Professional Wine Competition

Dan Berger began writing about wine in 1976 and his column has been syndicated nationally by Creators Syndicate to newspapers around the world.  He contributes articles to Gourmet magazine, Wine Press Northwest, Decanter Magazine in London; the California Grapevine and writes for many trade journals and websites including Cheers, AppellationAmerica.com, and Beverage Dynamics. Mr. Berger also is a speaker on wine at numerous international major events. He speaks at trade convocations, such as Terroir 2000, 2001, and 2002 and at the UC-Davis School of Enology and Viticulture. He also teaches wine courses at Sonoma State University and at Santa Rosa Junior College. Dan’s first wine articles were for Associated Press, where he worked as a reporter and sports writer. His first regular wine column appeared in 1977 in the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. In 1979, he joined the staff of the San Diego Union, where his wine columns ran twice weekly and were syndicated nationally by Copley News Service. He also reviewed restaurants for San Diego Home/Garden magazine for six years. In 1986, Dan moved to Sonoma County where he became Business Editor and wine columnist for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat; The New York Times Syndicate carried his wine column nationally. In 1988, he joined the staff of the Los Angeles Times as full time wine columnist and reporter. The Los Angeles Times Washington Post wire carried his column nationally. He left the Times in 1996 to publish Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences, a weekly newsletter on wine and food.

Wine Reporter, The Press Democrat and Sonoma Magazine
Over the past 20+ years, Sarah has written about wine, spirits, and food for over 50 publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, Wine Enthusiast, Wine & Spirits, Gourmet, Saveur, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Whisky Advocate, Forbes, Robb Report, and many others.
Sarah joined the wine industry in 2006 when the stars aligned and she scored a job as a tasting room host at Tablas Creek winery in Paso Robles, Calif. From there, she went on to work for many wineries on the Central Coast and in Sonoma County in roles that ranged from communications, marketing, public relations, social media, DTC sales, tasting room management, and wine production, among others.
Sarah has completed three harvest internships and has taken advanced college courses on enology, viticulture, wine chemistry, sustainable/organic winegrowing, and more. In 2018, she earned her Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 Award in Wine.
A former chef and recipe developer for print media, Sarah is a graduate of the professional culinary training program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City. She’s also highly versed in the art and production of Scotch whisky and a graduate of Bruichladdich Distillery’s Malt Whisky Academy on Scotland’s Isle of Islay.
Sarah lives in Sonoma County with her husband, Andy, and her three wiener dogs: Ramsay, Minnie, and Sophie Francine.

Mike Dunne, who has been writing of wine in Northern California for 50 years, is the author of “The Signature Wines of Superior California: 50 Wines that Define the Sierra Foothills, the Delta, Yolo and Lodi.” In the book, Mike traces the evolution of the modern wine trade about Sacramento through 50 wines that represent character, quality, value and pivotal developments in grape varieties, wine styles, appellations and personalities during that span. When he isn’t writing of wine and travel for various publications and platforms, including his website SignatureWines.us, Mike frequently judges at wine competitions across the United States. He and his wife Martha, also a wine judge, reside in Sacramento, CA.

Assistant Editor of the California Grapevine wine newsletter, Bob Foster has been a wine judge for over 30 years in California, Oregon, Iowa, Missouri, Virginia and even Baja California. He is the Director of the Mid-American Wine Competition (held in Iowa and open only to the wines of the Midwest). Bob is also a retired prosecutor, retiring after 33 years of service with the California Attorney General’s Office. During his career he twice argued (and won) cases at the Supreme Court of the United States

Daryl has been a winemaker for 35 years… with some of his wines even served at the Oscars and Emmys two years in a row!With experience in wineries such as Krondorf in the Barossa, Saltram, Peter Lehman, Kaiser Stuhl and finally working with penfolds between 1982 – 1989. His 1986 Penfolds Grange was arguably one of the top 3 Granges ever made. Daryl only makes wines that he personally loves to drink and loves to make… his Aussie wines come from his own vineyards, planted by his and his sister in laws family – so you could say Daryl has full control over the whole process! Daryl LOVES making (and drinking) Shiraz… It’s silky, sexy and simply delicious he says. Daryl loves the personality of all the different styles and thinks Shiraz offers the greatest value of all red wines. Daryl loves to make wine and he loves people drinking his wine. Naked Angels allow Daryl the financing to put best resources into making quality wine. He can select the best barrels he needs and farm to the best quality.

