Meet Our People

These are the people teaching you about wine. It’s a world-class team of winemakers, chefs, sommeliers, restaurateurs, retailers, educators, vineyard managers, winery owners, journalists, and others who have a specific expertise that helps you better understand and enjoy wine.

Wine 365 Cru – Your Personal Wine Guides

Wine expert Joe Janish

Joe Janish

Editor-in-Chief

Wine expert Elizabeth Gillespie

Elizabeth Gillespie

Executive Digital Editor

Wine 365 Cru – Your Personal Wine Guides

Jennica Ossi

Senior Editor

Wine 365 Cru – Your Personal Wine Guides

Hailey Giordano

Writer

Vessie Stoyanova

Vessie Stoyanova

Food Editor

Mackenzie Lesher

Mackenzie Lesher

Writer

Elizabeth Gillespie

Executive Digital Editor

Elizabeth is the Executive Digital Editor for Wine365. She has extensive experience in the wine and spirits industry where she’s been working in Public Relations and Social Media since 2011. Elizabeth is our go-to expert on all things digital and lifestyle.

Jennica Ossi

Senior Editor

Veteran wine publicist for Kobrand Wine & Spirits with WSET 2 certification. Lover of wine, crafty cocktails, foodie, high fashion and a good workout

Vessie Stoyanova

Food Editor

Vesselina Stoyanova, WSET II, attended gastronomy school in Bulgaria before migrating to the United States in 1991. She has worked in the wine and spirits industry for over 20 years and uses her combined knowledge of wine and food to create extraordinary combinations. Vessie is our go-to expert on perfect pairings providing recipe inspiration and culinary wisdom.

Mackenzie Lesher

Writer

Mackenzie, a CT-native, graduated in 2022 from Miami University in Ohio where she studied Strategic Communications and Entrepreneurship. As a lover of food, travel, and good times with good people, she is just starting to dip her toes into the wondrous world of wine and is learning more about it every day, one sip at a time.

Wine Experts and Journalists

Anthony Zhang

Anthony Zhang

Vinovest CEO and Co-Founder

Astin & Monica

Astin & Monica

The Lunch Break Girls

Brianne Cohen

Brianne Cohen

Wine Educator

Carlos Sarmiento, contributor for Wine365

Carlos Sarmiento

Carlos' Food and Wine

Cas Herwaldt, contributor to Wine365

Casleah Herwaldt

Sommelier

Charles Scicolone

Charles Scicolone

Wine Educator and Writer

Cindy Rynning

Cindy Rynning

Wine Blogger and Educator

Ciro Pirone

Ciro Pirone

Italian Wines Expert

Wine expert Diana Zahuranec

Diana Zahuranec

Wine Writer

Giulia Dugo

Giulia Dugo

Travel & Style Expert

Wine Experts and Journalists

Jack Horn

Contributor

Jaunenito Pavon

Jaunenito Pavon

Wine Shop Owner

Jill Barth

Jill Barth

Wine Columnist

Wine Experts and Journalists

Jillian Lepore

Wine Expert

Italian Wine Expert John Fodera

John Fodera

Tuscan Vines

John Foy

John Foy

Wine Journalist

Katie Connell

Katie Connell

Wine & Food Writer

Katie Kelly Bell

Katie Kelly Bell

Wine Writer and Columnist

Katie Melchior, writer for Wine365 and French Wine Tutor

Katie Melchior

French Wine Tutor

Kevin Zraly, contributor to Wine365.com

Kevin Zraly

Wine Educator

Kristen Knutson

Kristen Knutson

Wine Country Chick

Lisa Denning

Lisa Denning

Wine Experts and Journalists

Marika Vida-Arnold

The Mom Somm

Marisa D'Vari

Marisa D'Vari

Wine Writer

Martha Cisneros

Martha Cisneros

Wine Writer

Wine Experts and Journalists

Mikayla Tencer

Wine Lifestyle Guru

Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, the World Wine Guys

Mike and Jeff

The World Wine Guys

Molly Thompson

Molly Thompson

Wine Writer

Natalie Migliarini, contributor for Wine365, blogger, writer, Beautiful Booze

Natalie Migliarini

Cocktail Expert

Wine Experts and Journalists

Penny Sadler

Wine & Travel Communicator

Samantha McClendon

Sam McClendon

Lifestyle & Travel Content Creator

Samantha Capaldi

Samantha Capaldi

Sommelier

Sara Lehman

Sara Lehman

Sommelier and Wine Educator

Sarah Tracey

Sarah Tracey

Sommelier

Silvina Palacio

Silvina Palacio

Wine Blogger and Wine Educator

Valerie Quintanilla

Valerie Quintanilla

Girl's Gotta Drink!

