Professional Wine Competition

After fifteen years in the restaurant industry, Sean relocated to Sonoma County from his native New England to pursue his passion for wine. Managing the hospitality/guest services department at a premier Alexander Valley winery over the course of nine years gave him a unique opportunity to acquire a broad and comprehensive knowledge of viticulture, production, sales and marketing first hand. In early 2017, Sean returned to the restaurant world, taking the role of Sommelier/Wine & Beverage Manager at John Ash & Co. where he oversees an award-winning wine list comprised almost exclusively of Sonoma Counties finest wines.

John Buechsenstein is a veteran California winemaker and wine educator. He has extensive experience making wine in the Napa Valley and other wine-growing regions of the California coast. He has directed wine study tours to the wine regions of Bordeaux, Champagne, Loire Valley and Rhone Valley in France. Buechsenstein recently served as the COO of Sauvignon Republic Cellars, specializing in Sauvignon Blancs from around the world, and, as a co-founder of California’s Rhone Rangers, has vinified nearly every major vinifera grape into a wide-variety of styles. He has also made award-winning wines at Fife Vineyards and McDowell Valley Vineyards. A world-renowned wine educator for more than 30 years, Buechsenstein is a recipient of the UC Davis Outstanding Teaching Award, and a lecturer on wine sensory evaluation at the UC Davis Division of Continuing and Professional Education. He has also served as a wine instructor at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Buechsenstein is a past-president of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, a charter member of the Society of Wine Educators, and has served as a professional wine judge at wine competitions in the United States and abroad. He co-authored the Standardized System of Wine Aroma Terminology, known as the Wine Aroma Wheel, and has written for the Sommelier Journal.

Stacey Carlo is a Certified Wine Professional (Culinary Institute of America) and WSET Level 3 (Advanced), and holds a certificate in Wine Business Management from Sonoma State University. She is a lifelong Sonoma County resident and began her wine and viticulture studies more than a decade ago. Stacey has been employed by Sonoma County wineries, both as a wine educator and tour and tasting host, as well as in various customer service roles. She interned with her mentor, famed wine journalist Karen MacNeil, in the compilation of the 2nd edition of Ms. MacNeil’s award-winning book, The Wine Bible. Stacey is the founder of SonomaSwirl.com - Wine Country Uncorked - a website that she developed to serve as a winery resource to Sonoma County visitors and locals alike and is a platform on which Stacey shares her passion for wine and food, and even more importantly, the memorable connections we make when sharing them.

Freelance Wine Writer, A Year in Wine, Sacramento, CA
Mike Dunne is a freelance wine writer and consultant who divides his time between Sacramento and San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur. The former food editor, wine columnist and restaurant critic of The Sacramento Bee, he continues to contribute a weekly wine column to The Bee and its online platforms, including www.sacbee.com and www.sacwineregion.com. His blog - A Year in Wine - also is a partner in The Bee’s online community of Northern California bloggers, Sacramento Connect. Mike contributed the Inland California and Mexico chapters to the recently published book "Opus Vino," and is at work on a spinoff about outstanding everyday value wines.

Sahar is an experienced owner with a demonstrated history of working in the wine and spirits industry. Skilled in Catering, Wineries, Food & Beverage, Beverage Industry, and Retail. Strong operations professional with a Wine Professional Degree focused in Wine Steward/Sommelier from Apicius Culinary Insitute in Florence, Italy. I have also received my Level 3 Advanced Certification at the WSET, and my French Wine Scholar Certification from the Wine Scholar Guild.

Pamela Heiligenthal is a sommelier and freelance writer on a mission to share the best food and wine experiences across the globe. Whether it’s exploring new wines, regions, chefs, or restaurants, she features the places that inspire her to unveil the next big wine region, restaurant, or libation.

