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 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.

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.

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 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 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, 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!

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 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 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.

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.

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 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 Air, The 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.

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 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 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’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, 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 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 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 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 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 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.

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 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.

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.

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 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 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 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 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 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!