2026 Sommeliers and panelists
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Michael Jordan, MS, CWE
Director of Global Key Accounts
Jackson Family Fine Wines
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“Sommelier for the People”
Host of CRN DIGITAL TALK RADIO’S The Word on Wine Show
· 2022 Michael J was ‘KNIGHTED’ in France –
“For his contributions in educating the world of wine”
Five-time Sommelier of the Year and Veteran Restaurateur affectionately named “Sommelier for the People” Michael Jordan is Director of Global Key Accounts for Jackson Family Wines. Jordan travels the globe to work with key decision makers and hospitality industry leaders. Passionate and friendly, Jordan demystifies the world of wines as a true “Ambassador of Flavor” for wine lovers across the globe.
For twenty one years Jordan has hosted a weekly radio show, The Word on Wine – in many AM radio markets across the country and on CRN Digital Talk Radio.
With over forty years working in hospitality Michael holds both CWE and CMS Diplomas (only 15 people in the world hold both). Jordan worked his way up from dishwasher to executive chef and has also done every job in a restaurant.
Jordan was Chairman and Chief Judge of the Los Angeles International Wine Competition for many years and Hosts the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival on the island of Maui.
Jordan’s previous roles include years as Global Manager of Wine for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Worldwide; Vice President of THE RANCH Restaurant & Saloon (Zagat 28-29-28), General Manager of Napa Rose Restaurant at Disneyland Resort (Zagat 29-28-28), GM of the “AAA Five Diamond Award” Pavilion Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Newport Beach.
“Michael Jordan is one of just 15 people in the world awarded both Master Sommelier and CWE (Certified Wine Educator) Diplomas. And if there were an equivalent for farming heirloom tomato expertise, he’d have that, too.” – Priscilla Mayfield’s column in Orange Coast Magazine – August 2013
Gillian Ballance, MS, DWS
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Gillian Ballance MS, DWS has spent the last 20 years working in the best fine dining restaurants, hotels and resorts in the United States.
Ms Ballance began her career at The Rainbow Room, one of the most beloved restaurants in New York City, and worked under Andrea Immer Robinson. While there, Ballance’s thirst for knowledge and passion for wine became evident, so when Andrea became the Beverage Director at the Windows of the World Restaurant, she took Gillian with her.
Exposed to a cellar with over 100,000 bottles was the best education a passionate wine enthusiast could have and Ballance’s career soared. Her career includes opening up Cello in NYC, Wine and Beverage Director at Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara, Plumpjack Group’s Wine Director, Wine Consultant and Sommelier for Bottega Restaurant in Napa Valley, Wine Director at the luxurious Cavallo Point. Currently
Ballance is the National Education Manager at Treasury Wine Estates.
Ballance has been featured in numerous publications like Wine Spectator, Food and Wine Magazine and an abundance of Trade publications. She has also judged at several wine competitions and conducts wine seminars and lectures across the United States.
In 2012 Ballance passed the esteemed Master Sommelier Diploma Exam through the Court of Master Sommeliers, representing one of 30 women in the world. She received her Higher Certificate of
Distinction as well as her Diploma in Wines & Spirits from the British Wine and Spirits Education Trust. In 2016, Ballance became an Approved Education Provider for the WSET Wine and Spirit courses. This year, Ballance was appointed to sit on the James Beard Foundation Beverage Advisory Board.
JOSH ORR, MS
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Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Joshua Orr got his start in the wine industry while attending Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo, California. He worked for Breakaway Wine Tours as well as at Taste Wine Bar, a tasting bar for the Edna Valley Vintners Association.
Following graduation from Cal Poly, he lived and worked for a year in the famed Burgundy wine region of France. Upon returning from France, Orr moved directly to Las Vegas to begin work as a sommelier at B&B Ristorante in the Venetian and then Fiamma Trattoria in the MGM Grand. He left Vegas for San Diego where he was wine director for Vineagogo as well as the Marina Kitchen at the San Diego Marriott Marquis. With the birth of his first son, Brady, in 2015 he moved to the sales side of the industry with Epic Wines and now works for Broadbent Selections, a national wine importer.
Orr is one of the US’s newest Master Sommeliers, having passed the exam in 2019. He also was top of his class when passing the advanced exam for the Court of Master Sommeliers. He is also a certified specialist of Sake from the Sake Education Council. Orr was named Ranch and Coast’s Best Sommelier in San Diego in 2012 and 2014. Also in 2014 he won the Top I Somm competition for best sommelier in the US.
