Wine Hosts

Attracted by Shale Oaks’ commitment to producing high quality wines in a sustainable fashion, Curtis Hascall has been winemaker at Shale Oak since 2010. Born in Watford, England, Curtis intended on becoming a master beer brewer when he grew up. He moved from the San Francisco Bay area to San Luis Obispo where he became a food-science graduate of Cal Poly State University. His focus on making beer took a turn, however, when a friend hired him to drag hoses in the cellar at Norman Vineyards in Paso Robles. After working there for a few years, he took advantage of an opportunity to work a harvest at Cumulus Winery in Orange, Australia, where he would stay for one vintage. Curtis and the winemaking team have racked up an impressive list of awards and accolades in a relatively short amount of time. Upon your first tasting of Shale Oak, you'll know why.

Join Curtis on a voyage of discovery, cruising up the Blue Danube on the deluxe river ship AmaSonata. This is the best-selling river cruise in Europe. Onboard AmaSonata, Curtis will conduct 2 tastings and a gourmet dinner, paired with the wines of Shale Oak. Along the way visit Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, the Wachau Valley, Passau and Vilshofen Bavaria. Conclude with 3 nights in beautiful Prague, never destroyed in WWII.

Jenne Baldwin-Eaton started her career with Plum Creek Cellars, one of the largest Colorado wineries in 1994. Hired as a chemist in the lab and then having an “Aha moment” with a bottle of 1992 Cabernet Franc, made by her mentor Erik Bruner, art and science were forever woven together. For 22 years, Jenne made award-winning wines from 100 % Colorado grown grapes. Her next six years were spent developing and teaching the first Viticulture and Enology program at Western Colorado Community College, a division of Colorado Mesa University. Although retired from academia, Jenne has a long-standing passion for the Colorado wine industry and continues to support, educate, research and consult. For Jenne wine is a beautiful culmination of terroir, art, and science. She looks forward to exploring the Bordeaux wine region and introducing folks to the high-quality wines of Colorado. Jenne will bring with her wine from three Colorado wineries Vines 79, Red Fox Vineyards and Restoration Vineyards. All three wineries make wines from Bordeaux cultivars and each have their own style from 100 % Colorado grown grapes. Join Jenne as she shares with you the new world vs old world styles of Bordeaux wines!

Toussaint Cellars is a micro boutique winery established in 2016 by Paul and Gina Toussaint in the Santa Barbara County wine region of California.

Paul is the winemaker and has lived in the Santa Barbara area for 40 years. He learned to love the unique vineyard characteristics and many varietals grown in the Santa Barbara wine region and developed a great appreciation for the local winemakers. He started making his own wines 15 years ago.

Wines are handcrafted in limited quantity to fully express the unique varietal and vineyard characteristics of Santa Barbara County AVA’s. Most grapes are sourced from smaller vineyards to offer a unique expression of Santa Barbara varietals.

Mary Joli is the SE Regional Sales Manager with Willamette Valley Vineyards, where she manages our distributor relationships, seeing accounts and presenting at wine dinners and seminars across the southern region from AZ to FL.

Mary brings with her a wealth of wine knowledge and experience from 20 years in the Oregon wine industry, starting in wine shops specializing in Oregon Pinots, and later with several small production Oregon wineries. Mary has managed tasting rooms, formed and structured wine clubs, hosted special events and vineyard weddings.

As a TWA international flight attendant Mary traveled extensively throughout Europe she first discovered the joy of drinking elegant old world wines. Over a four year period Mary tasted her way across Europe and developed a palate and passion for wine. After settling down and raising a family Mary returned to the workforce to pursue her passion for wines, of traveling and meeting new people, working with Willamette Valley Vineyards has enabled her to live her dreams.

At home in Oregon Mary enjoys hiking the dunes on the Oregon coast, organic gardening and kayaking on the Willamette River. She actively enjoys Oregon’s endless forests, snowy mountains, rugged coastline and, of course, its elegant wines!

Anthony Beckman has made Balletto Vineyards wine since 2007, starting as an enologist and earning a promotion to winemaker just two years later. His unorthodox path to winemaking gives Anthony a unique and unbridled perspective on winemaking. While Anthony has had a life-long passion for wine and food, his first career was as a daily news reporter working for prominent newspapers in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, followed by a stint in San Francisco working in technology.

But the realization that he needed to pursue wine as a career came quickly. He quit his day job in San Francisco and a month later worked harvest at Quivira Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley. His second harvest took him to New Zealand working for Delegats, where he gained exposure to cold-climate viticulture and learned the ins and outs of grape varieties like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. After returning to California, Anthony worked for three years as the wine buyer for Taylor’s Market in Sacramento while putting himself through the UC Davis Viticulture and Enology program. He graduated from Davis with high honors and department-wide recognition.

