2025 Sommeliers and panelists

Greg Brewer ’s primary focus in the winery is the pursuit of refinement. He is engaged in every aspect of his work from vineyards to market, and every level of the process is given equal attention. To him, a mindful approach where strategic and efficient actions are taken to incorporate the needs of the entire ecosystem is essential. This pursuit creates a confident and calming environment, yielding a space where everyone and everything is appreciated. The goal is the synchronicity of the system. The result is wine that is honest and driven, expressive of the place and the team who collectively stewards them.

Greg has always followed a distinct and deliberate arcinh is work, where the priority is service, subtracting extraneous elements and minimizing the insertion of self. He reveres the repetitive and monastic nature of the winemaking craft, and after thirty years in the business is firmly committed to the immediate task at hand. This focus shifts the motivation behind the wine from me go towards humility. For Greg, it is only along this path that the resultant product conveys the sincerity and vulnerability that are his goals, both
professionally and personally.

Greg started his career as a French instructor at UC Santa Barbara before being trained in wine production at Santa Barbara Winery starting in 1991. He created his eponymous label, Brewer-Clifton with original partner Steve Clifton in 1996 and later designed Melville where he worked as winemaker from inception in 1997 through the end of 2015. Greg created Diatom in 2005 focusing on starkly raised Chardonnay and additionally ExPost Facto in 2016 dedicated to cold climate Syrah. In 2020, Greg was named Wine maker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Wine Star Awards. The entirety of his career has been rooted in the Sta. Rita Hills appellation which he helped to map, define and establish in 1997.

Sarah Bennett grew up in the traditional barrel rooms of Navarro Vineyards in Anderson Valley, following in her family’s footsteps to become a celebrated winemaker in Mendocino County. She was named one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers” and featured in Travel + Leisure’s “California’s New Generation of Female Winemakers Is Changing How We Drink.” Today, Sarah is the proud owner of Pennyroyal Farm, a minimum-waste dairy, creamery, and vineyard known for its regenerative farming practices. In 2024, her wines received 53 gold medals, 15 double golds, 6 Best of Class awards, and 1 Best of Show awards at major wine competitions.

Sarah’s journey began early in life when her parents, Ted Bennett and Deborah Cahn, relocated from Berkeley in 1973, coinciding with the rise of the farm-to-table movement. They founded Navarro Vineyards in Mendocino’s lesser-known Anderson Valley, just north of Napa and Sonoma. Their mission was straightforward: to cultivate world-class Alsatian varietals and cool-climate Pinot Noir, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. As early as she can remember, Sarah was immersed in the world of viticulture and enology, assisting her parents in the vineyards, barrel rooms, and tastings. She learned the intricacies of farming and winemaking in a uniquely sustainable manner in a region relatively new to vines and winemaking. In addition to her continued efforts to champion sustainable practices, Sarah is a recognized expert in sheep grazing management in vineyards.

After gaining extensive hands-on experience, earning a Master’s degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis, and completing a harvest in New Zealand, Sarah returned to Anderson Valley in 2006. She began collaborating with the renowned Navarro Vineyards winemaker, Jim Klein. Sarah and Jim have formed a dynamic partnership, skillfully crafting a portfolio of award-winning wines that showcase the unique terroir of Anderson Valley and Mendocino County for over 19 vintages. 

Since 2012, Sarah has been welcoming guests to Pennyroyal Farm, one of the few independent, women-owned wineries in Mendocino County. The hosted tours feature goats, kids, sheep, and lambs, offering insights into regenerative farming while guests taste the estate’s signature wines and enjoy farmstead cheese made in Sarah’s renowned creamery.

Jeremy Nickel is a preservationist and guardian at his core, with the inherent ability to create and innovate while protecting land and history. He has assembled a dream team that holds the same passion for preservation and focus on quality. A strong team requires a strong leader. Jeremy has entered a new chapter in life, leaving behind a life plagued by addiction. His journey to recovery and wellness is inspired and fueled by his faith and a perpetual quest for self-improvement. Connection with people and building strong relationships is important to Jeremy. By publicly sharing his story, he hopes to inspire those who are suffering to find the strength in themselves to win the battle against addiction. Jeremy leads with boundless energy and generosity of heart, ferociously focused on creating exceptional wines. Jeremy’s personal journey of renewal mirrors his vision for reviving The Vineyard House to its deserving glory, honoring the legacy of his father, and preserving and sharing the gifts of this special place.