Wanda Mann

Wanda Mann

Wine with Wanda

Anthony Zhang

Vinovest CEO and Co-Founder

Anthony Zhang is the co-founder and CEO of Vinovest, a platform democratizing access to investing in wine as an alternative asset class. A young, talented serial entrepreneur, Anthony has experience scaling tech platforms into multiple markets and securing funding from leading investors. Prior to launching Vinovest, Anthony founded and sold two companies. His first company, EnvoyNow, an on-demand food delivery platform for college campuses, was acquired by Joyrun, a subsidiary of Walmart. EnvoyNow received funding from Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban, and famed TV producer Mark Burnett. His work at EnvoyNow earned him the prestigious Thiel Fellowship award, for which he was awarded $100k in funding from Peter Thiel’s Thiel Foundation. His second company, KnowYourVC, a platform for vetted reviews on angel investors and venture capitalists was acquired by RateMyInvestor after usage exploded to several hundred thousand unique searches a month. He still is an active board member at RateMyInvestor. Anthony has also served as the head of marketing and business development at Blockfolio (acquired by FTX) and is a mentor at WineUnify. Recognized for his achievement as an entrepreneur, Anthony has earned the Interact Fellowship award and landed on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “20 In Their 20s” List.

Astin & Monica

The Lunch Break Girls

Astin & Monica met in Los Angeles while working for a women’s apparel designer and became fast friends bonding over lunch breaks. After one of these adventures, they decided to start sharing their love for good food with others, along with a lot of other things they love, too: exploring new cities, new cultures, and of course new cuisine.

Brianne Cohen

Wine Educator

Brianne Cohen, certified sommelier, is the principal in a lifestyle brand and business based out of Los Angeles, offering her services as an event producer, wine educator, and wine writer. During the pandemic, Brianne educated and entertained over 6,000 people through her “Virtual Vino” online wine classes. She now offers both virtual and in-person tasting experiences with a focus on highlighting diverse (i.e. Black, BIPOC, female, and LGBT) owned wineries. Brianne regularly judges at international wine competitions and holds the WSET Diploma certificate, which is one of the most coveted and difficult wine certifications. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University.

Carlos Sarmiento

Carlos' Food and Wine

Carlos Sarmiento is an award-winning filmmaker & public relations professional as well as a food & wine aficionado. He first discovered his passion for cooking when he was in his early teens, to the point where he was aspiring to go to culinary arts school and become a chef. Life, however had other plans for him. Carlos ended up studying film-making and pursuing a career in film/TV. After a few years, he made a career change and has since established himself as a seasoned public relations & communications professional. The one constant factor throughout his life’s travels and professional experiences has always been and continues to be his love and appreciation for cultures, cooking, and wine.

Casleah Herwaldt

Sommelier

Cas is a Certified Sommelier with 4+ years experience in the wine industry. This includes being a floor sommelier for a Michelin Star chef, hosting sold out events throughout Napa Valley, and Brand Ambassador for a New Zealand winery. She strives to make wine fun, approachable, and exciting, and she is always on the look out for new winery discoveries and the latest trends in the wine world! She loves planning wine events and presenting private in-home and virtual wine tastings. She has received top scoring and a scholarship while completing her sommelier certification through the Court of Master Sommelier (CMS), Level 3 of Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), and plans to begin the WSET Diploma program soon.

Charles Scicolone

Wine Educator and Writer

Charles Scicolone is a wine consultant, writer, educator, and blogger. For 11 years, he was for the sommelier and wine director at I Trulli Ristorante and for Vino, the Italian wine store, in NYC. Charles was nominated by the James Beard Awards for outstanding wine service and wine list for six years running. His love for pizza goes back to 1970 when he first went to Naples, where he returns often. He is coauthor along with his wife Michele of the book Pizza Anyway You Slice It. Charles teaches wine and food pairing courses, and his favorite class is pizza and wine.

Cindy Rynning

Wine Blogger and Educator

Cindy Rynning has been writing about wine on her award-winning wine blog, Grape Experiences, since 2011.  She passed the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 program with Merit in 2012. Cindy is based in Chicago where she hosts virtual tastings, attends international and national trade tastings and media events, meets and interviews winemakers and others who share their stories, and writes about tastings, food and wine pairings, wine travels, and more. She’s an active member of the judges panel at the Beverage Tasting Institute. A former educator, Cindy understands the value of lifelong learning and strives to share her knowledge of wine through writing, social media, personalized wine tastings, and real-life conversation in order to inform, entertain, and inspire others to discover the beauty of our favorite beverage: wine.

Ciro Pirone

Italian Wines Expert

Ciro Pirone, Director of Italian Wines for Horizon Beverage Company, is a graduate of the Istituto Alberghiero (Hotel and Restaurant Management school) of Salerno, Italy and a Vinitaly Wine Ambassador. Traveling and working in Italy, England, and the US, Ciro developed an incredible passion for wine, food, and culture. After all, growing up in Italy, wine was always a very important part of his family’s lifestyle and traditions. In 1999, Ciro moved to the US permanently. He landed in Boston, where he continued his wine studies at Boston University, the International Sommelier Guild, and the Wine & Spirits Educational Trust (WSET), among other associations and organizations. Ciro is happy to share his passion for Italian wine and culture in an effort to give the American wine consumer a better understanding and appreciation for Italian wine!

