Judge Bios
Michael Jordan, MS, Wine Competition Honorary Chairman
Michael A. Jordan, MS, CWE, "Sommelier for the People" and veteran restaurateur, Jordan is one of only fifteen in the world to hold both the Master Sommelier and the Certified Wine Educator Diplomas. Jordan is currently Vice President of Food and Beverage for The Ranch Restaurant and Saloon – an entertainment and dining complex in Anaheim, CA. The Ranch includes a wine destination restaurant next door to a saloon with live country music and dancing. Jordan is also the host of the syndicated weekly “What’s Cooking With Wine” Radio Talk Show featuring Wine, Food and Travel. It is broadcast LIVE in several major AM Radio markets across US including New York, Boston, Charlotte, Detroit and Chicago. The Show also airs Live on CRN Digital Talk Radio (internet).Prior to joining The Ranch team, Jordan had a nine year stint as Global Manager of Wine Sales and Standards and Wine Educator for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts® Worldwide. Jordan left Disney to create WORD VINEYARDS with his wife Teresa. WORD is a small production line of high quality, hand crafted artisan wines. Before that Jordan opened Pinot Provence, Pavilion and Bella Teresa - Three top restaurants in So. Cal. The California Restaurant Writers Association (CRWA), a journalist organization, named Jordan “2001 and 2002 Sommelier of the Year,” The STARWINE International Wine Competition Board named Michael “Wine Educator of the Year 2003” and in 2005 Orange Coast Magazine named Michael “General Manager of the Year 2006” and also voted him “Restaurant Professional of the Year 2005.” Additionally, in 2008 the Southern California Restaurant Writers (SCRW) voted him “2008 General Manager of the Year” and later that year the Whitefish Food & Wine Summit honored Jordan as “Sommelier of the Year 2008.”
Mr. William S. Bloxsom-Carter is the Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, California. He has been creating extraordinary food and exclusive wine offerings for Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion parties for over 26 years. Chef Carter completed intensive studies with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company focusing on their Gold Standards of Hospitality Service to enhance the hospitality experience to all guests attending corporate and charity events at the Playboy Mansion. He initially completed his college studies at Florida Tech. He enhanced his education in hospitality related studies at UC Los Angeles Extension. Additionally, he has successfully completed UC Davis Extension classes in enology studies. Chef Carter achieves his personal sense of purpose through a high standard of integrity, working tirelessly with the next generation of culinarians, giving back to the community, seeking-out hospitality food service innovations for the guest’s pleasure and synergizing creativity to increase staff morale. Chef Carter strives daily to achieve a “gold standard” of leadership accountability.
Bob Blumer, a.k.a. the Surreal Gourmet, of Los Angeles, California, is the author/illustrator of five cookbooks and the creator/host of the Food Network shows, Surreal Gourmet, Glutton for Punishment, and World's Weirdest Restaurants. Bob also holds seven food-related Guinness World Records.
Mark Chandler is a seventh generation Californian with a passion for enhancing the role of wine in American culture. In his 30 years in wine he has been a winemaker, marketing manager, wine educator, and vineyard owner. Mark has been Executive Director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission since 1991. Under his leadership the number of wineries in Lodi has increased from 8 to over 70 today, and the Lodi region is recognized as a world leader in sustainable viticulture. Mark is past president of the Society of Wine Educators. He is a Supreme Knight of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine, and was named Sunset Magazine’s “Wine Professional of the Year” in 2005. He is a judge at several national wine competitions and a frequent speaker at wine venues around the globe.
Rebecca Chapa is a Certified Wine Educator and holds the Diploma Wine and Spirits from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust in London. Chapa is the Beverage Manager for SF Chefs a food, wine and spirits festival in San Francisco and Chair of the Los Angeles International Spirits Competition. Chapa also writes freelance for Sante Magazine and her own blog www.rebeccachapa.com. Chapa owns Tannin Management, a wine consulting company that works with hotels, restaurants, wineries, and trade organizations.