Orr currently lives with his wife and two sons in San Diego and is the Director of Education as well as manages sales for SoCal, Hawaii and Nevada for the importer, Broadbent Selections.
STEVE POE, MS
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Steve Poe has been a food, wine, and hospitality professional for over twenty-five years – from washing dishes at a mom and pop Italian restaurant in his hometown of Diamond Bar in Southern California, to managing a Bar and Grill in Golden Colorado. His love of food and wine, however, was born in a fine dining restaurant at the Disneyland Resort called the Napa Rose, a world-class Dining Room specializing in Wine Country Cuisine, with a wine education and certification program that set new standards for excellence in the culinary world. There, he progressed through many certifications within the Court of Master Sommeliers before earning his Master Sommelier Diploma in 2008.
Since then, he has operated as a Director of Wine and Hospitality at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, California – a club widely regarded in the industry as having one of the finest wine programs in the nation.
A soldier right out of high school, Steve served with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (Blackhorse!) in Fulda, Germany after completing Airborne and Air Assault training in Georgia and Alabama. His military service took him to West Germany, East Germany, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq and Kuwait. He has credited his military experience with learning the true meaning of comradery, teamwork, discipline, and drive – all resulting in a deep appreciation for the liberty and freedom we enjoy in the United States. And, to take nothing for granted: ‘Earn it, Everyday’ – whatever you hold valuable.
Steve served as the Examination Chair on the Court of Master Sommeliers Board of Directors, overseeing and contributing to examination standards, content and examination execution at the highest level within the sommelier world of service. As a spirited mentor with a desire to grow and reward the sommelier community, he also served as Director of Enrichment trips on the SommFoundation Board of Directors, where aspiring sommeliers were awarded wine trip scholarships all over the world.
Service hospitality have always been his calling. From the Army to the restaurant floor, and from crushing Budweiser to drinking Bordeaux, genuine humility dwells in the heart of hospitality – it is an honor to serve in an industry where mentorship is celebrated, and where making people feel welcome, happy, and appreciated is always the mission. Hooah!
Christopher Ramelb, MS
Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits
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Christopher Ramelb MS, a native of Kaua’i, started his wine career as a business analyst for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits after earning a Computer Science degree at University of Hawaii-Manoa. He has twice since represented Hawaii at the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs National Young Somm competition and earned the coveted Johnston Medal in 2016, achieving the highest score for all Advanced Sommelier examinations in the calendar year. After stints at Vino Italian Tapas and Alan Wong’s, he took the post of opening Wine Director at Senia, where he helped earn the restaurant a James Beard nomination for “Best New Restaurant” and a spot in Wine Enthusiast’s 2017 “America’s Top 100 Wine Restaurants”. He rejoined Southern Glazer’s as the Restaurant Sales Manager in 2018, the same year he first passed the Master Sommelier examination.
Jean-Charles Boisset
Boisset Collection
Lifetime Achievement Award for
Jean-Charles Boisset
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Jean-Charles Boisset was born into the world of wine in the village of Vougeot, Burgundy, France. His lifelong passion for wine began as a child, as he grew up above the cellars and within view of the centuriesold vineyards of Château du Clos de Vougeot, the epicenter and birthplace of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
His parents, Jean-Claude and Claudine, founded the family winery in 1961 with an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit in one of the most traditional winegrowing regions in the world. Today, the family collection includes wineries that share more than 20 centuries of combined winemaking heritage and tradition in some of the world’s most prestigious terroirs, from Burgundy to the South of France, to California’s Napa Valley and Russian River Valley.
Jean-Charles leads the family firm with passionate commitment to fine wine, history, quality and a deep respect for the environment. He implemented organic and Biodynamic farming at all of the family’s estate vineyards in Burgundy and California. Together with his sister Nathalie, he created Domaine de la Vougeraie, uniting the family’s Burgundy vineyards, including prestigious monopoles such as the Vougeot 1er Cru Clos Blanc de Vougeot – planted in 1110 by the Cistercian monks, into one of Burgundy’s leading domaines.
He instituted the concept of “viniculteur”, redefining the company’s traditional role to encompass a close and active interest in all aspects of winegrowing to ensure premium quality and sustainable farming practices. He refashioned and elevated the family’s founding winery bearing his father’s name – Jean-Claude Boisset – into a premier boutique vigneron in the Cotes de Nuits.