Diana Zahuranec

Wine Writer

Diana studied Anthropology at Penn State and Food Culture & Communications at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy. After living la bella vita in Italy for six years, she returned to the U.S. and landed in NYC. She has been working in wine since 2012 and holds WSET 2. Loves Nebbiolo and amaro. Talk to her about Italy.

Giulia Dugo

Travel & Style Expert

Giulia is a techie by day, and a travel blogger by night. She launched Palm Trees & Pellegrino, her passion project, in 2016. At first Palm Trees & Pellegrino followed her journey as a fashionista in the Tech Industry – think career, blogging, and fashion. Now, it is a collection of stories and travel tips from fellow wanderlusters who love to travel in style.

Jack Horn

Contributor

Jack was the first-ever copy editor for Wine365, before moving on to law school. While still a relative novice to the wine industry, he’s had the opportunity to interact with some of the most respected winemakers in the world, such as Didier Debono of Alta Vista and Julian Grounds of Craggy Range. Jack has poured wine and provided tasting direction at Wine Spectator’s New York Wine Experience and James Suckling’s Great Wines of the Andes.

Jaunenito Pavon

Wine Shop Owner

Jaunenito Pavon is the owner of CoCoVino LA, a state-of-the-art wine shop in Glendora, CA. He has traveled extensively throughout his life, visiting places such as France (all wine country), Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Mexico, Morocco, etc., learning about wine, music, religion, and culture. After attending school at the University of California at San Diego in La Jolla, Jaunenito moved to LA and began a career in wine working for Joaquin Splichal. He has been a wine director for 10 years in Los Angeles and a contributing wine editor for Patterson’s Beverage Journal. Pavon has taught wine publicly and privately, hosting wine dinners for the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Major of Vernon as well as Far Niente Winery at Pinot Bistro. He has also consulted for dozens of restaurants in Los Angeles and won three straight blind tasting events held at Monsoon Café in Santa Monica, CA.

Jill Barth

Wine Columnist

Jill Barth is a writer focused on wine creators—with culture, community, ecology, and travel pivotal to the stories. She is an award-winning wine columnist for Forbes and a wine country travel expert panelist and contributor for USA TODAY’s 10Best. Her work appears in Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Relais & Châteaux Instants Magazine, SevenFifty Daily, VinePair, France-Amérique, Palate Press, Luxe Provence, Courrier International, Provence WineZine, and Perfectly Provence. Jill is a Provence Wine Master through the Wine Scholar Guild and received a fellowship to the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers. She’s also the founder and author of L’Occasion, which was awarded the Best Overall and Best Writing from the prestigious Wine Media Awards and was a finalist for Millesima’s Blog Awards in food and wine pairing.

John Fodera

Tuscan Vines

John began seriously appreciating wine in 1995 and has been passionate about discovering and exploring it ever since. This passion led to the founding of Tuscan Vines in 2010, a leading authority on Tuscan and Italian wine in the United States. Drawing upon decades of tasting experience including visits to the premier wine regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Veneto, Lazio, Champagne, Alsace, Napa, and Sonoma, John primarily focuses on Italian wine and creating original recipes that honor the Italian culture.

John Foy

Wine Journalist

After time in the Peace Corps, John Foy’s wine and food world expanded exponentially when he arrived in Brussels as a tax accountant. He immersed himself in the rich, exquisite version of French cuisine made famous by Brussels and neighboring Luxembourg chefs. Foy took a long weekend in the village of Gevrey-Chambertin and it was then that he decided to quit his job, return to NYC, and open a restaurant. He opened his first restaurant, The Tarragon Tree, in NJ. As his interests and expertise evolved, that was succeeded by Le Delice, and finally Sonoma Grill. All three were acclaimed by local, regional, and national publications and reviewers. Each was recognized for having a significant impact on dining in New Jersey. A few years later, Foy began writing about wine and food for several New Jersey newspapers, trade publications and wine magazines. He found that it helped put it all into perspective. In 2016, Foy launch The Wine Odyssey newsletter, website, and travel guide.

Katie Connell

Wine & Food Writer

Recent college graduate of Southern Methodist University. Katie grew up in a small town in New Jersey with a family who all shared a passion for wine and food. Now she is entering the world of PR in the food and beverage industry, as well and creating freelance articles for Wine365.

Katie Kelly Bell

Wine Writer and Columnist

Katie Kelly Bell writes about what’s interesting in wine, travel, spirits, and food. She is a regular contributor to Forbes, USA Today, Sherman’s Travel, Departures, and Modern Luxury. Her work has also appeared in Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, Private AirThe Atlanta-Journal Constitution, and Delta SKY. She has made appearances on CNN’s Travel Channel as a travel expert and was awarded the MAGS Association Magnolia Award for excellence in writing and editing. She is WSET certified and a voting member for the Paris-based Prix Villegiature Hotel Awards. When she isn’t traveling, you’ll find her in Atlanta with her husband, three children, and devoted rescue dog.