Kimberly Charles, DWS of San Francisco, California, owns Charles Communications Associates, a national public relations firm specializing in wine, spirits, food, travel, and environmental arenas. She has been a wine industry professional for over 26 years; her wine industry career has included positions as public relations director at Kobrand Corporation in New York, Communications Director Gallo Winery for the Gallo of Sonoma launch campaign, and Senior VP at Magnet Communications. She has held the WSET Diploma since 1997. She judges in five competitions annually. www.charlescomm.com
Rene Chazottes of Newport Beach, California, is the Director of Wine at The Pacific Club and formerly director for the tasting panel from the Underground Wine Journal. Rene also holds the title of "Maitre Sommelier." He was named "Best Sommelier" in 1988, and carries the title of "Commandeur" in the International Association of Masters Counsel in French Gastronomies. Rene conducts wine and gastronomic tours in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, California, Oregon, Washington, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, and Chile.
Patrick Comiskey is a freelance wine writer and editor living in Los Angeles with years of wine competition experience. He contributes regularly to the Los Angeles Times Food Section, as well as Bon Appetit Magazine, Zester Daily, and Wine & Spirits.
Mitch Cosentino is known for his innovative and artistic approach to winemaking. The three Cosentino Signature Wineries produce wines by hand in small, separate lots, using the old Burgundian method of punched cap fermentation. Cosentino serves as executive winemaker at all three facilities. Even as he increases production with his new facilities, his “micro” approaches to winemaking remain consistent. His exceptional talent for identifying fruit sources and determining blends continues to be the driving force behind the M Cosentino signature, which appears on all three labels.
Fred Dame, MS, is the Vice President of Sales of the Heirloom Wine Group, the Luxury Division of Treasury Wine Estates. Fred is the President of The Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation, the scholarship arm of Master Sommeliers America. He received his MS Diploma in the UK in 1984 becoming the first American to win the prestigious Krug Cup of the British Court of Master Sommeliers. He is also heavily involved in the culinary arts as he is an Honorary Trustee of the American Academy of Chefs and a holder of the Antonin Careme Medal.
Sammie Daniels’ extensive experience in the wine and food world includes living and working for the past twenty-six years at various Tuscan wineries where she conducts tastings and acts as a private wine tour guide. She has more than 20 years’ employment with Youngs-Columbia importers, where she is a wine consultant and liaison to the Italian wine market. She currently lives between Tuscany and Northern California.
Traci Dutton of Calistoga, California, has been currently Sommelier and Beverage Manager for the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone for the past 8 years where she oversees all beverage programs in the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant and for all special events. The 35,000 bottle cellar at Greystone, which she manages, also supplies wine to the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies, a state of the art sensory facility recently completed at the Napa Valley Campus.
Gary Eberle’s forty-year career in winemaking began in the 1970’s. After achieving academic and athletic success at Penn State University and while pursuing his doctorate in zoology at LSU, Eberle met a professor who introduced him to the world of wine and soon changed his life. In 1973, Eberle made his first trip to Napa and entered the UC Davis winemaking doctoral program. Four years later, Eberle was heading his family’s Estrella River Winery. In 1980, he co-founded the Paso Robles Appellation and in 1983 Gary opened the doors to his own Eberle Winery. Today, Eberle handcrafts 30,000 cases of wine each year and consistently remains one of the highest award-winning wineries in the United States.
Mark Eberwein is Director of Food and Beverage at the St. Regis in Park City, Utah. He began his career at El Bizcocha Dining Room as Assistant Sommelier. He took over as Sommelier and Wine Buyer at the age of 27. He was awarded Food & Wine Magazines’ Top Sommelier Award Winner in 2011.
Tim Gaiser, MS is a nationally renowned wine expert and Master Sommelier. He is the former Education Chair for the American Chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers as well as a contributing editor for Fine Cooking Magazine and an adjunct professor for the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley.
Bonnie Graves began her career as a sommelier at Union Square Café and Jean-Georges in New York and later at Spago Beverly Hills. A Harvard grad, Bonnie can talk your ear off about wine in several languages if you let her. She started her own consulting company in 2005 and has extensive experience with hotel and restaurant programming for clients around the country. Nowadays, Bonnie likes to write from her home office in Topanga and is currently the Food & Wine Editor for West Side, South Bay and Ventura Boulevard print magazines in addition to her popular Girl Meets Grape blog for Yahoo's Shine platform.