In 2003 Jean-Charles brought DeLoach Vineyards, a pioneering producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, into the family collection. He immediately recognized the similarities to Burgundy: each boast a confluence of river, mountains, and soil that is perfect for growing world-class Pinot Noir. He began a mission, inspired by his Burgundian heritage to produce terroir-driven wines with the same commitment to terroir and organic and Biodynamic farming he had instituted in Burgundy.
In 2009 Jean-Charles’ quest for California wineries with a sense of history, heritage and a pioneering spirit led him to Raymond Vineyards in the Napa Valley, where five generations of family winemaking anchors it to the earliest days of the Napa Valley. Under his vision, Raymond has become a leading producer of luxury fine wines, implemented organic and Biodynamic farming on its 150 acre Rutherford & St. Helena estate vineyards, and become among the most dynamic winery destinations in California, earning “Winery of the Year” honors from Wine Enthusiast magazine.
In 2011, Jean-Charles’ dream of championing California wine history became a reality when Buena Vista Winery, California’s first premium winery founded in 1857, became a part of Boisset Collection.
Jean-Charles continued to grow the Boisset Collection with the introduction of JCB by JeanCharles Boisset tasting salons in both Yountville and on Main Street in downtown St. Helena. “Tell me what you drink and I will tell you who you are…” Jean-Charles Boisset for Baccarat Jean-Charles continued his legacy of pioneering innovations in 2018 with the introduction of JCB Spirits, luxury vodkas and gin distilled from Burgundy wine made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that includes the first-ever caviarinfused and truffle-infused vodkas.
In 2015 Jean-Charles and Raymond Vineyards partnered with Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony and Golden Globe-award winning singer, songwriter, humanitarian and philanthropist John Legend to create the LVE: Legend Vineyard Exclusive collection of wines, which number six and counting. As a world-renowned singer, songwriter and performer, John Legend’s passion for inspiring memorable moments led him to become devoted to another art form, that of winemaking. The partnership has developed into a friendship, with Jean-Charles and John frequently attending each other’s events, including several private concerts given by John both in Napa Valley and the Los Angeles area.
In 2019 Boisset Collection acquired Oakville Grocery, with the nearly 140-year-old flagship location in Oakville in Napa Valley (the oldest continually operating grocery in California. A Victorian house dating from 1874 also sits on the Oakville property, which Jean-Charles has turned into Oakville Wine Merchant, a lounge featuring 50 wines by the glass and 350 by the bottle, as well as the 1881 Napa Valley Wine History Museum. Visitors can enjoy wines from Napa Valley’s finest producers while perusing the first-of-its-kind in Napa Valley collection of relics related to the wine trade, winemaking, viticulture and cooperage as well as many of Jean-Charles’ antique decanters. In addition, guests learn about the various sub-appellations of Napa Valley through displays and by tasting wines from those varied regions.
Realizing his love affair with Rutherford, Boisset purchased Elizabeth Spencer at Rutherford Cross in December 2021, where he created the Kathleen Thompson Hill Kitchen Memories Collection.
Jean-Charles has expanded from the world of wine and spirits to include a lifestyle vision; he has created namesake collections for jewelry, candles, perfume and the JCB Passion Collection by Baccarat – the first glassware line the historic French crystal company has ever done with a vintner. In addition, the JCB offerings include home accessories that exemplify the JCB world of hospitality and entertaining.
He debuted The Alchemy of the Senses, an inimitable “wine” book that speaks not only of tannins and barrels, but also emotions and fantasies, hope and imagination. Jean-Charles created the Alchemy of the Senses book as an experiential voyage through your dreams, your emotions, your senses, and your passions–all inspired by wine! The book is an opportunity to experience the limitless dimensions of wine. It was his second book, following Passion for Wine in collaboration with Marnie Old.