Katie Melchior

French Wine Tutor

An American by birth, but French every way else, Katie started learning the language at the age of 11 and has spent her career working for French wine brands, translating marketing strategies from French to English for the American market. She’s lived in France many times and has always had a sincere appreciation for the food and culture she fell in love with as a child. With 6+ years experience in social media strategy, she launched a successful Instagram brand, French Wine Tutor, in 2019 to help educate and debunk myths about French language, pronunciation, and wine. She has a WSET 2 and currently works full time with VIVANT & Château de Pommard as Social Media Lead.

Kevin Zraly

Wine Educator

Kevin Zraly is an award-winning wine writer and one of the world’s foremost wine educators. He has written eight books about wine and food, including his annually updated Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, which has sold more than four million copies, making it the number one wine book in the United States. He also co-authored the definitive book about red wine – aptly named Red Wine – with The World Wine Guys, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen. Kevin is the youngest person to receive the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award (2011), recognized for his commitment to making the study of wine accessible and fun to all as well as for his monumental contributions to the world of food and wine. He is one of only three people from the world of wine to receive this recognition – the other two being Robert Mondavi and Ernest Gallo. Kevin has shared his passion for the enjoyment of wine through his books, appearances on major television networks, and through features in The New York Times, People, The Wall Street Journal, GQ Magazine and many others. He continues to teach and entertain through his virtual wine classes, dinners and events for corporations and individuals.

Kristen Knutson

Wine Country Chick

Kristen is a Minnesota-raised, California-based wine lover who can’t live without Cabernet Sauvignon, trips to wine country, and cheese. She’s passionate about sharing her wine adventures, discoveries, and inspirations on a daily basis.

Lisa Denning

Lisa Denning’s love of food, wine and spirits has led her on the path to many edible adventures. Attending the International Culinary Center in New York City was the first step on this journey, followed by jobs in the food business. In 2012, she began to focus on wine and spirits as a sales associate at Sherry-Lehmann, one of the oldest wine retailers in the U.S. In 2016, Denning founded The Wine Chef, now an award-winning blog with content devoted to wine and food pairings. Additionally, Denning writes for Grape Collective where she is known for her winemaker interviews. For delicious food and wine pairings, follow her instagram @nycrestaurants.

Marika Vida-Arnold

The Mom Somm

Marika Vida-Arnold, CSW, Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers and the American Sommelier Association and enrolled in the WSET Diploma, has successfully worked in nearly all aspects of the wine business. She started her career in the competitive wine-auction world for the prestigious Sotheby’s and has most recently served as Wine Director of The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. Marika is passionate about enhancing the wine education of consumers and colleagues alike, which has led to the creation of some of the most popular, enjoyable seasonal programs for wine consumers.

Marisa D'Vari

Wine Writer

Marisa D’Vari discovered wine and food pairing with Julia Child as the program director of Boston’s American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF). An interview with Robert Mondavi motivated her to achieve the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust Diploma (WSET), Certified Sommelier designation from the Court of Master Sommeliers, and Certified Wine Educator certification from the Association of Wine Educators. Since receiving her diploma in Winemaking from UC Davis, D’Vari is pursuing her Masters of Science in Wine Management from the OIV. D’Vari judges for London’s International Wine and Spirits Competition, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, and others. She writes for several prestigious publications including Wine Enthusiast, London’s FT, San Francisco Chronicle, Decanter, and her online magazine AWineStory.com.

Martha Cisneros

Wine Writer

Martha Cisneros is the Wine Blogger, Content Creator, and Sommelier behind WineDivaa.com. Martha holds a WSET 2 diploma with merit. In addition, she is a student of the programs Italian Wine Scholar and a Sherry Wine Scholar from the Wine Scholar Guild. Furthermore, the Court Master of Sommeliers recently awarded her the Scholarship to complete the Introduction to Sommelier course. She defines herself as a wine lover. Martha founded Latinas Wine Club Inc., a community and technological platform to support and connect Latina wine professionals and enthusiasts as well as Educate, Empower, and Elevate through Wine. Currently, Martha focuses on tasting different wine regions, studying for the Sommelier exam, and polishing her writing skills by providing wine recommendations on the blog and Instagram.

Mikayla Tencer

Wine Lifestyle Guru

Mikayla is California-born and North Carolina-raised with a passion for wine and style. She has worked in wine in California ever since graduating college. Her blog aims to inspire readers to step out of their wine and style comfort zones to try something new and affordable!

Mike and Jeff

The World Wine Guys

Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, also known as the World Wine Guys, are wine, spirits, food, and travel writers, educators, and hosts. They are award winning journalists as well as best-selling and award-winning authors. They have been featured guests on the TODAY Show, The Martha Stewart Show, Better TV, and the CBS, FOX, and NBC networks. They have tasted wines from all around the world, and the most important aspect for them is the feeling of conviviality that surrounds the opening of a bottle of wine.