Since becoming winemaker at Balletto, Anthony has applied his style and point of view to Balletto Vineyards wines. Anthony strives to make wines that are elegant, balanced and reflective of the variety. He perfectly matches the lively natural acidity with the fruit to create wines with depth, structure and finesse. When it comes to the single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Anthony strives to create wines that express each site so those enjoying can experience the nuances of the cool, foggy Russian River Valley estate vineyards at their essence.

Steve and Caryn Arrowood, owners and winemakers of Montemar, started making wine in their garage in 1991, sourcing fruit from Santa Barbara County to Napa and making upwards of 14 barrels a year. As Garagistes, the activity was a friends and family experience. After Steve retired from a career in aerospace, his continued passion for winemaking led to creating a bonded winery in 2009. In 2012, production was increased to sufficient volume for a tasting room. The tasting room opened in 2013 and the Montemar winery was built in time to harvest the 2015 fruit. Both the tasting room and winery are located in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto. Montemar currently produces 1,400 cases/year, averaging less than 100 cases per lot with many small-lot bottlings available exclusively to wine club members. Sadly, Steve passed away in early 2020 but not without passing on his winemaking passion to their son, Kyle. Caryn and Kyle are dedicated to carrying on Steve’s vision for the winery and his trademark high-quality, small-lot production.

Brad Beard is the charismatic but down-to-earth force that drives Mercury Wine. A self-taught winemaker, Beard learned the wine trade in Arizona, starting in high end restaurants, then made the leap to wine sales and distribution. He then moved to California to fulfill his winemaking dream.

Mercury Wine was founded in 2008 in the sleepy little town of Geyserville, located in the northern reaches of Sonoma County, nestled in the heart of Alexander Valley. The downtown district on Geyserville Avenue runs a mere 2 blocks, but boasts three world class restaurants along with Mercury’s tasting room.

Brad’s winemaking philosophy is to bring the style and elegance of European wines, blended with the world’s best grapes; occasionally shredding all the rules to put his personal and unique touch on his unruly American winemaking.

Brad lives in Geyserville with his husband Danny & winery dog Freddie.

Northwest Michigan is fast becoming recognized for its excellent opportunities for growing grapes. The “lake effect” climate enables the growth of classic vinifera grape varieties, including Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and more. Since 1998, Black Star Farms has been producing wines from local vineyards that are consciously crafted from vine to bottle. Grapes are sourced from their proprietor’s vineyards and local grower partners on the Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas AVAs. Because of Black Star Farms’ commitment to preservation, 130 of their 170 acres of vineyards have been protected from development.

In their 20th year, they were honored with the most prestigious award at the 19th Annual Canberra International Riesling Challenge – Best Wine of the Challenge! The 2017 Arcturos Dry Riesling scored 98 points and was awarded “Best in Show,” in addition to taking home Best Dry Riesling and Best American Riesling. All six Rieslings they submitted received medals, showing a consistent quality across vintages and styles.

Kimberly is a Certified Specialist in Wine with over 16 years in the Michigan wine industry. She travels the state promoting Michigan wine at restaurants, trade tastings, festivals, and other wine-themed events. At Black Star Farms, she hosts wine tours and other curated wine and food experiences. She believes every bottle tells a story, and she loves sharing her passion and knowledge of the Black Star Farms story with enthusiasts and novices alike.

Mary Joli is the SE Regional Sales Manager with Willamette Valley Vineyards, where she manages our distributor relationships, seeing accounts and presenting at wine dinners and seminars across the southern region from AZ to FL.

Mary brings with her a wealth of wine knowledge and experience from 20 years in the Oregon wine industry, starting in wine shops specializing in Oregon Pinots, and later with several small production Oregon wineries. Mary has managed tasting rooms, formed and structured wine clubs, hosted special events and vineyard weddings.

As a TWA international flight attendant Mary traveled extensively throughout Europe she first discovered the joy of drinking elegant old world wines. Over a four year period Mary tasted her way across Europe and developed a palate and passion for wine. After settling down and raising a family Mary returned to the workforce to pursue her passion for wines, of traveling and meeting new people, working with Willamette Valley Vineyards has enabled her to live her dreams.

At home in Oregon Mary enjoys hiking the dunes on the Oregon coast, organic gardening and kayaking on the Willamette River. She actively enjoys Oregon’s endless forests, snowy mountains, rugged coastline and, of course, its elegant wines!