“Naked is a gift from god to a winemaker, I knew there were angels in heaven!”

Wine Category Manager, Bottle Barn
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.

Jennifer Kelly is a Sommelier and wine professional; with over 20 years of wine industry experience. Her talents include wine marketing, sales, public relations, and most recently adding assistant winemaker to her diverse repertoire.

Ambitious by nature, Jennifer has held several executive roles with the likes of famed importer, Wilson Daniels, specializing in French and Italian wines, based in St. Helena, California, Sonoma County-based Jackson Family Wines. In 2017, Jennifer was tapped by Donald Patz (formerly Patz & Hall) to join his new company, The Donald Patz Wine Group. As Vice President, Sales, and Marketing she launched the route-to-market by establishing national sales and distributor partnerships along with branding for three new wineries — Maritana Vineyards (Russian River), Secret Door Winery (Napa), and Terminim Wines (a collaboration with Francois Villard, Rhone Valley and Mendocino).

Jennifer’s new project, Luxury Wine Partners is a venture that focuses on winery clients who are looking for a personal and growth-centered approach. It is a full-service agency based in Sonoma, Napa and Marin concentrating on brand marketing, sales execution, DTC, strategic public relations, and digital communications.

Jennifer enjoys living in Petaluma, California with her husband Sean. They have three beautiful children —Hana, Michael, and Morgan— all living nearby. This adventurous and spontaneous duo enjoy making wine, visiting wineries, the food scene, traveling (at a moment’s notice), volunteering, and supporting local business whenever possible.

Josh recently joined the team at Oliver’s Markets as their Corporate Wine/Liquor Coordinator.  Josh’s career includes extensive relations with domestic and global wineries, distributors, and importers. He was also Oliver’s Montecito Wine Manager 2015-2019. Josh returned to Oliver’s as Corporate Wine & Liquor Coordinator in July 2023. He earned an MBA in Wine Business (SSU) and is a Certified Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers) and Certified Specialist of Wine (Society of Wine Educators).

 Ellen is a Certified Sommelier, wine writer, and frequent judge at prominent regional, national, and international wine competitions. She contributes regularly to the Great Northwest Wine magazine, and for several years has researched and contributed to Slow Wine Guide USA, a guide to wines from producers in California, New York, Oregon and Washington that use greener farming practices.  She hosts and participates in numerous blind tastings and various wine events as a moderator, speaker, and panelist.

For several years, Ellen served as Sommelier at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay. She was Wine Director and Sommelier for 20 years at Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn on Miramar Beach, which she built and co-owned with her husband Ken Landis, who is himself a frequent wine judge, and former chef at Landis Shores. Landis Shores was named one of the top 15 Inns for Wine Connoisseurs in North America and achieved great acclaim and numerous awards. They sold the inn in 2015 to allow Ellen to focus more time on the world of wine. She and Ken still think about the many wonderful and loyal guests who stayed with us over the years, many of whom became friends.

She has visited wine regions throughout the world including France (Bordeaux, Champagne, Burgundy, Rhone), Italy (Tuscany), Spain (Priorat, Tenerife), Portugal, South America (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay), Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and of course, North America (California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Michigan, New York, Virginia, Ohio, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Hawaii and Canada).

Christopher Sawyer is an internationally-renowned sommelier, wine judge, consultant, wine journalist and public speaker.  Voted Best Sommelier of Sonoma County 2021 by Bohemian Magazine for the eighth consecutive year, he is also a recipient of many more prestigious awards and industry honors. To enjoy his wine adventures follow his Blog The Sommelier Files & YouTube Channel featuring The Varietal Show!