Molly Thompson

Wine Writer

Molly began her hospitality career as a host at a small café where she realized her passion for the industry. She majored in Travel Industry Management with an emphasis in hospitality from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she fell in love with food and had her first encounter with wine pairings. In March 2020, she passed the CMS Certified Sommelier exam, days before the Covid-19 shutdown. With newfound free time, she started an Instagram account sharing wine knowledge, with the intention of making wine approachable and easy to understand. She recently launched the corresponding blog and hopes to share wine travel experiences soon.

Natalie Migliarini

Cocktail Expert

Beautiful Booze’s Natalie Migliarini is passionate about cocktails, education, empowerment, and sharing her journey with others through her drinkable moments around the world on her Instagram @BeautifulBooze. She has a particular aptitude for discovering unique and inventive approaches to conceiving exceptional concoctions and occasions. She began her journey as a home bartender, yet has advanced over the years and developed additional specializations, including cocktail styling, journalism, social media consultation, event bartending, and more. Natalie made the decision to leave her comfortable career in 2013 to pursue her passion for cocktails full time. It all started while she was hosting dinners and parties at home: she was developing creative cocktails for her friends and family, and her guests kept inquiring about the recipes. Just like that, Natalie started Beautiful Booze, for her friends to easily access her recipes and re-create their favorites. She is also the author of “Beautiful Booze: Stylish Cocktails to Make at Home.”

Penny Sadler

Wine & Travel Communicator

Penny Sadler is a freelance writer and wine enthusiast residing in the Lone Star State. She enjoys exploring wine through travel and is WSET 2 certified. Her glass is always full, preferably of something white and sparkling. She writes for Vintner Project, The Cheese Professor, Inside Hook, and other outlets.

Sam McClendon

Lifestyle & Travel Content Creator

Lifestyle & Travel Content Creator for The Blonde Scout. Lover of wine, beachside picnics and traveling the world! I’ve always had an editing eye and I want to share my advice to give you a curated selection of my top picks for your trips, lifestyle and fashion choices. I always do a ton of research to find what is cool and in the moment – from the cutest brunch spots to the most insta-worthy views, so just sit back and relax and let me do all of the work for you.

Samantha Capaldi

Sommelier

Sam is a Phoenix-based sommelier, influencer, TV personality, and online wine and social media consultant. She found her wine passion early, launching her in-home wine tasting business, Samantha Sommelier, at the age of 23. A California native, she found her way to wine while studying at U of A when participating in a social media and marketing internship in London. After graduation, she moved to Phoenix, where a blog she did on food and wine for fun morphed into organizing wine tastings for friends, then a realization that she wanted to steer her career in that direction. Sam attended an intensified sommelier training program at the International Culinary Center of California, where she received Level 2 certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers. Back in Phoenix, she works with private clients in their homes, zeroing in on millennials with an easygoing approach to guiding guests through wine tastings. Her mission is to make wine fun and approachable for any level of wine enthusiast!

Sara Lehman

Sommelier and Wine Educator

Sara Lehman is a Certified Sommelier and pairings expert in NYC. Sara is focused in Wine and Mixology Education as well as hosting wine events for luxury buildings in NYC. When she’s not hosting events, she’s the Guest Sommelier at The Lodge at Woodloch, a destination spa!

Sarah Tracey

Sommelier

Sarah is a professional sommelier based in Brooklyn who has proudly worked her way up from spit-bucket-emptier to Michelin-starred Wine Director since her very first winery gig in 2011. Certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers, she has taught over 300 wine classes to date. She launched her site The Lush Life in 2014 to deliver fresh lifestyle content featuring wine and cocktails, entertaining how-to’s, and wine news her friends could actually use! She explores wine regions around the world, hosts events & create digital content on behalf of wineries and brands, and produces fun and interactive wine tastings for private groups. Her idea of ‘self-care’ is a solo Beyoncé dance party with a glass of rosé Champagne (try it, you’ll feel better!).

Silvina Palacio

Wine Blogger and Wine Educator

Silvina started her wine blog “Thoughts of La Wina” in 2019 to teach interested students at the New School for Social Research (NYC) about wine. But her journey began much earlier as a very young girl, when her father would pour Malbec into her seltzer water, a common practice in Argentina. True knowledge about wine came later when she started working at Wines from Spain. In 2006, she received the Wine and Education Spirit Trust Diploma in Wines and Spirits and the American Society of Wine Educators Certified Wine Specialist Diploma. During that time, she collaborated with Master of Wine and Master Sommelier Doug Frost to create two guides to Spanish wines. After five years at Wines from Spain, Silvina worked for two wine PR agencies; and in 2008, for a wine importer. Today, she no longer works professionally in wine, but it remains her passion, as seen in her blog and writing.

Valerie Quintanilla

Girl's Gotta Drink!

Valerie Quintanilla is an American expat in Alba, Italy. She designs custom travel / tour programs while moonlighting as a marketing consultant around Europe and North America. Her work has been featured in Wine Enthusiast, Food & Wine Magazine, Open Skies (Emirate Airlines inflight magazine), Italy Magazine, and more. She also writes Italy wine guides for Carpe Travel. Valerie and her toddler, Il ragazzino, are based in the Piedmont region, but she organizes travel and tour programs, specialty events, and destination weddings throughout Italy. In addition to wine and travel, she loves to run, hike, cook, and is desperately trying to find time to read again.

