Summit Speakers

Max Allen  | Max Allen

Max Allen is an award-winning journalist and author, and honorary fellow in history at the University of Melbourne. Max has been writing about booze for almost 30 years: he is the wine and drinks columnist for the Australian Financial Review, longtime contributor to Gourmet Traveller Magazine, Australian correspondent for JancisRobinson.com and a regular presenter at masterclasses and festivals around the world. His latest book, Intoxicating: Ten Drinks That Shaped Australia, is published by Thames & Hudson.

Christopher Barnes  | Grape Collective

A frustrated wine drinker who couldn’t figure out where to buy all the great wines written about in his favorite wine columns. Prior to being Editor and Publisher at Grape Collective Christopher served as President of The New York Observer Media Group where he oversaw the launch of multiple successful print and digital media properties. In addition, he was a co-founder and Publisher of amNewYork newspaper. His start-up experience also includes Boston Metro and co-founding The London Monthly Magazine.

Bree Boskov MW | Wine Consultant

Bree Boskov is a Master of Wine and independent wine industry management consultant, providing advice on wine business development, brand building, and portfolio management. She specializes in wine education development and consultants on winemaking, blending, marketing and vineyard development. Working with regional vigneron and winemaker associations on issues of quality and style. Born and raised in Australia her career in wine has an intentionally international perspective.

John Brecher  | Grape Collective

Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher conceived and wrote The Wall Street Journal’s wine column, “Tastings,” from 1998 to 2010. Dorothy and John have been tasting and studying wine since 1973. In 2020, the University of California at Davis added their papers to the Warren Winiarski Wine Writers Collection in its library, which also includes the work of Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson. John was Page One Editor of The Journal, City Editor of The Miami Herald and a senior editor at Bloomberg News. They are well-known from their books and many television appearances, especially on Martha Stewart’s show, and as the creators of the annual, international “Open That Bottle Night” celebration of wine and friendship. The first bottle they shared was André Cold Duck. They have two daughters. They are now Senior Editors at Grape Collective.

Thaddeus Buggs | The Minority Wine Report 

Thaddeus Buggs is a shameless wine enthusiast who has spent more than a decade studying wine, traveling  and, of course, drinking it. He is finally retired after 22 years chasing the bad guys as a FBI Special Agent. He is well known among most wine circles in Chicago and South Florida and a hard character to miss at a wine tasting. He holds an advanced certificate from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET).  He’s studying at the Diploma level with WSET.

Craig Camp | Troon Vineyard 

Craig Camp has worked in the fine wine industry for over thirty-five years. He co-founded Direct Import Wine Company in Chicago, an importer and distributor of estate wines from France, Italy, Spain California, Oregon and Washington. After twenty years, he sold that company and moved to the winery side of the industry. After working several years at wineries in Italy, he oversaw vineyard and winery operations as president of Anne Amie Vineyards in the Willamette Valley, then as general manager of Cornerstone Cellars in the Napa Valley. Today, he is general manager of Troon Vineyard in Oregon’s Applegate Valley, a biodynamic estate specializing in southern French varieties.

Randy Caparoso | The SOMM Journal

Randy Caparoso is a multi-award winning wine journalist who lives in Lodi, California. He is Editor-at-Large and the Bottom Line columnist for The SOMM Journal, and currently blogs and does social media work for Lodi Winegrape Commission’s lodiwine.com. He also pens wine columns and contributes editorial to The Tasting Panel magazine; and in the past, he has bylined a biweekly wine column for his hometown newspaper (The Honolulu Advertiser, from 1981 to 2002). In a prior incarnation (1988 to 2001), he was a founding partner of the Roy’s family of restaurants, where he was VP/Corporate Wine Director, opening 28 restaurants from Hawai`i to New York. As a restaurateur, he was named Santé’s first Wine & Spirits Professional of the Year (1988) and Restaurant Wine’s Wine Marketer of the Year (1992 and 1998).

Felicity Carter | Felicity Carter

Felicity Carter is the roving editor-in-chief of Meininger’s Wine Business International, a global, English-language magazine published by Meininger Verlag, one of Germany’s oldest publishing houses. Her job takes me to the world’s wine regions and lets her connect with interesting people. She has judged wine in multiple competitions across the globe, and been on the panel of the Gourmet Traveller WINE Wine List of the Year award since 2008. She was also the 2014 and 2015 international judge of the nationally televised German Wine Queen competition. Previously, Felicity became a published author and wrote about oil, gas, the arts, fashion, marketing, skateboarding, and even the funeral industry. Before became a journalist, she worked as an advertising copywriter in blue-chip agencies, doing creative work for clients such as Qantas, Adobe, MasterCard and more.