Boisset continued his commitment to California history with the acquisition of the Calistoga Depot, which underwent more than three years of renovation before its full grand opening in the Spring of 2024. At the same time, the Calistoga Depot Distillery unveiled a portfolio of handcrafted spirits inspired by the legacy of the Calistoga Depot and its founder Sam Brannan. Boisset continued his creation of luxury spirits with the debut of Casa Obsidiana tequila with the Beckmann-Gonzalez family in 2024. With Casa Obsidiana, Jean-Charles sets forth a vision of the wine and luxury worlds centered on family, passion, history, innovation and a commitment to sustainability. Decanter magazine has included him on its “Power List” of the 50 most important people in the wine world each year of its publication since 2007; in March 2008, he received the Meininger’s International Wine Entrepreneur of the Year; and in December 2008, he was named “Innovator of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast. In 2012, he received Wine Enthusiast’s American Winery of the Year honor for his renaissance of Raymond Vineyards. The French-American Foundation awarded him their first-ever French-American Partnership Award in 2013, bestowed upon an extraordinary individual or organization that has contributed to creating a strong and enduring French-American partnership in business, government or academia. Haute Living named him to the Haute List San Francisco, recognizing the 100 most influential people in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was honored with the 2014 Jefferson Award by the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, which celebrates the museum’s historical connection to wine. Also in 2014, JFK University in Concord named Jean-Charles and his wife Gina Gallo its “Entrepreneurs of the Year.” In 2015 Jean-Charles was named an Honorary Co-Chair of that year’s Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction, which broke all records by raising a staggering $4.5 million. In that same year, Wine Enthusiast again honored him with a Wine Star Wine & Culture Award alongside John Legend for their Legend Vineyard Exclusive (LVE) wines. In March 2017, Jean-Charles and Gina received the Mondavi Food & Wine award Robert Mondavi Wine & Food award by The Collins College of Hospitality Management in honor of their vision and leadership to advance the wine industry.
In May 2019 Jean-Charles accepted the Wine Country Business of the Year French American Business Award from the French American Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco. Wine Enthusiast Magazine named Jean-Charles their Wine Star Award 2024 “Person of the Year”. In 2025, Boisset was honored with the C Level Community Thought Leadership Award, a recognition bestowed upon exceptional business leaders who have made a significant impact in their industries.
Michael Browne
CIRQ & Chev Wines
Red, White and Mind-Blowing
Wine Tasting Seminar
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CEO and Founder
Michael Browne co-founded Kosta Browne in 1997 with a few hundred dollars and the goal of helping people create meaningful moments. The winery quickly became known for producing exceptional Pinot Noirs and was awarded Wine Spectator’s #1 Wine of the Year in 2011. In 2009, Michael’s vision for CIRQ first took shape as he followed his passion to make delicious wines from the most exceptional vineyard sites in the Russian River Valley. The goal was to provide Pinot Noir enthusiasts with wines of uncommon breeding that delight the senses and connect them to these special places.
Following their journey with Kosta Browne, Michael and his wife Sarah began a new chapter together — fulfilling their long-held dream of owning their own winery, now CIRQ & CHEV Estate. CIRQ and CHEV are now their sole (and soul) focus. “Our team brings the perfect balance of grit and determination. It’s that focused intensity, positive energy and elegance that just makes it all work.” – Michael Browne
Tim duncan
Silver Oak Cellars
Maneet Chauhan Cooking Demo
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Tim Duncan
Proprietor & Chief Revenue Officer
Silver Oak Cellars
Tim Duncan is Proprietor and Chief Revenue Officer of Silver Oak Cellars, where he has helped shape the business alongside his brother and fellow owner, David R. Duncan. Known for his guest-first approach, Tim has spent more than three decades building a culture centered on exceptional customer experience grounded in the belief that for many visitors, “some people will only make it here once,” and it”‘s the team”‘s job to make that visit unforgettable.
The son of Silver Oak co-founder Ray Duncan, Tim grew up in the winery”‘s original dairy barn, learning the business hands-on–dragging hoses and rinsing barrels as a teenager. He officially joined Silver Oak in January 1986 as California Sales Manager, calling on restaurant and retail accounts across the state and developing a relationship-driven philosophy that still guides his leadership today.
Tim has played a pivotal role in expanding the Duncan family”‘s wine portfolio. In 1999, he worked with Ray and then-winemaker Daniel Baron to launch the Twomey brand, initially focused on Merlot from the family”‘s Soda Canyon Ranch, and in 2002 helped guide Twomey”‘s expansion into Pinot Noir.
Tim lives in Sonoma with his wife, Roo. Together they have five children, including two–Matt and Haley–who are also on the team at Silver Oak Cellars.
