Professional Judging Panel
Invited Judges ~ Not all confirmed
Anthony Austin – Winemaker: ChurchillCellars, Clouds Rest, Left Edge, and Sonoma Coast Vineyards to name a few.
Giovanni Balistreri – General Manager, Assistant Winemaker Russian River Vineyards
Karen Bria – Director of Marketing at Angeles Wine Agency
Larry Chandler – Wine Editorial and Education, Food & People Pairing, Social Media Marketing, Wine Blogger
Scott Clemens – Editor: Epicurean Traveler
Alexis Davis – Sommelier: Alexis Davis started studying wine during an internship in Napa Vally in 2004. Since then she has worked at Cyrus Restaurant in Healdsburg, CA, and is a sommelier at The Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena. She is currently preparing for the Advanced certicifate from the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Debra Del Fiorentino – Consumer Marketing Director Events Russian River Vineyards, Sommelier, CWP; International Wine Judge
Jaime Dowell –
Barbara Drady – Chief Wine Evangelist & CEO: Affairs of the Vine
John Drady – Director of Brand Development: Vintage Wine Estates; Founder: Sonoma Coast Vineyards
Thea Dwelle – Wine Blogger: Luscious Lushes Blog
Ted Elliott – Owner/Winemaker: TR Elliott
William Feaster – When Dr. Bill Feaster is not working with children at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, he joins us and lends his amazing palate to our judging panel.
John Fisher – Leading M&A adviser to major drinks companies and to emerging growth brands in wine, spirits, beer and other branded consumer categories.
Tom Foster – Consulting Winemaker
Prudy Foxx – Viticulture consultant and vine expert at Foxx Viticulture.
Leon Glover – Winemaker: Lion Heart Wines
Marcy Gordon – I’m a Reader, Writer, Eater, Traveler. You can read an interview about my travel writing here. My background is in consumer marketing and I worked positioning start-ups including launch of Travelocity and OpenTable. My love of travel and writing led me to work in publishing and I was co-editor of the Authentic Italy guidebook series for the Touring Club of Italy. Editor for “Leave the Iguana, Take the Mascara: Funny Travel Stories from the Road”- Travelers’ Tales 2012.
Chris Greacen – Social Media Professional and Wine Lover, Lab Zero
Brenda Hammond – Brenda and son, Executive Chef Ross Hanson. own the fabulous Restaurant James Randall in Los Gatos.
David Heppberger – Wine Consultant, Buyer: Menlo Circus Club
Linus Hollis – Wine Lover and the most scientifically educated of all of our judges.
Maria Hunt – Award-winning journalist, wine blogger and entertaining expert, Maria Hunt is a Culinary Institute of America Certified Wine Professional and is studying to become a certified member of The Court of Master Sommeliers.
Espen Jensen – Agent for two excellent coopers – Tonnellerie du Val de Loire and Tonnellerie du Sud Ouest
Ward Kadel – Wine Blogger, DRXENO, West Coast Ambassador & Staff Blogger for WineLog.net
Justin Kahler – Winemaker, Justin Kahler, creates wines of unparalleled elegance and quality under the KATIN and ARADA labels.
Ellen Landis – Wine Director: Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn, Half Moon Bay, California; Wine Consultant; Wine Blogger: Ellen on Wine
Ken Landis – Chef, Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn
Christian Lane – Vintner, Simple Math Cellars
Paul Manchester – California Sales Manager: Vintage Wine Marketing
Sandrew Montgomery – President and Sommelier at Sandrews Wine Services
Lisa Mroz – Collabria’s founder, Lisa Mroz, has over 20 years of experience in management and strategic change consulting. She has certifications from both the Court of Master Sommeliers and Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET).
Carolyn Mulas – Wine Manager at Southern Wine & Spirits; Partner, Mulas Family Vineyards
Ben Narasin – Wine, Food, Travel & Luxury Lifestyle Writer
Laura Ness – Wine Marketer, Wine Judge, Wine Writer: Appellation America & many others
Dave Page – Wine Buyer & Consultant
Andreas Papaliolios – Wine Buyer: Tahoe Yacht Club
Alexandria Pappas – Wine Blogger: Brix Chicks
Steve Paulo – Wine Blogger: Notes From The Cellar, a journal of tasting notes and wine reviews, is written and maintained by Steve Paulo, rogue wine reviewer, software developer, baseball aficionado, and native son of California.
Greg Richtarek – Director of Marketing, Guglielmo Winery
Bruce Robinson – Consummate Wine Lover
Lindsey Roffey – CSW, Certified Sommelier, General Manager Rodrigue Molyneaux Estate Winery
Jason Rzutkiewicz – Wine Blogger, Jason views the wine world as a treasure hunt for grown-ups. Jason’s Wine Blog
Sid Sall – Wine Director: Great Chefs & Wineries of the North Bay
Jerry Starr – Certified Sommelier and Director, Client Services at Signature Wines
Eva Swan – Norcal Wine
Fred Swan – Wine Writer, President: NorCal Wine
Liza Swift – Wine Blogger, Brix Chicks
Tim Teichgraeber – Freelance Wine & Spirits Writer, contributing to the San Francisco Chronicle, Decanter, The Wine News, Tasting Panel, The Wave, Cooking Pleasures, Wines & Vines, and other wine and spirits publications.
Jennifer Thomson – The Millennial Daughter & Blogger & Trouble Causer:Jennifer R. Thomson “The Millennial Daughter” didn’t want to go to UC Davis, they grow corn there and she told The Farmer so. Instead she graduated from Napa High School as a two sport athlete and went to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where they have tractor pulls. She has a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Communications and made The Farmer proud when she brought back a Master of Business Administration (MBA) to California after two years spent the Panhandle of Florida. One of just four women in her cohort, her thesis is titled The Economic Climate of the California Wine Industry.
Ed Thralls – Wine Blogger: Wine Tonite!; Winemaker, Certified Specialist of Wine, Winemaker Certificate from UC-Davis, Social Media Marketing Manager for Vintage Wine Estates.
Jonjie Thralls – CFO for Intervine, the leading distributor of wine to the global travel industry.
Edgar Vogt – Wine Educator: Wineworks
Walter Vornbrock III – Wine Consultant
Evan Williams – Proprietor and wine buyer of Evan’s American Gourmet Cafe in South Lake Tahoe, California. Evan has been judging wine for 20 years. Food and wine are not just his business, but his passion.
Rosina Wilson – Wine Blogger, Sonoma/Marin Correspondent: Appellation America
Liza Zimmerman – Chief Editor: Cheers Magazine; Writer: Examiner;