She holds certification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), Court of Master Sommeliers and the Center for Wine Origins. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Enobytes, National Public Radio, The Harvard Gazette, Vegetarian Times, Portland Interview Magazine, The Sommelier Journal, The Oregonian, U.C. Berkeley Astrobiology News, the Washington Post, Saveur Magazine, The Associated Press and USA Today. True to her roots, she seeks varietal and appellation integrity and is always passionate about finding the next great bottle of wine.

Barry has more than three decades of experience in the wine industry, ranging from sommelier and wine shop owner to high-level retail and private cellar acquisitions. He was raised in Southern California, where he earned his stripes in some of LA’s most celebrated restaurants, among them Chinois on Main and Osteria Angelini. Most recently, Barry was General Manager of the Rare Wine Company in Sonoma, as well as working with Soutirage and Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Spirits in Napa Valley. Currently, he is the wine buyer for Bottle Barn in Santa Rosa, CA, a 15,000 square foot superstore and arguably has the largest and finest selection of fine wines north of San Francisco. Barry blames a bottle of 1980 Jayer Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux for having sent him down the rabbit hole many years ago. Today, he lives in Petaluma, CA with his wife, two children and Australian Shepherd, Elvis, to whom he happily dedicates every spare moment outside of work.

Born and raised in Los Gatos, California, Jennifer Jespersen enjoyed early exposure to the world of food and wine courtesy of her parents, who are wine collectors and culinary enthusiasts. Currently the Sommelier at the Bodega Bay Lodge. Jennifer studied Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, and is a Certified Wine Professional through the CIA, as well as a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. She is currently pursuing her Advanced Sommelier certification.

Ellen is a published Wine Writer, Certified Sommelier, Certified Wine Specialist, Wine Educator and Professional Wine Judge. She is the author of the blog EllenOnWine.com and writes for the AWS Wine Journal (AmericanWineSociety.org) among other publications. Ellen is a moderator for the highly acclaimed Vintner’s Holidays annual event at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite, and participates as a key speaker, moderator and panelist at various other wine events. For the past sixteen plus years, she and husband Ken co-owned award winning Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn where Ellen served as Wine Director and Sommelier. In addition to an MBA, Ellen’s wine education includes UC Davis viticulture course work, CSW certification from the Society of Wine Educators program, and holds the credential of Certified Sommelier (CS) from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Ellen serves as a judge at numerous national and international wine competitions.

Owner of A Chef For You, LLC, Tony Lawrence specializes in writing/promoting truth in pairings. Advocates globally that wine is a lifestyle by sharing its history, artistry, science, terrior, sense of culture, which weds wine to food. He designs wine pairing programs for the global wine trade, associations, college culinary/wine programs and wine festivals. He writes for retail wine shops for in-house wine pairing point of sale/newsletters…like Napa Rock Pairings or Lodi Rules Pairings. He also writes for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Taste Magazine’s “Ask The Wine Expert A Question”.

Tony’s journey started at the age of 13, cooking at a summer camp, to restaurants and wineries in Maryland, then attended a vocational culinary school. He earned a BS from Widener University Hotel/Restaurant program on a full scholarship, interned& trained at the Hotel Krone Assmannshausen - Rudeshiem, Germany. He graduated in the first class of CIA Pro-Chef program in1998 (Culinary Institute of America-Greystone. In 2000, Tony completed the Wine & Food Pairing for Chefs program, CIA-Greystone. Graduated in 2010 from the Certified Wine Educator/Napa Valley Wine Academy. Tony is a Red Zinfandel Specialist and a Riesling Specialist. Tony ‘s Wine Judge certification is from UC- Davis 2001.

President, Littlefield Wine Marketing, Napa, CA

Napa Valley resident, Ann Littlefield fell in love with wine during college years in Europe. A longtime international industry veteran and professional international wine and spirits judge, she specializes in new market development. Pioneering various facets of the international wine business, Ann’s diverse focus includes marketing, buying, selling and teaching in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America. Ann launched and developed a successful company to market and sell wines of the world to the international airline industry. She went on to create global wine sourcing and corporate wine programs for the leading Internet wine retailers.