Daryl Groom is the Owner and Winemaker for Groom Wines from Australia. This highly acclaimed Australian Winery focuses on three varietals; Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel. In addition to Groom Wines, Daryl is involved in many other wine projects. These are: Colby Red, a wine launched nationally in partnership with Walgreens that raises money for heart research. The wine was inspired by and named after his 13 year old son Colby who recently underwent back to back heart surgeries. You can check out the story through a video at www.colbyred.com. DXG, which is a limited release range of wines from premium wine growing areas of California. SocialGrapes, a newly launched socially driven and revolutionary mobile engagement platform that allows every day wine lovers to share and discover wines with their friends. Daryl's previous experience includes winemaking and operational management at Penfolds, Geyser Peak Winery, and Beam Wine Estates.
Joe Hart has owned, and made wine for, Hart Winery in the Temecula Valley since l980. He is a resident of Carlsbad and the tiny eastern Sierra community of Aspendell, near Bishop. He is a professional member of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, Southern California regional director of Family Winemakers of California, and past president of the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association. He owns a classic Cessna Taildragger, drives a recently restored 1960 Alfa Romeo, and is an avid catch-and-release fly fisherman, pursuing, and occasionally catching, the wily trout of California’s eastern Sierra. He has been a wine judge since 1982.
Mervyn Hecht has been a wine buyer for several national wine importing companies for the past 18 years. He selects the wines to import from approximately 60 producers in France, Italy, California, and Oregon. Mervyn is a wine columnist for the Palisadian Post Newspaper, the restaurant critic for the Santa Monica Daily Press, the wine director for several restaurants including the Anisette Brasserie in Santa Monica. He is the author of “The Instant Wine Connoisseur.” He is certified by the University of California at Davis as a wine judge, a member of the society of Wine Educators, and in some years teaches the wine tasting course at the University of California at Los Angeles extension.
Laely Heron's unconventional upbringing in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the US may explain the wanderlust which has led to her passion for international wine studies and winemaking. She began at the Institute of Enology in Bordeaux, and worked with wines in the US, Australia, and Scandinavia before starting Heron Wines 16 years ago. Today she makes wine in France, Spain, and California.
Stacie Hunt, Certified Sommelier and Board Member of the North American Sommelier Association. Co-founder of SPLASH (www.splashpros.com), producers of Wine, Cuisine & Art exhibitions and video productions/documentaries, television/digital marketing for wineries and regions. Producer for the hour-long documentary celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Wine Spectator magazine; Emmy Award winning journalist; NPR's on-air wine reporter and a blogger for "Good Food" on KCRW-FM, Los Angeles flagship station. Her wine column is seen daily on the award-winning MY LA Lifestyle and as National Wine Examiner for Examiner.com. Stacie is a partner in Du Vin Wine & Spirits in West Hollywood, specializing in the wines of Italy and Latin America; Board Member, SWRA (Specialty Wine Retailers Association).
Linda Noel Kawabata is a certified Sake Specialist holding a Level II certificate from The Sake Education Council, Tokyo, Japan. She is fluent in both the language and customs of Japan, having owned and operated a business there for more than 25 years. Linda is President of Ai Sake Solutions a company that explores marketing potential and provides representation to Japanese sake brewers; as well as educational courses, restaurant consultation and sake presentations for individuals, and corporations in the United States. She has planned sake dinners for award winning chefs across America. Linda makes Sake understandable and enjoyable for the western chef, restaurateur, wine specialist and consumer. “My goal is to slide open the paper doors and welcome everyone to the world of sake enjoyment.”
Chuck Keagle of Upland, California, is founder, owner, and CEO of Cask & Cleaver restaurants and the Sycamore Inn. Chuck is a former board member of the Collins School of Hospitality Management, Cal Poly Pomona, and the California Avocado Commission and the California Restaurant Association. Chuck is an avocado grower and former wine grape grower.