Gina Gallo
Flora Springs
Red, White and Mind-Blowing
Wine Tasting Seminar
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Christopher Klapp
Petrossian Caviar
Champagne & Petrossian Caviar
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tony Lombardi
Lombardi Wines
Antonia Lofaso Cooking Demonstration
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Tony Lombardi
Lombardi Wines/Lombardi Marketing
Founder/Proprietor
Tony grew up in Sonoma County and graduated from Saint Mary”‘s College with a degree in Business Management. His first job in wine came in 1998 when he joined the hospitality team at Clos Du Bois Winery, located in Geyserville, CA. During this time, he formed great friendships with colleagues who shared his passion for all things food and wine. He shared this enthusiasm with consumers, trade partners, and media that would come to learn about Alexander Valley wines.
In 2001, Tony joined the public relations team at Allied Domecq Wines. This is where his career in public relations began, overseeing 12 international and domestic wineries with responsibilities in brand positioning, message development, media relations, event management, and strategic planning.
A series of mergers and acquisitions followed, where Allied Domecq was purchased by Fortune Brands, and Tony assumed the role of Public Relations Manager with the new company, Beam Wine Estates, managing PR efforts for seven prestige brands within the portfolio. After the purchase of Beam Wine Estates by Constellation Wines U.S. in 2007, Tony spent a short time working with Russian River Valley Sparkling and Pinot Noir specialist, J Vineyards & Winery, in the role of Marketing and Public Relations Manager. In June 2008, he helped launch Healdsburg start-up company, Ascentia Wine Estates, as Director of Public Relations, spearheading efforts for its five California and three Pacific Northwest brands.
Tony joined the exceptional team at Kosta Browne Winery as its Brand and Public Relations Director in 2010. For the next five years, he was tasked with helping build brand awareness for the ultra-premium Pinot Noir specialist, its exceptional wine quality, and the Kosta Browne experience for its consumer, media, and trade audiences, and assisted in its sale at the end of 2014.
Christine and Tony Lombardi founded Lombardi Wines in 2013, in a pursuit to honor their family”‘s rich history of wine, food, and tradition. Together with winemaker Cabell Coursey, they make small lots of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from some of the finest vineyards in Sonoma County. The Pinot Noir is crafted with care from a family of growers in Petaluma, where the Lombardi family has been since 1947.
In 2015, Tony started a boutique consulting company offering Marketing, Public Relations, and Sales services to the benefit of small family wine businesses in need of this expertise. With over 30 years of experience in management, production, sales, marketing, and public relations, Lombardi Marketing is a trusted source to the benefit of wineries operating in the luxury wine category. Current and Past Clients include: Arista Winery, Blue Farm Wines, Browne Family Wines – CIRQ/CHEV Wines, Bucher Wines, Chenoweth Wines, Cornerstone Cellars, Coursey Graves, Donum Estate, Flanagan Vineyards, J. Cage Cellars, Innumero Wines, Keller Estate, Kobler Estate Winery, Maxville Winery, Pellegrini Wine Company, Ram”‘s Gate Winery, Roger Roessler Wines, Sangiacomo Family Wines, Saxon Brown Wines, Serres Ranch Wine, Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards & Winery, Three Sticks Wines, Valette Wines, and Work Vineyard.
Tony is a founding board member of his family”‘s Hilinski”‘s Hope Foundation, working to erase the stigma surrounding mental health, and assisting student-athletes with programs at high schools and universities across the country. When he is not busy promoting the wonderful stories of exceptional Sonoma County and Napa Valley wine, Tony enjoys spending time with his wife, Christine, and sons, Drew and Aidan.