Ann judges in many prestigious wine and spirits competitions, including Los Angeles International, San Francisco International Wine, San Francisco International Spirits, Riverside International, Dallas Morning News International, San Francisco Chronicle, Long Beach International, New World International, Pacific Rim International, San Diego International, The New York Wine Classic, Sonoma County Harvest Fair, Mendocino County, Monterey International and Tri Cities Washington State.

A nationally recognized wine judge, winery producer/owner and wine merchant, Charles F. Mara is a force within the wine industry. Having traveled to many of the world’s most prestigious wine regions, he is a well respected and knowledgeable wine guru who brings to table a love of wine. Wine judge for numerous prestigious wine tastings, as well as serving on several wine tasting panels, Professor of Oenology and member of the Society of Wine Educators, he has also appeared on local TV and Radio shows, was appointed as the Consumer Representative by the Governor of New York to the State Wine Grape Marketing Order Advisory Board, and has been a "Tastemaster" for monthly wine tasting events designed to increase wine awareness and appreciation by consumers. His knowledge has also led him to be a consultant to many restaurateurs and retailers. Charles is also noticed, not once but twice, in the Guinness Book of World Records. One listing is "most paid for a single bottle of wine," - an 1806 Lafite-Rothschild for $28,000 (1978) - and the other is "most paid for a bottle case of American wine" - 1979 Opus I for $24,000 (1981).

Laura Ness is an avid wine journalist with a deep respect for the many hands behind the myth and reality of wine. Every aspect of wine is infused with stories, and telling those stories in a compelling way has become her passion.

A visit to France shortly after college imprinted the concept of terroir indelibly as she tasted wines in the very towns that bear their names. Sancerre, Chinon and Vouvray were not just wines, they were actual places: places you could taste.
Laura’s wine obsession eventually led her from high tech communications to the wine industry, where she is the wine columnist for Spirited and Los Gatos magazines, as well as several Bay Area newspapers. She also writes regularly for industry and consumer publications like Edible: Monterey, Wine Business Monthly, Wine Industry Network, and WineOh.Tv. She judges wine competitions throughout California and enjoys playing “wine concierge” for people seeking out wineries and experiences that provide a unique sense of place.

Christopher Sawyer is a sommelier, wine journalist, consultant, critic and public speaker, and travels the world following trends in wine and participating as a judge in international wine competitions. He was named the 2009 Best Sommelier in Sonoma County by The Wine Tasting Panel Magazine, and is the recipient of many prestigious awards and industry honors. As the world’s first and only Film Festival Sommelier, Sawyer conceived and curated the wine experience throughout the Sonoma Valley Film Festival, including creatively pairing wine and food with films throughout the festival and at celebrity tributes. He is currently sommelier-in-residence at the Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar at The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort and Spa, where he has received numerous awards for his wine list spotlighting wines from Sonoma Valley and Carneros.

Spreti Valente, Certified Sommelier, is the senior wine buyer and sommelier for Anne’s Boutique Wines in Costa Mesa, California. As wine buyer, Spreti meets with winemakers, importers and winery owners to sample hundreds of wines each month. From these wines, a limited few – the best of small producers from around the world, are chosen to be featured in weekly tastings, included in one of three wine clubs she oversees, and/or offered at the retail boutique.

Spreti serves as a wine judge for several prestigious wine competitions, including the Los Angeles International, the Pacific Rim International , the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and now the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Additionally, Spreti consults with restaurants and event planners, and participates as a speaker, panelist and event planner for various wine events, including private wine tastings, food and wine pairing dinners, and regional wine presentations.

Bill Ward is a features reporter | Lifestyle | Entertainment | Wine for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Bill looks for stories off the well-trod path, covers baby boomer issues, and writes about wine in his Liquid Assets column.