Wesley Kollar's professional journey began as a student at Sonoma State University, earning extra money working in his first job in the wine industry. He subsequently worked with over a dozen wineries throughout Northern and Central California where he gained experience with vineyard management and laboratory analysis. This foundation led to tasting room experience, working in Barrel Rooms, and hands-on experience making wine. He has held almost every position possible in his 20 years in the wine industry, where he now enjoys a 360 degree viewpoint of the industry, with a knowledge of wines from vineyard to table and all points in between. He has traveled to wine regions in Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and North America to sample wines and work one-on-one with vineyards in vineyard design and consulting. He has hosted hundreds of Wine Events throughout California, specializing in Wine Pairing Dinners. Currently, he works in wine sales, distribution and brokering.
Adam La Zarre is Winemaker and Director of Operations for Paso Robles-based Villa San-Juliette Winery and Vineyards. He is also the proprietor of LaZarre Wines and consults for the Hearst Ranch Winery. Adam has worked as a winemaker for a number of years at several Central Coast wineries including: Hahn Estates/Smith & Hook, Jekel Winery and Riverland Vineyards. He received a Bachelor of Science in Enology from Fresno State University. Adam has judged at a number of national & international competitions for almost two decades.
Peter Marks, MW, is the Vice President of Education for Constellation Wines in St. Helena, California. Before joining Constellation, Peter was the Senior Vice President of Wine for COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts in Napa, CA. Peter has also been the Chief Wine Merchant at Wine.com, a wine Internet retailer, and Director of Wine for Draeger's Supermarkets located in San Mateo, Menlo Park, and Los Altos, California. Peter is one of 26 members of the Institute of Masters of Wine residing in America, and the first American to receive the Madame Bollinger Foundation Award awarded each year to the MW candidate with the highest blind tasting score. Peter also consults for restaurants and private clients, and teaches wine classes through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. He is the Education Coordinator for the Institute of Masters of Wine tasting exam in the United States, is on the Wine Education Committee of the Napa Valley Vintners, judges at many international wine competitions and is a member of the Society of Wine Educators.
Dennis Martin is vice president and director of winemaking at Fetzer Vineyards. Martin and his winemaking staff are dedicated to working with individual grape growers and are committed to the concept that winemaking is an integrated team effort. Martin is involved in all major winemaking decisions in creating the Fetzer Vineyards line of wines, from premium varietals to the Fetzer Luxury collection and selects the finest varietal fruit available from vineyards throughout California. One of Fetzer’s major strengths as a winery is the ability to blend consistently, vintage after vintage. Martin has been with Fetzer Vineyards for 27 years.
Sharron McCarthy is the Vice President of Wine Education for Banfi Vintners, the U.S. leading wine importer and a major producer of premium offerings from Italy. Throughout her career she has conducted food and beverage management courses at the Culinary Inst. Of America, Cal Poly, UNLV, University of Denver, University of Houston, Cornell University, Johnson and Wales and the Smithsonian, among others. She is past President of the Society of Wine Educators and has been associated with the American Inst. Of Wine and Food, American Wine Society, Sommelier Society of America, New York Women’s Culinary Alliance just to name a few. She is also an associate member of the Cornell Hotel Society.
Tim McDonald of Napa, California is a thirty year veteran in the wine industry and founded Wine Spoken Here, a reputation engineering company for wine brands, including Canopy Management, Fetzer Vineyards, Robert Oatley, Bonterra Vineyards and Gonzalez Byass. He has judged at dozens of international wine competitions and enjoys life with his beautiful wife Lisa and 18 year old son Angus who all love food, friends and family.
Jon C. McPherson is the Director of Winemaking at South Coast Winery, Resort and Spa, in Temecula, California, “The oldest winemaking frontier in California that isn’t yet on any map.” He has over thirty years of winemaking experience, starting with his tenure at Llano Estacado Winery in Lubbock, Texas. He moved to California in 1985 to pursue sparkling wine production at Culbertson Winery, and later Thornton Winery.