Sarita Cheaves | The Swirl Suite Podcast

Wine writer, Sarita Cheaves is a DC native with a passion for food and wine. Before she launched her blog, Vine Me Up, she served as a Senior Tasting Room Associate at Black Ankle Vineyards. She has a WSET (Wine Spirits Education Trust) certification and is known for discovering great wines and unique wine pairings. Sarita also has a knack for media and loves to help others discover their lane. She received a production certification and began to produce, The Swirl Suite Podcast. Sarita interviews winemakers, wine writers and wine influencers from all over the country. She is also a native Washingtonian and uses her platform to showcase the diverse range of where to sip, swirl, and eat in the District.

Leah Derton | William Chris Vineyards

Leah joined William Chris Vineyards during the 2019 harvest season. Her background is in consumer marketing and advertising for various global brands, including YETI, BMW and Target. Leah is a native of Austin and is honored to have the opportunity to share the William Chris story and our Texas-grown wines with more people every day. In addition to her dream job, Leah enjoys learning more about wine, spending time outside, traveling, and relaxing with her husband and young daughter. Leah is a graduate of Texas A&M University’s Mays School of Business.

R.H. Drexel

R.H. Drexel is the pen name for a wine business insider who has worked in nearly every sector of the wine industry for over 30 years. In 2012, Drexel published the first issue of Loam Baby, her wine culture zine, which garnered favorable reviews from the Los Angeles Times, Punch, Imbibe, Wine & Spirits, Food & Wine, among
others, for its irreverent cartoons, in-depth articles and anachronistic approach to wine journalism. Drexel continues to publish Loam Baby, and is also a freelance writer and regular contributor to JebDunnuck.com and Robert Parker’s Wine Journal.

Scott Fish works with wineries, AVAs and supporting businesses to refine their customer’s experience and drive sales. Chief Growth Officer at , he is responsible for developing new strategies for prospective and existing clients. Through his passion for connecting people to great experiences, Scott manages the delivery and success of marketing initiatives for clients.  During the past two decades, he has worked with growing companies around the world in evolving industries such as tourism, wineries, hotels, tourism associations, and cultural organizations. History is important to him, and as a Cabinet board member of the Oregon Historical Society, Scott is actively working to connect new generations to the history and culture of the Northwest.

Meaghan Frank | Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery

Meaghan Frank is the fourth generation of her family to manage Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in the Finger Lakes. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and two post-graduate degrees: one in Wine Business from the University of Adelaide, Australia and one in enology from Cornell University. Meaghan has earned her Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 4 Diploma in Wine and Spirits and Champagne Master Level from the Wine Scholar Guild. She is a Certified Wine Educator through WSET and a certified Wine Judge through the American Wine Society. Since joining the winery in 2013 Meaghan has added unique visitor experiences and created a super-premium line of wines paying tribute to the women of the Frank Family.

Leslie Frelow | Vino 301

Leslie Frelow is the owner and managing director at Vino 301 Wine Concierge which opened in 2013. Vino 301 provides all-inclusive wine tours to Maryland’s vineyards and wineries. From communication with the Maryland Wineries Association (MWA), to individual vineyards and wineries, to tasting room managers, Leslie has developed an appreciation for the craft of winemaking. She also is a part of the Swirl Suite where she and three friends help spread wine knowledge.

Doug Frost | Wine Writer

Doug Frost is a Master of Wine and Master Sommelier as well as an author and wine consultant based in Kansas City, Missouri.  In 1991 he passed the rigorous Master Sommelier examination and two years later became America’s eighth Master of Wine.  He was the second person in history to complete both exams and more than a quarter century later he is still one of only three people in the world to have achieved both these remarkable distinctions.  According to USA Today, “Frost likely knows as much as anyone in the world about how to make, market, serve and identify wines.”

Dorothy J. Gaiter  | Grape Collective

Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher conceived and wrote The Wall Street Journal’s wine column, “Tastings,” from 1998 to 2010. Dorothy and John have been tasting and studying wine since 1973. In 2020, the University of California at Davis added their papers to the Warren Winiarski Wine Writers Collection in its library, which also includes the work of Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson. Dottie has had a distinguished career in journalism as a reporter, editor, columnist and editorial writer at The Miami Herald, The New York Times, and at The Journal. They are well-known from their books and many television appearances, especially on Martha Stewart’s show, and as the creators of the annual, international “Open That Bottle Night” celebration of wine and friendship. The first bottle they shared was André Cold Duck. They have two daughters. They are now Senior Editors at Grape Collective.