David long
David Arthur Vineyards
Antonia Lofaso Cooking Demonstration
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David’s interest in the fermentation process began at an early age. A friendship forged on a seventh-grade school bus resulted in some early experimentation with apple juice, yeast culture and plenty of boyhood anticipation. That initial interest soon waned, but would resurface many years later with a much more refined product. In the early 1970’s, David transitioned from University life to the world of food and wine opening his first restaurant in Boulder, CO. This experience cemented his passion for great food, fine wine (and hard work!) The art of hospitality and the cultivation of great friendships has never been lost on David. If there is any reason to celebrate; life, love, family, friends, a beautiful day, David is there with open arms, a mischievous smile and lots of delicious food, tasty libations and plenty of fun! David was lured to the Napa Valley by his adventurous spirit and the opportunity to do something special. One fateful evening in the winter of 1976, David’s father, Don Long, disclosed that during the 1950’s and 60’s he had purchased nearly 1,000 acres of land in the eastern hillsides of Rutherford. The Judgement of Paris had been published in Time magazine and conversations with Andre Tchelistcheff, the Dean of American Winemaking, ensued. The Europeans had been growing wine in the hills for centuries and the concept of terroir was on the American horizon. David wasted no time clearing the land, removing rock and planting his vineyard on Pritchard Hill. He began learning about viticulture and oenology through internships at Chappellet, Joseph Phelps and Schramsberg all the while taking classes at UC Davis. Hard work was the name of the game and David had endless energy to get the job done. The result: electricity, water, a barn, a house, a road and nineteen acres of pristine grapevines producing the extraordinary fruit that goes into each bottle of highly acclaimed David Arthur Vineyards wine. David’s energy is contagious. The glass is always half-full (or entirely full in many cases) and his vision and work-ethic are at the heart of our company. It’s about family and friends and being thankful for our blessings. One of David’s many insightful quotes is: ‘We make wine every day…the magic happens when we enjoy it together!’
Brian Maloney
DeLoach Winery
Don’t Panic, It’s Organic
Wine Tasting Seminar
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Brian Maloney Vice President of Winemaking Leaders: Brian Maloney Brian Maloney was born on his family’s historic ranch in the Petaluma Gap straddling the Marin and Sonoma County border.
Inspired by his grandmother’s stories of her father’s struggles growing grapes and making wine in the Calistoga area before, during and after Prohibition, he enrolled in the world-famous Viticulture and Enology program at the University of California, Davis. While there, he fell in love with the diverse nature of the discipline and began a series of internships with wineries in Sonoma, Marin and the Sierra Foothills. Following graduation, he worked the harvest of 2003 at DeLoach Vineyards and has remained there ever since, playing a key role in elevating the winery’s Pinot Noir pedigree, expanding its vineyard designate program and planting and establishing its Biodynamic® estate vineyard. With generations of farming and winemaking in his background, Brian has always taken to letting the terroir show first. Whether with cool climate Pinot Noir or Old Vine Zinfandel, his ultimate goal is to let the interaction between the site, the vine and the grower shine through to set the style of the wines. This has led to amazing accolades and awards for his wines, including an impressive array of 90+ scores for the 2009 vintage from both Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, which was his first vintage as head winemaker.
Starting in 2011, Brian has expanded his responsibilities to include overseeing the rebirth of the legendary Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma. In 2012, his team was the first to make wine in the historic Champagne cellars in over 30 years, a celebration that was punctuated by the joining of Tokaji and Sonoma as Sister Cities on the first day of harvest for the reopened cellars. In addition, Brian guides the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays of the JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset collection and worked with Jean-Charles Boisset and Gregory Patriat, Winemaker at Jean-Claude Boisset winery in Nuits-Saint-Georges, France, to create the innovative and critically-acclaimed JCB No. 3 — a wine that unites the best of the Russian River Valley with the best of Burgundy.
When Brian does find spare time, he enjoys gardening, reading vociferously, cooking amazing dishes with his wife Erinn, spending time with their son, exploring new music and regions, and living in one the best places on Earth.
Gary Pisoni
Pisoni Family Vineyards & Lucia
Red, White and Mind-Blowing
Wine Tasting Seminar
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Gary Pisoni exudes passion–for adventure, for family, for grape growing, for wine. As Robert Parker says in the Wine Advocate, “Gary Pisoni, and his vineyard, are respectively the rock star and Grand Cru site of the Santa Lucia Highlands.” Over the last 30 years, he has transformed the mountainous property where his parents once grazed a couple of horses and few head of cattle into one of California”‘s most renowned vineyards. The “irrepressible” Gary Pisoni”‘s lifelong dedication to Pisoni and Lucia Vineyards, combined with use of meticulous, and sometimes “fanatical” viticultural and winemaking practices, represent an extreme commitment to farming and classical winemaking.
Hélène Seillan
Anakota & Vérité
#1 Best in Class Wine Tasting Seminar
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Born in 1987, Helene Seillan spent her childhood in both France and California, surrounded by family and friends for whom winemaking was as much a passion as it was a profession. Following in her father’s footsteps, Helene pursued a career in winemaking and began splitting her time between Sonoma County and Saint-milion. Starting in 2006, she served as assistant winemaker for her father at the family’s Bordeaux estate, where she worked on all aspects of winery management showing the same talent, passion and ability as her father. Helene studied Viticulture and Oenology at the Institut Rural de Vayres in Bordeaux.