Harry McWatters has been a driving force in the development of the British Columbia’s wine industry for 40 years. He is founder and former President of Sumac Ridge Estate Winery and See Ya Later Ranch and is President of SunDial Vineyard, Okanagan Wine Academy, and the Vintage Consulting Group Inc. Harry is instrumental in the founding of VQA Canada, a trade association that spearheaded the development of national wine standards for Canadian vintners. He lives in the town of Summerland, British Columbia in the heart of the Okanagan Valley.
Ann Miller is the Marketing Manager at St. James Winery in Missouri, the state's largest winery. A graduate of the University of California Davis, Miller began in the wine industry working in a vineyard. She has been an active force in the Missouri wine industry for more than 10 years. She most recently worked as an independent consultant for the 100 member Missouri Wine & Grape Board, which promotes Missouri wines and the unique varietals grown there. Miller’s experience also extends to the field of wine judging, where she has served as a wine judge for national and international wine competitions including the Florida State Fair International Wine Competition, the New York Wine and Food Classic, and the Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits Competition.
Mark A. Newman of Studio City, California has been Chairman and CEO of three wine & spirits industry companies, and has spent a lifetime in the industry. Mark is currently consulting for wineries in the south of France, Bordeaux, Italy and Spain. In his over 35 years in the wine industry he has owned the largest per unit wine & spirits retail chain in Arizona, held key California winery positions as well as senior level executive positions in the wine distributing business. Mark has also produced wine in both California and France. He received his education at the University of Southern California in Business (Marketing & Finance) and is a member of several wine industry trade groups. Mark was inducted into the prestigious Commanderie de Bontemps du Medoc et Graves recognizing his years of dedication to the wine industry, and is Maitre Consiels of Gastronomy, an honor bestowed by the French Minister of Agriculture, and he has previously had his palate insured for one million dollars.
Deborah Parker Wong, AIWS is Northern California editor for The Tasting Panel magazine where she reports on the global wine and spirits industries with an emphasis on domestic trends. She holds the Wine and Spirits Education Trust Diploma and is a member of the London-based Circle of Wine Writers and the Wine Media Guild of New York. In addition, Deborah contributes frequently to Sommelier Journal, Vineyard & Winery Management and Cheers magazines. She writes a lively consumer drinks column for Examiner.com and judges several wine competitions each year.
Steve Pepe the co-owner of Clos Pepe Vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills of California. Clos Pepe sustainably farms 25 acres of Pinot Noir and 4 acres of Chardonnay; most of the grapes are sold to other wineries. Clos Pepe also produces 1000 cases of Pinot Noir and 450 cases of Chardonnay under its own label and 300 cases of Syrah under the Axis Mundi label. He is a member of several food and wine societies. He has made homemade wines and received gold medals in both the L.A. County Fair and Orange County Fair wine competitions. Clos Pepe has 650 Italian Tuscan Olive trees and produces extra virgin olive oil which won a Gold Medal, Best of Class and Best of Show at the 2007 Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition. Carneros Press has published Steve’s memoir “Clos Pepe- A Vigneron ‘s Quest for Great Dirt” about changing careers from an attorney to a grape grower.
Steven G. Poe, MS of Southern California got his start in wine working at Napa Rose Restaurant, Disneyland Resort, as a server before becoming a wine captain and assistant wine educator. He attainted the distinguished Master Sommelier Diploma in 2008 and is currently serving as Beverage Director at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach.
Coke Roth of Kennewick, Washington completed law school and became an attorney in the heart of the Washington wine country at the age of 43, with a practice that focuses on business, real estate, agriculture and estate planning. Prior to practicing law, Coke was a malt beverage and wine wholesaler. Coke has judged at the Los Angeles County Fair since the early 80’s and annually judges over a dozen major wine competitions all around North America, is an organoleptic and blending consultant for several Washington wineries, had a weekly television spot on wine and food called "The Grapes of Roth," and has authored numerous articles on food and wine over the last 35 years. Coke is one of the principles of Vinagium, a vineyard operation in the Red Mountain Appellation of Washington State.