Wanda Mann

Wine with Wanda

Wanda Mann is founder of The Black Dress Traveler and Wine with Wanda. Always on a quest to learn more about wine, in 2015 she earned the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) credential from the Society of Wine Educators and has traveled with her ever-growing collection of little black dresses (and many other colors) to numerous wine regions, including Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, and Argentina. In 2017, Wanda served as a judge at the Napoli Wine Challenge at the Vitigno Italia wine festival in Naples. Also in 2017, Wanda was inducted as a Cavaliere into the il Sovrano e Nobilissimo Ordine dell’Amarone e del Recioto. Wanda’s content was syndicated on The Daily Meal from 2015-2018 and her travel advice has been quoted in the New York Daily News and EBONY Magazine. In 2019, Wanda was inducted as a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier. In 2013 Wanda was invited to be a Brand Ambassador for the prestigious Michelin Guides. In January 2013, Wanda was invited to participate as a judge alongside former New York Times restaurant critic Bryan Miller and Chef Suvir Saran at the Albany Chefs’ Food & Wine Festival. In May 2009, Wanda was the first Mistress of Ceremonies for the award-winning Authors & Inns Tour featuring celebrity chefs. Wanda has also provided commentary for ABC News Now on the red carpet fashions worn at the Academy Awards. In 2004, Wanda appeared as a model in an international ad campaign for the World Gold Council. A native New Yorker and Manhattan resident, Wanda enjoys exploring the world of wine in her hometown by attending numerous tastings and classes. As a student, Wanda spent her junior year of high school in Barcelona, Spain with the School Year Abroad program. Her junior year of college was spent in Toledo, Spain studying at the Fundación Ortega y Gassett. She still dreams of living in España for at least 3 months each year. Wanda is a proud graduate of Phillips Academy (Massachusetts) and Pomona College (California) and her taste in wine has improved dramatically since her college days!

Food Experts

Food Experts

Deepika Kalla-Paul

Recipe Developer

Samantha Ferraro

Samantha Ferraro

Recipe Developer

Kevin Fagan

Kevin Fagan

Content Manager

Jane Niemeyer

Jane Niemeyer

Food & Wine Writer

Chelsea Peachtree

Chelsea Peachtree

Vegan Recipe Developer

Meredith Kruse

Meredith Kruse

Recipe Creator

Camilla Mann

Camilla Mann

Epicure

Domenica Marchetti

Domenica Marchetti

Cookbook Author, Italian Food Expert

Deanna Kang

Deanna Kang

Recipe Developer

Food Experts

Jackie Hughes & Keith Lampkin

Recipe Developer & Photographer

Andrea Maranville

Andrea Maranville

Pastry Chef

Cynthia Ruff, contributor for Wine365

Cynthia Ruff

Wine and Entertaining

Deepika Kalla-Paul

Recipe Developer

Deepika is a New York City-based food photographer, recipe developer, food stylist, and the creator of the blog The Deeper Living. Deepika focuses on vegetarian dishes, sweet things, and everything in between. Deepika believes that making food beautiful and intriguing is a vital part of the eating experience.  She thinks that we eat food through our eyes as much as we do through our palette, so why not make what you eat beautiful and tasty? Deepika is always dreaming about creating new things in her kitchen. She is always enthused to go to her local grocery store, the farmers market, and anywhere food maybe in abundance. Looking at seasonal, specialty ingredients from all over the world is what always excites her to cook and bake. Deepika shares her passion for delicious bakes and global dishes by providing detailed, step-by-step instructions that go over ingredients, techniques, and styling tips.

Samantha Ferraro

Recipe Developer

Samantha Ferraro is a food blogger and author of The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen. Samantha comes from a diverse background and is originally from Brooklyn NY, until she turned to island life and moved to Hawaii. Now Samantha blogs about world cuisine recipes made easy from her home in Washington State. When she’s not blogging or making a mess in the kitchen, you can find her traveling the world for recipe inspiration. Samantha’s second cookbook will be on the shelves across the country in the summer of 2023.

Kevin Fagan

Content Manager

Kevin Fagan is the Content Manager at Lobster Anywhere. He is a New Englander that likes to (or try to) cook gourmet food at home. He is passionate about writing, sustainable seafood, and reading recipes. Aside from cooking, he could be found playing basketball on the weekends.

Jane Niemeyer

Food & Wine Writer

Jane Niemeyer, founder and creator of the blog Always Ravenous, is a writer specializing in food and wine pairings. She is always ravenous to discover and create something new in the kitchen from her inspiration found at farmer’s markets, traveling, dining out, reading cookbooks, or simply living life. A lifelong student of wine, she is WSET 3 certified and currently studying for her French Wine Scholar certification.