An internationally-renowned sommelier, wine educator, journalist, consultant, critic and public speaker: He travels the world following trends in wine and participating as a VIP at many wine events throughout the world.

Mick’s story begins in Barossa Valley, the heart of South Australia Wine Country. He set his sights on winemaking early on – at 12 years old, he joined his winemaking father and uncle for harvests at legendary Penfolds winery.  The pull of the industry was strong – so much so that Mick left school early for his first job in a winery lab. While earning his stripes, Penfolds acquired the winery, bringing Mick full-circle to follow in his dad’s and uncle’s footsteps.

Fast forward a few years more and Mick’s hard work earned him a full ride scholarship to study winemaking and viticulture at Roseworthy College. Upon completing his degree, Mick hopped right back into the red winemaking team at Penfolds and began rubbing shoulders with industry giants like John Duval, Peter Gago, the legendary Max Schubert – and Angels’ very own Australian star, Daryl Groom.

Today Mick’s a Sonoma icon with vast regional expertise and a deep love of the area’s Sauvignon Blanc. Among the many feathers in his hat, he helped turn Geyser Peak’s Sauvignon Blanc into the gold standard for the variety in California. On top of that, he’s also the only two-time “Winemaker of the Year” winner at the London International Wine & Spirit Competition.

Carol Shelton has had an illustrious 46-year career in the wine industry. While getting her Enology degree from UC Davis, Carol worked with Dr. Ann Noble, of Wine Aroma Wheel fame. As one of the first few women to receive her BS in Enology in 1978, Carol worked for Robert Mondavi, Saltram’s in Australia’s Barossa Valley, and in 1980 at Buena Vista, where she was mentored by the great Andre Tchelistcheff. As Winemaker for Windsor Vineyards from 1981 till 2000, her wines drew great acclaim and she earned the title of “Most Awarded Winemaker in America” as well as “Winemaker of the Year” at least five times. Carol left Windsor in early 2000 to form Carol Shelton Wines with her husband, Mitch Mackenzie. Their goal is to craft small lots from carefully selected vineyards, with Zinfandel and Rhône wines as their focus and passion. She continues to draw acclaim, earning 90+ scores consistently and winning many Gold+ medals and Best of Show awards, has been named “Winemaker of the Year” a record 10 times, and her wines have been featured in the annual Wine Spectator’s “Top 100 of the World” four times in the past eight years.

Dr. Liz Thach, MW is a Professor, Wine Writer and Consultant based in Napa and Sonoma, California. She is an award-winning author and educator, specializing in wine business strategy, marketing, leadership/executive development, and wine lifestyle. As one of the nation’s leading wine experts, she also serves as President of the Wine Market Council – a non-profit firm that provides research on U.S. wine consumer behaviors and attitudes. Liz’s passion is wine, and she has visited most of the major wine regions of the world and more than 75 countries. She has published over 200 articles and 9 books, including Call of the Vine, Best Practices in Global Wine Tourism and Wine Marketing & Sales. She frequently publishes in Forbes, Wine Business Monthly, Wine Spectator, and The Somm Journal, amongst others. A fifth generation Californian, Liz finished her Ph.D. at Texas A&M and now lives on Sonoma Mountain. In addition, she teaches wine classes at Stanford Continuing Education and Sonoma State University, as well as working as a consultant and wine judge. Liz obtained the distinction of Master of Wine (MW) in May of 2011, becoming the first female MW from California.

Miro Tcholakov is Vice President and Director of Winemaking Operations for Trentadue Winery LLC in Geyserville, Sonoma County, overseeing all aspects of winemaking; including custom crush and bottling. Chiefly responsible for reinvigorating the Trentadue brand when he came aboard in 1999, Miro has worked tirelessly to take our wines to a new level of quality and prestige.