Pierre Seillan
Arcanum & Chateau Lassgue
#1 Best in Class Wine Tasting Seminar
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Vigneron Pierre Seillan carefully crafts each blend of Verite from more than 50 “micro-crus” sourced throughout four appellations. This mosaic of micro-crus provides Seillan with the palette of aromatics, flavors, textures and structural elements he needs to craft the wines of Vérité.
Each micro-cru is harvested and fermented separately, then aged in French Oak barrels of various custom toasts.
Seillan carefully tailors his winemaking techniques and oak regimens to the personality of each lot, providing him with hundreds of unique components, to create the architecture of the final blends of La Muse, La Joie and Le Désir.
Pierre Seillan has spent the past five decades perfecting his micro-cru philosophy to create world-class wines. His passion lies in crafting wines from diverse terroirs, using the same approach to capture the unique expressions of Sonoma County, Bordeaux, and Tuscany in each vintage.
Seillan’s career in the wine industry began at Bellevue, his family’s estate in Gascony, France, where he learned to grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and several white varieties. Later he focused on Cabernet Franc at Château de Targé in the Loire Valley. Seillan then spent two decades in Bordeaux making wine at several châteaux for Raoul and Jean Quancard. While working across eight different appellations, he quickly discovered the many nuances within various vineyard sites. This became the backbone of his micro-cru philosophy and allowed him to build the elegant and complex architecture of his wines.
Jeff Stewart
Hartford Court
Voltaggio Brothers Cooking Demonstration
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Born and raised in South Lake Tahoe, California, Jeff Stewart is, not surprisingly, an avid skier. But it was a summer trip to France and an enthusiastic chemistry teacher that enticed him away from the mountains and into winemaking. “My summer in France was really my first experience with wine as part of the family meal. I was fascinated with the lifestyle and the importance of wine in that culture,” says Hartford Family Winemaker and General Manager, Jeff Stewart. “I knew I wanted to pursue a career in science and are several conversations with my high school chemistry teacher, I was soon enrolled in the Viticulture and Enology program at UC Davis. The idea of combining agriculture, science and the creativity of making wine, something celebrated and revered in many cultures for thousands of years, was mesmerizing.”
A UC Davis graduate with a degree in fermentation science, viticulture, and enology, Jeff has been making Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and old vine Zinfandel in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma County for over 25 years. Jeff began to learn the character of the vineyards and the distinct subregions of the Russian River Valley in the early 1990s when he joined
some of the earliest winemakers to study the region.
Randy Ullom
Kendall-Jackson & Jackson Estate
#1 Best in Class Wine Tasting Seminar
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Stephane Vedeau
La Ferme du Mont
Don’t Panic, It’s Organic
Wine Tasting Seminar
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Stéphane Vedeau, the force behind La Ferme du Mont, embarked on his professional journey as a soccer player at the age of 19 while pursuing economics at the University of Paris.
In 1987, he entered the wine world through sales, but his fascination with the technical aspects and vinification quickly took center stage. Stéphane’s inaugural grape harvest and vinification occurred in 1989.
In 1992, he took a significant step by acquiring his first vineyard in the Montpeyroux appellation of Languedoc. Teaming up with Philippe Maurel that same year, they established Maison Maurel Vedeau, becoming prominent producers of top-quality Languedoc-Roussillon wines, winning the prestigious title of Wine of the Year at the International Wine Challenge twice.
The early 2000s saw Stéphane’s venture into the Rhone Valley with the creation of La Ferme du Mont (Southern Rhone) and J Boutin (Northern Rhone). Initially, his vineyards were a mix of owned and leased, but his commitment to quality led him to acquire more vineyards, particularly those at higher altitudes, symbolized by the name “La Ferme du Mont,” where “mont” signifies mountain.
Over the years, Stéphane expanded his holdings, adding Clos Bellane in Valréas in 2010, Val des Rois in 2020, and new vineyards in Rasteau in 2022. Each acquisition echoed his dedication to freshness and balance in winemaking.
From the outset, Robert Parker recognized Stéphane Vedeau as a rising star in the southern Rhone, describing him as “one of the young, energetic Turks of Chateauneuf du Pape” and a “seriously talented winemaker.” His wines consistently garnered praise, drawing comparisons to renowned figures in the wine industry.