Fred Scherrer, Owner/Winemaker of Scherrer Winery, is a fourth generation Sonoma County, CA resident where the family has been farming the same site in Alexander Valley since 1899. Fred grew interested in wine at an early age and has been making wine since the mid-1970’s, first at home then later for small commercial wineries. He started the winery brand in 1991 while making wine at Dehlinger Winery in the Russian River Valley and still does essentially all the cellar work himself.
Peter M. F. Sichel of New York City is a fourth-generation wine grower and wine negociant. A leading authority on German and Bordeaux wines, he is an author, lecturer, wine educator and frequent television guest, having appeared on “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America.” As former chairman of the German Wine Society, former president of the Society of Wine Educators and former Maitre of the Commanderie de Bordeaux in New York, he has broad interests in the whole field of wine; growing, making, distribution and its use as well as its abuse. He was co-owner and managing director of Chateau Fourcas-Hosten, a major Bordeaux Vineyard property, which he sold in 2006. He was awarded the Ordre du Mérite Agricole by the French Government for his contribution to the French wine industry. He is a member of the North American Board of the Institute of Masters of Wine and Vice President of London based International Wine & Spirit Competition.
Howard Soon was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has 30 years experience in the British Columbia Wine Industry, including the past 20 years as Senior Winemaker for Sandhill/Calona Vineyards in the Okanagan Valley. Also, Howard is a Certified Wine Educator and teaches at Okanagan College. He serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the WineGen Research Project under Genome Canada.
Mark Tarbell is the owner of Tarbell’s in Phoenix (a 16 year recipient of Wine Spectator's "Award of Excellence") and co-owner of The Oven in Lakewood Colorado. He earned his culinary degree at La Varenne Ecole Des Cuisine and studied wine at l'Academie du Vin. Nominated "Best Chef - Southwest" by the James Beard Foundation, Mark and his restaurants have earned more than fifty awards in the past 17 years. He serves on many advisory councils and boards, from the Arizona Department of Education to the Phoenix Theatre. He has appeared on “Good Morning America”, the “Today Show”, and several Food Network programs, including his triumphant "Battle Apple" against Iron Chef Cat Cora on "Iron Chef America" in 2007. Mark is the weekly wine columnist for The Arizona Republic and has been published in numerous magazinesincluding Wine & Spirits and Food Arts.
Jim Trezise, the "New York Wine Guy," lives on Keuka Lake, in the heart of New York's Finger Lakes wine country. Jim has been President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation since its creation in 1985. He has received several national awards for contributions to the American wine industry, and serves on the Boards of national and international organizations like Wine America (public policy), FIVS (international trade), Wine Market Council (marketing), and the National Grape and Wine Initiative (research). He is also President of the International Riesling Foundation, a new trade organization he created with Dan Berger and Coke Roth, which has a Board of Directors comprised of 30 of the world’s top Riesling producers. He judges in numerous competitions around the country and world.
Roger Voss, born in London, has been writing about wine for over 25 years. He is the European Editor of Wine Enthusiast magazine and has been a wine correspondent for many British newspapers. He has written books: Guides to the Wines of the Lorie, Alsace and Rhône, to Port and Sherry, to the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, an in-depth guide to the Wines of the Loire, and a full colour illustrated book on French food and wine – Wine and Food of France. Now based in the Bordeaux region of France, he travels widely through Europe and other wine regions of the world, meeting and writing about the fascinating people who make up the world of wine, and tasting their wines.
