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Naples Sommelier Joins Elite Group of Wine Experts

Photo: Julie Glenn, WGCU
Wine expert Mladen Stoev passed his third level examination of the Court of Master Sommeliers in October

A Naples wine expert recently earned one of the highest honors in the world of wine when he became a certified level three sommelier.

Mladen Stoev, of Bay Colony Golf Club in Naples, passed the third-level examination of the Court of Master Sommeliers in late October. He traveled to St. Louis, taking the exam alongside 66 other hopeful wine connoisseurs from around the world, including five from the Naples area. He was one of only 15 who passed the exam.

Friday at 1:30 p.m. on Gulf Coast Live, Stoev chronicles the work that went in to his certification, discusses the increasingly influential world of wine in Southwest Florida, and offers tips for what wines you can serve alongside your holiday meal.

Also joining the program is Heather Smith, who works for an area wine distributor, talking about Southwest Florida wine trends now and into 2017.

Matthew Smith is a reporter and producer of WGCU’s Gulf Coast Live.