Chelsea Peachtree

Vegan Recipe Developer

Chelsea is a Connecticut-based food photographer, recipe developer, and the soul behind her vegan food blog, Chelsea Peachtree. Growing up as a vegetarian since the age of five, Chelsea slowly became interested in eating more plant-based and vegan recipes. She found, however, that many of these recipes were complex and confusing. Therefore, she started Chelsea Peachtree to help other like-minded individuals create delicious, veggie-focused recipes that were straightforward, approachable, and full of taste. Chelsea shares her passion for vegan foods with her community by providing helpful tips and tricks on how to navigate to a more veggie-focused lifestyle and believes that no step is too small.

Meredith Kruse

Recipe Creator

Meredith is the food photographer, recipe developer, and blogger behind Our Love Language Is Food. Growing up in a tight-knit family in the Midwest, her favorite memories were made around a big table sharing food that everyone helped to prepare. She started Our Love Language Is Food to help other aspiring cooks and bakers feel confident in the kitchen so they can bring these types of experiences into their home too. Meredith primarily shares easy, approachable, and delicious recipes that elevate the everyday.

Camilla Mann

Epicure

Camilla started her blog in 2012 as a way to share the processes for dishes she was serving to friends and family. Over the years, it blossomed into a creative outlet for all things food, wine, eating, imbibing, and cooking. When a friend called her an “epicure,” she welcomed it as an apt title for her many roles: constant content creator, ingredient wrangler, recipe developer, and food stylist. Camilla loves forging connections with local producers and purveyors who are making a difference in the local and global food landscape. She began her YouTube channel as a mode of demonstrating a technique when it’s easier to show instead of describe. Camilla’s goal is to inspire people to get into their kitchens, use the ingredients they have, and make a delicious mess.

Domenica Marchetti

Cookbook Author, Italian Food Expert

Domenica Marchetti is a former newspaper reporter with a graduate degree in journalism from Columbia University. Her recipes and articles on Italian home cooking have been widely published in national publications including Better Homes and Gardens, Cooking Light, Elle Décor, Fine Cooking, Food and Wine, the Chicago Tribune, and The Washington Post, among others. She currently writes a bi-monthly recipe column for the online publication Italy Magazine. She also offers occasional small-group, custom culinary tours and workshops in collaboration with partners she knows well and trusts. She believes in sustainable tourism and travel in Italy, so her tours are limited to no more than 10 guests. Her goal is to give her guests a true Italian experience, and to shine a light on the food and wine artisans whose hard work and dedication keep Italian food traditions alive and thriving. Domenica also teaches Italian home cooking across the U.S. locally in the Washington, D.C. area and online. Her focus is on homemade pasta and regional Italian dishes, all designed to make you a better Italian home cook (even if you aren’t Italian!).

Jackie Hughes & Keith Lampkin

Recipe Developer & Photographer

Jackie is a fashion designer and photographer with a passion for food. Keith is a former chef with strong ties to the food community. Their shared love for gastronomy became supermancooks.com, where they create unique, inspiring, and accessible recipes for cooks of all abilities. Known for their colorful food styling and signature photography, Jackie and Keith partner with major food and wine brands throughout the world to create compelling content.

Andrea Maranville

Pastry Chef

Andrea Maranville is a self-taught baker who took her passion for being in the kitchen at home and turned it into a business. Andrea launched the Sweet Life of a Baker blog as a way to share her favorite recipes with the goal of inspiring others to pick up a whisk and pursue their own goals and dreams in the kitchen. Now a TV personality, bakery owner, and pastry chef, Andrea shares her experiences in the kitchen, relatable stories, and real-life tips she has learned over the years via video how-tos and recipes, providing inspiration and real life recipes for every home cook. Andrea currently stars on the 2020 Food Network reality series, “Summer Rush,” placed as runner-up on the ABC 2018 season of “The Great American Baking Show – Holiday Edition,” and continues to make TV appearances doing live cooking and baking demonstrations.

Cynthia Ruff

Wine and Entertaining

Cynthia is the creator of the blog Darling Down South, and is a California native relocated to Atlanta, Georgia who has spent most of her life figuring out whether she was Southern or Californian. She non-ironically uses y’all now, so believes it is safe to say she is southern. Her blog captures navigating modern life with a southern-ish twist. Darling Down South began in 2015 as a southern life well-explored, whether that is seasonal and fresh recipes, a new travel destination, or reinventing personal style through home and fashion.

Wine Industry Insiders

Wine Industry Insiders

Nick Poletto

Wine Educator

Missi Holle

Missi Holle

Wine Educator

Katie Madigan, winemaker for St. Francis

Katie Madigan

Winemaker

Wine Industry Insiders

Henry Sidel

Sake Samurai

picture of Wine365 contributor Kurt Eckert, French wine specialist

Kurt Eckert

French Wine Expert

Jordan Ross, contributor on Wine365

Jordan Ross

Wine Expert

Wine Industry Insiders

Bernie Sun

Sommelier

Wine Industry Insiders

Ron Breitstein

Wine Expert

Nick Poletto

Wine Educator

Nick Poletto, DipWSET,CSS,CSW has an extensive wine background that began in 2002 and includes studying abroad in both Italy and Argentina, working a harvest season at a winery in Martinborough, New Zealand, and teaching the WSET at Johnson and Wales University. Currently the Director of Wine and Spirit Education for Kobrand Corporation, Nick is a “practical only” MW student, meaning he has passed the theory portion of the Master of Wine exam.

