also opened Flights Wine Bar & Restaurant in Bend. He’s a helicopter pilot, which is where the name “Flights” comes from, and we thought opening a wine bar would be a fun way to combine both of our interests. It’s been quite a journey, and we were really excited when Flights was named Best Wine Bar in Central Oregon in 2024 and received a Wine Spectator Restaurant Award in 2025. We later sold Flights at the end of 2025.
These days, wine education has really become the part of the business I’m most passionate about. I love making wine feel less intimidating and helping people understand and enjoy it—whether that’s through classes, tastings, travel, or just sharing a bottle with friends. That’s how my current venture – The Curious Vine Collective came to be.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road but I’m very motivated, and stubborn.
Before wine, I spent 18 years in film and television production. It was what I wanted to do from the time I was 13, and I eventually became a Producer and Production Manager. I was often the youngest person in the room and one of very few women, so I had to work hard to prove myself. The job was demanding, 12–14 hour days, lots of travel, large crews and constantly changing schedules and budgets, but it taught me how to organize, adapt and, most importantly, solve problems.
I thought I had a tough job before getting into the wine industry, but it was nothing compared to owning and running a restaurant and wine bar. I opened Flights in 2021, and while I absolutely loved the space and the community we created, the reality of running a restaurant for five years was incredibly challenging. Constantly trying to staff a kitchen while dealing with ever-increasing costs, on top of the physical and mental demands, eventually became too much.
That said, I learned an enormous amount during those five years, not just about the hospitality industry, but about myself. I learned what I did and didn’t love, and how important it is to build something that is fulfilling without it draining you financially, mentally and physically.
I don’t give up easily, though. I’m a problem solver by nature, and I think my years in film prepared me for that. There have been plenty of bumps along the way, but every one of them has taught me something and helped me figure out where I want to go next.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Curious Vine Collective is really about bringing people together over a glass of wine. I love wine, obviously, and I love teaching people about it, but what I love most is what wine can do. It brings people together, makes a dinner or a trip more memorable, and can introduce you to new places, people and experiences.
I do wine classes, tastings, private events, wine travel experiences and a wine club. A big part of what I enjoy is finding interesting wines and then sharing the stories behind them- where they come from, the people behind them and what makes them special.
I don’t want wine education to feel intimidating or like you need to know a bunch of terminology before you can enjoy it. I like to do short and simple wine education videos on Social Media every ‘Wine Wednesday’. I want people to have fun, learn something new and hopefully discover a wine they wouldn’t have picked up on their own.
I think what sets The Curious Vine Collective apart is that it’s really about the experience. Wine is the common thread, but it’s also an excuse to get together, be curious, try something new and enjoy it with other people. That’s probably what I’m most proud of, that I’ve been able to create something that’s not just about selling wine, but about creating experiences around it.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
The thing I like most about Bend is definitely the people. Everyone is incredibly kind and friendly, and there’s a really strong sense of community here. We had very few ‘difficult’ guests at the restaurant, 99% of the people here want you to succeed and are incredibly supportive. I’ve made most of my good friends through guests at Flights. We also love being able to get outside so easily and I love the sunshine. We hike with our dog, snowboard in the winter, paddle board in the summer, there’s always something to do outdoors.
What I like least is probably that most of my family and a lot of my close friends don’t live here. They’re not too far away, Seattle and Salt Lake City, but I definitely wish they were a little closer. And I would love it if Bend had direct international flights! It would make getting to all those wine regions I love a whole lot easier.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.curiousvinecollective.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curious_vine_collective
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588496531281
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wine4kelsey
