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Rob McMillan is a leading authority in the U.S. wine industry, renowned for his deep insights and influential analyses. As the Executive Vice President and Founder of Silicon Valley Bank's Wine Division, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the financial landscape of the fine wine sector. With over 35 years in banking—more than 25 of which have been with Silicon Valley Bank—McMillan has held se...

Professor Larry Lockshin is a globally recognized expert in wine marketing and consumer behavior, with a distinguished academic and industry career spanning over three decades. He is Emeritus Professor of Wine Marketing at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science, University of South Australia, where he previously served as Head of the School of Marketing . His research focuses on consum...

Virginie Boone is a seasoned wine writer and reviewer based in Sonoma County, California. She began her career in 1997 with Lonely Planet, contributing to travel guidebooks covering regions such as South America, Northern California, France, and the Deep South of the United States. Transitioning to wine journalism, Boone wrote for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, focusing on California's wine indust...

Cathy Huyghe is a respected journalist, entrepreneur, and wine industry thought leader. She is the co-founder and CEO of Enolytics, a data-driven company that provides business intelligence for the wine industry, helping producers and marketers better understand consumer behavior. Cathy is also a regular columnist for Forbes , where she writes about the intersection of wine, technology, and busine...

Charles Smith is an acclaimed American winemaker best known for crafting bold, expressive wines that reflect the unique terroir of Washington State. Originally a music manager for rock bands, Charles transitioned to winemaking in the late 1990s, founding K Vintners in Walla Walla in 1999. His unconventional approach and commitment to quality quickly earned him recognition, with signature labels li...

Julien Fayard is a renowned winemaker based in Napa Valley, known for crafting elegant, terroir-driven wines. Originally from France, he gained extensive experience working with esteemed Bordeaux wineries, including Château Lafite Rothschild. After moving to California, he became a sought-after consulting winemaker, collaborating with numerous prestigious wineries. He is the founder of Fayard Wine...

Dr. Hoby Wedler is a chemist, entrepreneur, and sensory expert renowned for his work in inclusive design, sensory literacy, and the intersection of science and sensory perception. Born blind, he earned a Ph. D. in organic chemistry from the University of California, Davis, and has dedicated his career to enhancing how people experience the world through their non-visual senses. Wedler is best know...

Kelli A. White is a distinguished sommelier, wine educator, and award-winning author. Her seminal work, Napa Valley, Then & Now (2015), offers an in-depth exploration of Napa Valley's history, wineries, and vintages, and has garnered multiple accolades, including the IACP award for Best New Wine, Beer, or Spirits Book. She has also contributed to The World Atlas of Wine, The Oxford Companion to Wi...

Peter Mondavi Jr . is a third-generation Napa Valley vintner and co-proprietor of Charles Krug Winery, the oldest commercial winery in Napa Valley, established in 1861. Born in 1958 to Peter Mondavi Sr. and Blanche Mondavi, Peter Jr. was raised on the Charles Krug estate in St. Helena, California. From an early age, he and his brother Marc were immersed in the family business, performing tasks ran...

Tim Marson is a distinguished Master of Wine (MW) and Category Director at Wine.com, the United States' leading online wine retailer. In his role, he oversees the procurement of over 7,000 wines from France and Italy, ensuring a diverse and high-quality selection for customers. A graduate in Classics from Oxford University, Tim began his wine industry career in 1997. Tim's extensive experience inc...

Marvin John "MJ" Towler, is a distinguished figure in the wine industry, celebrated for his extensive experience and engaging approach to wine education. MJ began his wine journey in 1997 at Acker Wines in New York City. By April 2000, he made history as the first African-American fine and rare wine auctioneer during Acker's $1.5 million spring auction at the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel. His career s...

António Rios de Amorim is the Chairman and CEO of Corticeira Amorim, the world's largest cork producer. Born in 1967, he graduated from Birmingham University with a degree in International Commerce and pursued postgraduate studies in management at INSEAD, Stanford, and Columbia Universities, as well as in Oenology at the University of Bordeaux. In 1996, António was appointed Chief Executive of the...