Missi Holle

Wine Educator

Missi has over 20 years of experience in the wine/spirits industry from both wholesaler and supplier positions. She is a Certified Wine Educator (CWE), and Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS), obtained through The Society of Wine Educators (SWE), and is the Immediate Past President of their Board of Directors.  She has achieved Advanced Level wine certification through the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and has trained through the Court of Master Sommeliers. She is very passionate about teaching and strives to make wine and spirits education easy to understand and, most importantly, fun!

Katie Madigan

Winemaker

Katie Madigan is a winemaker for St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, where she has worked for the past 15 years. Her interest in winemaking grew from her attraction towards science and her passion for creativity. She is responsible for the production of three of St. Francis’ top wines: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and “Old Vines” Zinfandel. Katie has also received substantial recognition for her work: she was awarded “Best Woman Winemaker” by the International Women’s Wine Competition in 2015.

Henry Sidel

Sake Samurai

Henry Sidel is the Founder and General Manager of Joto Sake, the sake division of Kobrand Wine and Spirits. Henry started Joto Sake LLC in 2005 with the vision of creating the most selective and respected sake importing company in the U.S. Joto means “highest quality” and this was the guiding principle for Henry and his team. Before starting Joto Sake, Henry held management roles at Belvedere Vodka/Moet Hennessy, Brooklyn Brewery, and Ciao Bella Gelato.

Kurt Eckert

French Wine Expert

Kurt Eckert has worked as a sommelier in top NYC restaurants, leading the opening team at Jean-Georges and immediately achieving 4-star recognition from the NY Times and 3 stars from the Michelin Guide. In addition to the flagship restaurant, he managed the wine programs at four more NYC restaurants in the group and contributed to still more Jean-Georges projects around the world. While managing these wine programs he created his own boutique label for handcrafted wines, employing classic old-world techniques in the emerging vineyards on the East End of Long Island. After leaving the restaurant scene in 2002 he became US Brand Director for Champagne Krug, and developed an effective strategy for success in the US market for this reference-point, iconic Champagne brand. The next step was as Director of Fine Wines for Frederick Wildman & Sons, with a renewed emphasis upon Burgundy as well as other prestigious French & Italian producers. Eventually in 2009 Marathon Selections was launched with a highly specialized focus upon emerging small domaines in Burgundy. Having built several of these producers to a level where they were ready for larger and more widespread distribution in the US, it became time to move to the next challenge with Kobrand and the venerable Maison Louis Jadot. Here we find the opportunity to work across nearly the entire range of Burgundian terroirs, with viticulture and winemaking skills which are unparalleled. Authenticity and sense of place assume center stage for an on-going conversation about the unique mystery and fascinating diversity within the region, firmly anchored to a centuries-old tradition of quality.

Jordan Ross

Wine Expert

Jordan worked on Wall Street in the early 1980s. To alleviate the suffering from a declining market, he developed an unquenchable interest in wine and, upon leaving the brokerage business in 1985, enrolled at the University of California at Davis School of Enology & Viticulture where he graduated with a degree in Enology in 1989. He complete winemaking internships in Napa, and his academic experience and passion for wine, combined with extensive travels to wine regions throughout Europe and South America, contributed to articles published in Wine Spectator, Wines & Vines, Global Vintage Quarterly, and Practical Winery & Vineyard.

Bernie Sun

Sommelier

Bernie Sun is the Luxury Accounts Manager at Kobrand Corporation. Based in New York, he oversaw the beverage programs for all of Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s restaurants globally, from Shanghai to Paris for 10 years. He is the recipient of the 2010 James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Wine Service Award for Restaurant Jean-Georges. His wine knowledge and palate are the result of years of study and work in New York’s top restaurants. Bernie also made wine in Napa, Bergerac, and the Willamette Valley under his III Somms label. He has been quoted and featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Wine Spectator, Wine & Spirits, Beverage Media, GQ, and Food & Wine.

Ron Breitstein

Wine Expert

Ron has over 30 years of experience in the fine wine and spirits industry as a retailer, wholesaler and consultant.  Ron is the co-author of Wine & Dine:  California Fine Wines Matched with Gourmet Recipes, a book on wine and food pairing.  Ron has been a frequent contributor to Wine Spectator and Market Watch magazines, and penned articles for Restaurant Marketing Magazine.  Ron  has made numerous television and radio appearances on the subject of fine wine and food pairing, most recently on CBS-2 Chicago Morning News as a contributor.  Ron has also been a guest speaker for the Kendall College Wine Course and the UCLA Wine Course.
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