Clementine Carter Wines
I approach my work with a lifetime of exquisite flavors, travel and experiences.  A journalist by training and winemaker by drive, the two professions challenge me to craft timeless stories as each vintage unravels a new chapter.  My goal is to create vibrant, elegant and transportive wines bursting with integrity using three main ingredients: premium Santa Barbara county fruit, dedication and hard work.

Wine revealed itself to me later in life in 2004, after I helped plant a vineyard seeking new discoveries.  A few years prior I received a Fulbright Scholarship to North Macedonia (my family’s birthplace) in 1998-1999 to study ethnic issues.  My pursuit was to discover paths toward peace.  I still believe this is possible.  With a commitment to this landscape and the amazing humans that make wine happen, we do our part now more effectively and joyously, one bottle at a time. 

Entering my 21st vintage with harvest 2025, we have been welcoming guests to our tasting room in the center of historic Los Alamos, California, since 2011.  In 2013, we added Babi’s Beer Emporium next door where we curate domestic craft beers and snacks.  Babi’s is named after my grandmother, Ilinka, who exemplified love and forgiveness and always welcomed everyone to our table. 

As we continue our evolution, our priority is to elevate our cool climate Rhône varieties to the distinction they deserve.  To show our dedication to the potential these wines have for impact, we have committed exclusively to sourcing Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre from the Sta. Rita Hills appellation.

ANGELINA MONDAVI

WINEMAKER AND CO-PROPRIETRESS

Angelina Mondavi is at the forefront of a new generation of winemakers in Napa Valley. She began her career at the age of 10 assisting the lab manager at her family’s winery Charles Krug. After graduating from high school, she attended Villanova University and majored in Chemistry with a minor in Business to create a well-rounded foundation for her future in the wine industry. Angelina’s first job after graduation was with Hess Collection working as a lab rat during harvest. Continuing her education in wine, she moved to Barossa Valley in Australia landing a position working harvest at Yalumba Wine Company. While in Australia, she earned a master’s degree in Oenology from the University of Adelaide’s Waite Campus. Upon her return to Napa Valley to be closer to family in 2007, Angelina joined Pine Ridge Vineyards as the assistant winemaker to Stacy Clark until 2010. Since then, she has embarked on many adventures, including working as an assistant winemaker for six years for a Napa Valley cult brand making 100- point wines nationally and internationally. While producing these wines Angelina joined forces with her three sisters to launch two highly sought after Howell Mountain brands, Aloft and Dark Matter wines. In 2016, Angelina launched her own company called A. Mondavi Consulting. Consulting as a winemaker, her portfolio includes Brasswood Cellars, Aloft Wines, Dark Matter Wines, Humble Beginnings Wines, Allora Vineyards, Charles Krug Winery, CK Mondavi Family Select, Illium, Chateau de Vie, Castlevale, and Avanterra. In addition to running her personal business, Angelina currently carries the honor serving as a director on the family’s company board for C. Mondavi & Family, with a goal to continue the family legacy. When Angelina is home, she loves to fly fish, go on hikes with her significant other, Sean, and her two labrador retrievers, Bailey and Chenin, play with her adorable cats, Mielle and Onyx and give belly rubs to her mini pot bellied pig, Carlton.

Jeremy Nickel is a preservationist and guardian at his core, with the inherent ability to create and innovate while protecting land and history. He has assembled a dream team that holds the same passion for preservation and focus on quality. A strong team requires a strong leader. Jeremy has entered a new chapter in life, leaving behind a life plagued by addiction. His journey to recovery and wellness is inspired and fueled by his faith and a perpetual quest for self-improvement. Connection with people and building strong relationships is important to Jeremy. By publicly sharing his story, he hopes to inspire those who are suffering to find the strength in themselves to win the battle against addiction. Jeremy leads with boundless energy and generosity of heart, ferociously focused on creating exceptional wines. Jeremy’s personal journey of renewal mirrors his vision for reviving The Vineyard House to its deserving glory, honoring the legacy of his father, and preserving and sharing the gifts of this special place.

For over 25 years Kaena has been utilizing native Hawaiian intuition to craft unique balanced wines of style, elegance, and power. This is achieved by selecting only the finest vineyards and working closely with growers to ensure the highest quality fruit possible. The wines are made utilizing the best techniques the old and new world has to offer. Fermentations occur naturally with native yeasts, and caps are mixed by hand to ensure gentle extraction, creating long-lived wines with a deep sense of varietal character and terroir. Kaena is recognized as one of North Americas best Rhone-varietal wineries. Founder and winemaker Mikael Sigouin an Oahu native is hailed by his peers as the “The King of Grenache.”