Aaron Pott is a renowned Napa Valley winemaker celebrated for his expertise in crafting expressive, terroir-driven wines. With a deep-rooted passion for viticulture and a philosophy centered on letting the land speak through the bottle, Pott has established himself as one of the most respected vintners in California. His journey in wine began at the University of California, Davis, where he studie...

Karen MacNeil is a renowned American author, journalist, wine educator, and consultant, celebrated for her profound influence in the wine industry. She is the only American to have received every major wine award in the English language, including the James Beard Award for Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year and the International Wine and Spirits Award as the Global Wine Communicator of the...

Born and raised into a winemaking family in Burgundy, France, Pauline Vicard has dedicated over 15 years to the wine industry across Europe and internationally. Her early career included roles in the market research department of the Burgundy Wine Board and the French Embassy. She later founded a corporate wine events and education company in Lille, France. In 2015, she moved to London to lead the...

Mike Wolf is a distinguished viticulturist renowned for his significant contribution to bringing ecologically focused farming practices to precision farming for some of the most highly-regarded wines in California. Raised just outside New York City, Mike earned a bachelor's degree in history from Alfred University in 1971 before moving to Ukiah, California in 1972, marking his initial foray into a...

John Capone is the Executive Editor of Wine Enthusiast Magazine. He began his editorial career at Blue Magazine and has contributed to various publications, including New York Magazine, BlackBook, and San Francisco Magazine. In addition to his editorial work, Capone has hands-on experience in the wine industry, having worked multiple harvests in Northern California and serving as the marketing man...

Andrew Jefford is a distinguished British wine writer and broadcaster, celebrated for his insightful and eloquent contributions to wine literature. With a career spanning several decades, he has become one of the most distinctive voices in the field. Jefford has been a regular contributor to Decanter magazine since 1988, where his monthly columns and features have garnered numerous accolades, incl...

Jean-Charles Boisset is a French-American entrepreneur, winemaker, and the owner of Boisset Collection, a family-owned wine business that spans multiple generations and produces wines from 24 wineries located in some of the most prestigious regions in France and California. Born into a winemaking family in Burgundy, Jean-Charles developed a passion for wine at an early age and later moved to Calif...

Gino Colangelo is the Founder and President of Colangelo & Partners, a leading food and wine public relations agency. With a diverse background spanning advertising, retail, and international experience, Gino brings a unique perspective to the industry. Prior to founding C&P, Gino held leadership roles at Dentsu Communications and successfully ran his own retail business. He has extensive experien...

Russell’s fascinating path to becoming the most 100-point awarded winemaker in Napa started with a selling wine to grocery stores for Gallo. In the 1990s, he expanded his reach by writing a wine column for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, gaining access to some of California’s finest winemakers, many of whom would later mentor him. In 2004, he and his partner, Victoria De Crescenzo, founded Bevan Cel...

Dr. Jan Krupp is a former internist who sold his practice in 1998 to pursue his dream of creating a great vineyard to rival that of Chateau Margaux and Ridge Montebello. He has been systematically planning the site and working the land ever since. He took his scientific background and added to it with a wealth of vineyard-specific wisdom from consultants, viticulturists, and winemakers to transfor...

Ric Forman is one of America's true wine pioneers, bringing to the country several of what are now considered industry standard practices in fine wine production. Over the decades, he has had a front seat to Napa's transformation from a small farming community to an international powerhouse, with his wines serving as the benchmark. His command and knowledge of the industry are profound and he deli...

Both a winemaker, and beer brewer, Nile Zacherle has spent decades fermenting in the Napa Valley. As the founder of Mad Fritz Brewing Co, he focuses on growing their beers by malting and brewing with a ‘Farm to Foam’ approach. The sourcing of single variety barleys that are craft-malted with an origin, as well as hops and water sourcing defines the beer styles in what they call ‘Origin Beer’. His...

Maryam Ahmed, founder of Maryam + Company, is a social impact entrepreneur, speaker, writer, and community builder who is making waves in the world of food and wine. Maryam is the creator and co-founder of the biannual Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum , which helps connect diversity initiatives in the wine industry to foster collaboration and problem solving among advocates and leaders. She also...