Marcy Gordon | Come for the Wine

Marcy is the Founder and Executive Director of Writing Between the Vines — Vineyard Retreats for Writers — A literary arts foundation providing residencies for writers on vineyard estates around the world. She is a freelance travel writer, published in a variety of publications, and the Forbes Travel Guide Corespondent for Napa and Sonoma.

 

W. Blake Gray | Wine-Searcher

W. Blake Gray won the Roederer Award in 2013 for best blogger/online writer in the world. Roederer changed the category in 2014 so he is the last winner of this award. He was a wine writer/editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, the food editor for SF Weekly, and has freelanced for a number of publications. Currently he is US Editor of Wine Searcher, the world’s most visited wine website, and still publishes his own blog, The Gray Report.

Per Karlsson | BK Wine Magazine 

Per has been a contributor to Forbes.com since 2015. He is co-author, and main photographer, of ten wine books together with his wife Britt Karlsson (one of which published in English on organic, biodynamic, and sustainable wine) that have won multiple awards by e.g. The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) and Gourmand International. Just like Britt, he visits some 200 wineries each year on wine tours and for journalistic research. Based on his wine tour activity, Per has also been an advisor to several regions and organizations, including UNWTO, Wine2Wine-Vinitaly, World Bank, Città del Vino, and others on how to develop wine tourism. He writes about wine primarily online on BKWine Magazine and in The BKWine Brief. He is editor-in-chief of BKWine Magazine.

Elin McCoy | Elin McCoy

Elin McCoy is an award-winning journalist and author, focusing on the world of wine. She is a wine and spirits columnist for Bloomberg News, where she writes for their global news wire, and is a columnist for Decanter magazine. McCoy’s most recent book is The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr. and the Reign of American Taste, which garnered international praise and has appeared in five foreign editions. She is also the co-author of Thinking About Wine.

Frank Morgan | Drink What YOU Like

A Virginia native, Frank Morgan works in the Legal and Data Privacy group of a global aerospace company by day. He is the author of the DrinkWhatYouLike wine blog, started six years ago to chronicle his wine experiences from the perspective of an avid wine consumer and to share stories of the wines, wineries, and winegrowers of Virginia. His site was recently named one of the top wine news blogs by Millesima. Morgan is also a contributor for local public broadcasting station, the wine site Snooth, writes a regular column for the Virginia Vineyards Association newsletter, and is the contributing editor of Virginia Wine Lover Magazine, the only print magazine exclusively focused on the Virginia wine industry.

Lauren Mowery | Wine Enthusiast

Lauren Mowery is an award-winning writer, photographer, and blogger who has contributed wine- and spirits-related travel content to publications like Fodors.com, Lonely Planet, Voyeur (Virgin Australia’s inflight publication), Forbes, USA Today, Men’s Journal and Time Out, among others. Pursuing her Master of Wine certification, she has also been a regular wine and spirits writer for Tasting Panel, Somm Journal, Punch and SevenFifty Daily. Mowery is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Fordham Law School, and transitioned from a Manhattan law career to wine via a role with the wine group at Gilt Taste.

Phil Pallen | Phil Pallen

Phil deconstructs digital marketing and social media to empower leaders, corporations, employees, and entrepreneurs. He’s a motivational burst of energy that’ll challenge audiences to be better than ever before. Phil’s insights have been featured in media outlets around the world, including CNN, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, and The Daily Mail, to name a few. Phil has worked with hundreds of brands across all industries, including a Shark on Shark Tank, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, politicians, and some of the most important names in entertainment. He frequently speaks at conferences in cities all over the globe, including London, Tokyo, Dubai, Cairo, São Paulo, Medellín, Auckland, Helsinki, and Los Angeles.

Cyril Penn, Editor-in-Chief | Wine Business Monthly

Cyril Penn is Editor-in-Chief of Wine Business Monthly, the largest circulation magazine serving the North American wine industry. Cyril has followed the U.S. wine industry as editor of Wine Business Monthly for nearly two decades. He has explored wine regions throughout the world, is a frequent speaker at industry events, and is often quoted in the news media. He has more than three decades of wire service, magazine, and broadcast experience.

