The Real McCoy

Cha McCoy, MBA, CS, LEED AP is a Certified Sommelier, Public Speaker, and Beverage Event Producer. She is the Owner of The Communion a boutique wine and spirits shop located in Upstate, NY. In addition, she leads a beverage experience company Cha Squared Consulting, LLC, with a focus on curated events, tourism, and education.

Cha is the tastemaker of today’s generation, leading as Charleston Wine + Food Festival Beverage Director, Cherry Bombe Magazine's first Beverage Director & Editor, and the Brand Ambassador for New York Wine & Grape Foundation are just examples where she has championed change for the beverage community.

Cha is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of The Master Sommeliers and WSET  Level 3 Candidate and holds an Executive Certificate in Wine Management with Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon. Her studies also include an M.B.A. with St. John’s University in Rome, Italy, and a B.S. in Engineering from Syracuse University. Cha has been recognized by the Wine Enthusiast as Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers, and Wine & Spirits Magazine’s  Rising Black Voices in Wine.  Her clients include the prestigious, James Beard Foundation and most recently guest appearances on NBC’s Today Show, Comedy Central and Netflix High on The Hog Season 2. 

Her work has been celebrated for making wine more accessible, dismantling what she calls palate discrimination in food & beverage, through her initiatives including but not limited to her signature wine dinner series ‘The Communion’ which she has hosted in 5 countries over 3 years.

Now with roots planted in  Portugal and Italy, this native New Yorker is currently conspiring with chefs, winemakers, distillers, and hoteliers on ways to disrupt the hospitality industry on both continents by making the food, beverage, and tourism industry more accessible, accountable, and relevant.