Paul Wagner formed Balzac Communications & Marketing on April 1, 1991. Current clients include Diageo Chateau and Estates Wine Company, the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, White Rocket Wine Company, Regione Sicilia, Vinitaly, Rutherford Dust Society, and a host of other wine and food specialists. Paul Wagner is an instructor for Napa Valley College's Viticulture and Enology department, and contributes to Allexperts.com in the field of wine and food. He is a guest lecturer for Golden Gate University, Grayson College, Sonoma State University, MIB School of Management in Trieste, the University of Dijon, and UC Berkeley extension. He has lectured throughout the world on communications, public affairs, wine and wine marketing. With Liz Thach and Janeen Olsen, he has published a book: Wine Marketing & Sales, Strategies for a Saturated Market by The Wine Appreciation Guild, which won the Gourmand International Award in 2008 for the best wine book for professionals
Miwa Wang is part owner of True Sake, the first all sake store in America, founded in 2003, and located in San Francisco. Miwa has lived in San Francisco since 1996. She was born in Izu, Japan to Japanese and Chinese parents and grew up working in the kitchen of her father’s renown Shanghai-style restaurant. Miwa is a sake specialist certified by both the Sake Service Institute in Japan and by the Sake Education Council in the U.S. She was one of ten judges at 2011 U.S. National Sake Appraisal in Honolulu, Hawaii where 320 sake were scrutinized. Miwa’s influence in the sake industry makes her a key figure behind the annual October 1st Sake Day event in San Francisco. The 2011 6th Sake Day event drew 20 Brewers, 100 sake and more than 300 guests. Miwa also organizes industry–focused events as well as tailored sake-tasting service to both individual and corporate clients.
Emily Wines, MS, was the sommelier for the prestigious Fifth Floor Restaurant for many years and is currently the Wine Director for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants. She heads up wine education and wine programming for 56 restaurants across the country.
Wilfred Wong, a 30 year-plus veteran of the wine industry is both a wine buyer and a wine writer. A retailer at heart, Wilfred is based in the San Francisco store Beverages and More! As one of the company’s wine buyers, he tastes over 8,000 wines annually and travels abroad to get an early look at wines. Many of the company’s chain-wide POS are drawn from notes and ratings that Wong sends to the corporate headquarters. As a writer, he is currently contributing to Vineyard & Winery Management, Beverage Industry News, Epicurean and Beverage Industry News, and Wines & Vines as a regular columnist. Wilfred resides in San Francisco with his wife, Alice and dog, Cody.
Debbie Zachareas is the Managing Partner and Wine Buyer at the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant in San Francisco's restored Ferry Building, and at the Oxbow Wine & Cheese Merchant in downtown Napa. Both locations offer and international wine selection with an emphasis on small-production and sustainably farmed wines. Zachareas hosts weekly wine tastings in her San Francisco wine bar. Great winemakers, importers, and winery owners educate and entertain her clientele by featuring their wines at the bar. Debbie teaches wine classes both at her own business as well the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California. She is a well-known wine judge, lecturer, sommelier, and guest speaker for a number of wine events throughout the country.
Marc Zeidler of Redondo Beach, California, is presently Restaurant Manager and Wine Buyer for The Broadway Deli in Santa Monica, California. He also works as a consultant, selecting wines for private cellars and restaurant wine lists. Marc is a board member and past Chairman of the Hollywood Chapter of the International Wine & Food Society, where he is involved in the planning of events pairing wine and food. His past experiences have included sales for wineries and wine distributors, being a representative for a winery, as well as owning his own restaurant.
Marvin Zeidler of Los Angeles, California, is President and CFO of Broadway MMM, Inc., and the Broadway Deli in Santa Monica, California. He is a general partner of Cora’s, Brentwood Restaurant and Capo Ristorante located in Santa Monica. He was founder and general partner of Citrus Restaurant and was President and CEO of Zeidler & Zeidler Ltd., a chain of men’s clothing stores. He is an active member and past chairman of the Wine & Food Society of Hollywood and serves on the Executive Advisory Council of the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management at Cal Poly Pomona, among other organizations.
Marc Zeidler, born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He now lives in Redondo Beach, and has been working in the wine industry for over 30 years. He is presently in sales and marketing for over 40 small boutique family owned wineries. Marc is also involved in the production of a very limited Napa Cabernet. He works as a consultant, selecting wines for private cellars and restaurant wine lists. Marc is a member and past Chairman of the Hollywood Chapter of the International Wine & Food Society, where he is involved in the planning of events pairing wine and food. He was the General Manager of the Broadway Deli and Wine Bar in Santa Monica, California, where he handled the Wine Program there as well. His past experiences have also included sales for wineries and wine distributors, winery representative, as well as owning his own restaurant.
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