Glynis Hill | Vino Noire

Glynis Hill is a native of Paterson, New Jersey, and matriculated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and a Master of Science degree from Johns Hopkins University. She currently works as a Regulatory Impact Analyst/Environmental Scientist with a government agency in Washington, DC. Having not grown up in a family of fine wine lovers, she has educated herself by reading, frequenting wine tastings, and asking questions of wine sommeliers and other informed restaurant wine directors/managers. Glynis has traveled to some of the most prolific wine regions in the United States of America and around the world, including Napa Valley/Sonoma, California, Oregon, South Africa, Italy, Provence and the Languedoc Region of France. She is now WSET Level II certified and is pursuing WSET Level III, Advanced certification at Vinecole in the South of France. She passed the blind tasting portion of the exam with Merit!

Christina Peters | Food Photography Club

Christina Peters is an award winning photographer. She received her second degree in photography from the Art Center College of Design in California and has been shooting ever since. Concentrating in food photography for the last 15 years, Christina began teaching food photography classes at her studio in 2011. Her classes are designed for food bloggers, chefs and other culinary professionals. In 2017, she also launched her the Food Photography Club. This site is dedicated to all things food photography with video content, live webinars, and a private community to teach you how to be a professional food photographer. Her clients include Bath and Body Works, Marriott Hotels, Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt, Rubios Grill, Walmart, and Nestle, just to name a few.

Joy Sterling  | Iron Horse Vineyards

Joy Sterling grew up in Paris, attended a French school, and speaks fluent French. Living in Europe and traveling extensively, Joy received an extraordinary education in the appreciation of food and wine. Joy returned to the United States to attend Yale University where she studied history and economics. She went into journalism. At 29, Joy was Deputy Bureau Chief for ABC Network News in Los Angeles. In 1985, Joy left ABC’s hierarchy to join her family’s business and made news headlines for the winery with her first achievement at Iron Horse: In November, 1985, the White House selected Iron Horse Sparkling Wine for Ronald Reagan’s toast to peace at the first summit meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev in Geneva. Joy quietly took up the reins as CEO at the start of 2006. Joy served on the Board of Trustees of the Leakey Foundation for ten years and is a member of National Geographic’s Grosvenor Council. She is the author of A Cultivated Life. As Chair of the California Democratic Party Rural Caucus, her passion projects include expanding broadband into rural communities and ensuring all Californians have access to clean, reliable drinking water.

Fred Swan |  Wine Writers’ Educational Tours

Fred Swan is an Oakland-based wine writer, educator, judge, and speaker. He teaches at the San Francisco Wine School and operates Wine Writers’ Educational Tours, an annual, in-depth educational conference for wine writers. He also leads Zoom seminars and tastings on wine, spirits, and more. Fred’s certifications include WSET Diploma, Certified Sommelier, California Wine Appellation Specialist, Certified Specialist of Wine, French Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Professional, Napa Valley Wine Educator and Level 3 WSET Educator. He’s twice been awarded a fellowship by the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers.

Tanisha Townsend | Girl Meets Glass

Tanisha is the Chief Wine Officer of Girl Meets Glass that aims to empower individuals with knowledge of wine. Her certifications include, Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 Advanced, Certified Specialist of Wine – Society of Wine Educators, Certified Specialist of Spirits – Society of Wine Educators, and French Wine Scholar.

Kelly Wagner | Purple Giraffe

As a marketing consultant with Purple Giraffe based in Adelaide, Australia, Kelly Wagner works with a range of local, national and international businesses to develop their marketing and communication plans and successfully implement their strategies including in digital and social media. Passionate, creative, organised and highly motivated, Kelly is a marketing professional with industry implementation experience.   Kelly’s strengths include leading, managing and influencing people as well as digital and social media management.

A.J. Weinzettel | Oregon Vino Country

A.J. Weinzettel, WSET 2, is a technologist by day and an Oregon wine fellowship artisan by night. A.J. brings together the wine community via a long-form weekly email newsletter, weekly virtual hangouts, aka #ajsHappyHour, and Winederful a social winery locator App for the iPhone. With 27 years of technology experience, a passion for geeking out over wine, and connecting stories, A.J. strives to surface authentic human kinship leveraging technology and, of course, a glass of wine.