“Making wine has been a lifelong dream of mine. After completing my studies in 1990 at the higher Institute of Agriculture in Bulgaria in Agronomy/Viticulture, I traveled to California on an Exchange program in wine business. I continued my education by attending Santa Rosa Junior College and UC Davis, focusing on specific courses in Winemaking and management. My internship started at Dry Creek Vineyards in the summer of 1990 and in nine years of employment, I transitioned through the ranks of Cellar Master and Assistant Winemaker. It was during this time that I fell in love with two distinctively California varietals; Zinfandel and especially Petite Sirah.

In 1999 I took over the winemaking operations at Trentadue Winery. That new opportunity added to my excitement about Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, which have been two long standing staple varietals at Trentadue.

My passionate love affair with Zin and Petite Sirah lead to my election to the Board of Directors of ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) and also to the Board of Directors of PS(Petite Sirah) I Love you-a nonprofit organization that I helped establish 19 years ago.”

In addition to SF Chronicle wine Competition Miro is also a Judge at several other wine competitions such as Orange County Wine Society, West Coast Wine Competition, Dab Berger International, New Orleans International and a few others.

The Equus Restaurant wine list was judged “Best of Show” in the 1995 and 1998 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. The gallery of Sonoma County wines, nearly 300 bottles hand-picked by their winemakers, sets the tone–wine country splendor in a classic setting. Larry Van Aalst, Equus Sommelier, has been selecting wines for Equus for over a decade. Larry has been judging at the Cloverdale Citrus Fair/San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for over a decade likewise, an opportunity for Larry to keep abreast of fine wines from California.

Wine industry veteran David Vergari crafts Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon at Owl Ridge Wine Services in Sebastopol, CA, from purchased grapes in Sonoma and Marin counties. He brings years of winemaking experience in both Europe and Australia as well as California to his label which was started in 2003. His full story is told in the PinotFile Volume 6, Issue 7. He divides his time between the winery and vineyards in Northern California and his home life with Katie Orth in Sierra Madre in Southern California.

Elsie has over 30 years of experience within the Supermarket Industry, most recently at Target Corporation.  Prior that that, Elsie was the VP of Meals & Ingredients for the Safeway enterprise consisting of 8 divisions before the 2015 merger with Albertson’s Companies, the nation’s second-largest supermarket operator. Elsie spent the majority of her career with Safeway–starting as a retail Courtesy Clerk and working her way up to a corporate Vice President.

As a California native, Elsie is passionate about leveraging local partnerships and inspired to bring wine, beer & spirits history to life at retail. In 2017, under her leadership, Safeway was recognized by the Wine Enthusiast as the Retailer of the Year and just recently Albertsons Companies was awarded the 2020 Retailer of the Year.   Elsie has been judging wine professionally since 2015 at many local competitions such as the North Coast Wine Challenge, Sunset International Wine Competition, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, and the San Francisco International Wine Competition.  Elsie is WSET III certified and is working on attaining additional certifications including Cicerone.  Elsie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from Santa Clara University and a Master of Business Administration from St. Mary’s College of California. She was recognized in 2014 and 2019 by Progressive Grocer as one of the Top Women in Grocery.

Wine judge, lecturer, and sommelier Debbie Zachareas is a well-renowned wine expert from the Bay Area. Along with developing innovative wine programs across San Francisco’s wine scene, she has worked as an international wine judge, a wine buyer, and is the only sommelier to have won San Francisco Magazines Wine Director of The Year twice.

Debbie is the Proprietor and Managing Partner at the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant in San Francisco’s restored Ferry Building, Mission Bay Wine & Cheese in San Francisco, and the Oxbow Cheese & Wine Merchant in downtown Napa. She was the consulting wine director to the Warriors at the Chase Center and has recently opened her latest Wine Bar at Chase Center’s Thrive City, Mission Bay Wine Bar. She is the wine consultant to Izzy’s Steak House in the Bay Area, and the Madrona in Healdsburg. She is also a well-known wine judge, lecturer, sommelier, and guest speaker throughout the country.