Deborah Parker Wong | Deborah Parker Wong

Deborah Parker Wong, DWSET is Global Wine Editor for sister publications the SOMM Journal and The Tasting Panel magazines. In 2020 she was appointed National Editor for the Slow Food Slow Wine Guide US. Deborah teaches as an adjunct professor in the Wine Studies departments at Sonoma State University and Santa Rosa Junior College and she owns a Wine & Spirit Education Trust school offering Level 2 and Level 3 certifications. In addition to writing and speaking about wine, she consults to producer groups, judges wine competitions and produces and hosts vodcasts for Planet Grape Wine Review. Her motto is – To learn, read. To know, write. To master, teach. A partial archive of her published work can be found at www.deborahparkerwong.com.

 

At-Home Tasting Leaders

Craig Camp | Troon Vineyard 

Craig Camp has worked in the fine wine industry for over thirty-five years. He co-founded Direct Import Wine Company in Chicago, an importer and distributor of estate wines from France, Italy, Spain California, Oregon and Washington. After twenty years, he sold that company and moved to the winery side of the industry. After working several years at wineries in Italy, he oversaw vineyard and winery operations as president of Anne Amie Vineyards in the Willamette Valley, then as general manager of Cornerstone Cellars in the Napa Valley. Today, he is general manager of Troon Vineyard in Oregon’s Applegate Valley, a biodynamic estate specializing in southern French varieties.

 

Donna Morris & Bill Sweat | Winderlea Vineyard and Winery

In 2006, Bill Sweat and Donna Morris began their lives as winery owners and winegrowers by driving cross-country from Boston, MA to Dundee, OR.  That same year they purchased the original Dundee Hills Vineyard, renaming it Winderlea, and started their new winery by the same name.  In 2009, initially in response to the spread of phylloxera in their 1970’s era vines, they converted farming from organic to Biodynamic®.  In 2015 they joined just a few dozen other US wineries in achieving Biodynamic® certification for both their vineyard and winery.  In 2014, they leased Meredith Mitchell Vineyard (McMinnville AVA) achieving certification in 2019, and this April leased and began farming Oracle vineyard (Dundee Hills) just down the road from their home vineyard.  Now, heading in to their 15th harvest, Winderlea farms over 60 acres across three sites using Biodynamic® practices. Winderlea is obsessed with producing its wines and running its business as sustainably as possible.  In addition to their farming practices, Winderlea is one of a handful of certified B Corp wineries globally dedicated to building a fully sustainable business and using their business as a force for good in the world.

Sally Murdoch | Oregon Wine Board

A career-long devotee to media relations and writing, Sally forms the connective tissue between the region’s wine producers and media members, and in turn helps extol the virtues of Oregon’s outstanding wineries and vineyards. Sally spent the first decade of her career in sports, managing PR for adidas, Taylor Made Golf, DC Shoes and Nike. She then dove into a decade of PR for PNW beverage brands, finding their marketing to operate at a similar breakneck pace. Working with journalists, TV producers and distributors, Sally dialed up brands’ heightened sense of place by telling the stories of craft beer pioneers and innovators and worked for Widmer Brothers Brewing, Goose Island Brewing, Kona Brewing Company and Coronado Brewing. She also delved into dairy by helping launch a Sunshine Dairy and Moonstruck Chocolate drinking chocolate collaboration. An Oregon Duck and 4^th generation Portlander, Sally is an avid tennis player competing on numerous teams and is mom to a 13 year old daughter, an aspiring comedienne.

Clark Smith | WineSmith

Clark Smith is the owner/winemaker for WineSmith Wines & Consulting.  “I sip, I write, I teach, I sing.” He started the WineSmith project in 1993, specializing in Eurocentric forgeries and oddities. He explores winemaking techniques and styles new and old.  His team runs our tiny winery and coaches over a hundred small wineries on all practical aspects of this dizzyingly complex business.  Clark has taught Fundamentals of Modern Wine Chemistry to over 4,000 winemakers since 1984. He wrote Postmodern Winemaking, named Wine and Spirits Magazine’s 2013 Book of the Year, to share with other winemakers some practical views on making great wine while also providing curious wine enthusiasts with a window on the real winemaking world. As a product of M.I.T. and U. C. Davis, Clark has dedicated 58 vintages to his work as a winemaker, author, inventor, musician, and professor, while providing a host of innovative techniques for thousands of wineries throughout the world. He is owner / Chief Editor for AppellationAmerica.com since 2008. He’s also considered among the three top experts globally on pairing wine and music. The IQ Conference named him 2016 Innovator of the Year. Clark was included among the Wine Industry’s 48 Most Influential People by Wine Business Monthly in 2018.