David Mounts spent his life growing up in the vineyards under the watchful eye of his father Richard. He knew the farming life well. After graduating in 1998 from Fresno State University with a degree in Viticulture, David went on to work in the vineyard industry. He spent his first six years with Sonoma-Cutrer Winery and Vineyards developing his vineyard skills and learning quality through sacrifice, such as cropping a vine for quality not quantity. David then moved on to manage multiple vineyard sites throughout Napa Valley. This is where he refined his vineyard practice to grow the highest level of quality fruit as well as gain exposure to winemaking at its finest. With a developing palate for high quality wines, David wanted to apply what he’d learned over the years to his own family’s vineyard. The outside experience gave David the confidence and desire to showcase the grapes and vineyards he knew so well, through the expression of wine.

Sommelier, wine writer and international wine judge, Roxanne Langer has tipped her glass around the world looking for the best wines, Champagnes, Cognacs, and Whiskeys. She has held executive management positions for Napa Valley wineries, international winery associations and even a cult winery located in the tawny hills of Bel Air, Los Angeles. Frequently a guest wine speaker for wine festivals (including EPCOT’s International Food & Wine Festival) to cruise ships, Langer has co-authored, “Churchill, A Drinking Life: Champagne, Cognac and Cocktails” (Skyhorse Publishing NYC). Langer has also penned several articles for the Somm Journal, The Tasting Panel, Wine Geographic and numerous newspapers and wine blogs. In addition, as a wine expert she has been quoted in more than 10 national books.

As the co-founder of LadySomm, a wine edutainment and experience company located in Carmel-By-The-Sea, Langer provides wine programs to corporations, associations, universities and C-suite executives in the US and Europe. A two-time graduate of the University of the Pacific (B.A & M.A.) Langer wrote her master’s thesis on wine. She attended the University of California at Davis Community Education Program in Viticulture and Enology and has studied under WSET in the UK, US Somm and is a somm-certification adjunct professor. Langer has traveled extensively through 40 countries focusing mainly on wine regions.

In addition, Langer serves as Vice Enchansson for the Los Angeles Chapter of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, is a board member for Les Dames d'Escoffier International- Monterey Chapter, is a member of Women of the Vine & Spirits, Women for WineSense (past Sacramento president), CMO Club (Chief Marketing Officers), American Institute of Food and Wine, and Women in Wine, Monterey, CA.

Regina Gaines is a native of Detroit and an accomplished brand developer who is widely recognized for her business acumen and expertise. After completing her studies at Clark Atlanta University, a prominent historically black college in Atlanta, Georgia, Gaines worked for Moet & Chandon, where she was involved in an induction campaign. Gaines further solidified her position in the industry by serving as an agent for Jack Daniels and Remy Martin. She co-owned Madison and Vine, an agency, before launching her own line of tequila, Tequila Distinguido.

In 2014, Gaines attended Michigan State University College of Law, where she earned a degree in intellectual property, information, and communications. It was during her daily commute to and from school that she conceived the idea for the House of Pure Vin, a wine shop in downtown Detroit. In 2015, Gaines brought her vision to life and opened the House of Pure Vin on Woodward Ave.

Gaines is actively involved in several community organizations, including the Downtown Detroit Partnership, where she serves on the board of directors, MichBusiness, where she is a member of the advisory board, and the Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance, where she is a founding member. She is also a board member of the Michigan Wine Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion.

While Gaines has achieved many professional milestones, her proudest accomplishment is her daughter, Sarai Ware.

Following their dreams, three friends came together, Gina, Cat and Flint; full of talent, ideas, and the passion to create exceptional wines. At Wit Cellars, we are committed to artfully crafting outstanding wines, which respect the elegance of each region, and the talents of each wine grower. Our experienced, knowledgeable, and committed winemakers, Flint Nelson and Cat Warwick, along with the WIT team create exceptional wines for those whom we have touched, and those whom we have yet to touch. We accomplish this by blending our individual strengths and talents. In doing so, we foster a fun, positive atmosphere that supports our principles and culminates in a healthy, happy life style. WIT speaks to thoughtful, meaningful interactions with friends, a lightness of mood, and certain elegance of style–which is the spirit of WIT Cellars.

Even before Lorraine traveled to Germany and Alsace, she was passionate about their wines. This cruise will be a great opportunity for her to share her love of their wines as well as wines from her home base, the internationally acclaimed Finger Lakes, NY wine region. After specializing in wine for years in both the wholesale and retail markets, Lorraine began teaching beverage courses at RIT. She hopes that each student that takes her classes finds wine less mysterious and gets “bit by the bug” like she experienced.

Lorraine is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers. Through the Society of Wine Educators, she became a Certified Wine Educator and Certified Specialist of Spirits. She was elected again to their Board of Directors in 2022. As an American Wine Society Certified Wine Judge, she teaches and assists on their education programs. Lorraine judges at and has chaired domestic and international amateur and commercial wine and spirits competitions. She has the Wine and Spirit Education Trust Level 3 and teaches their courses. She also helped start the local chapter of Women for Winesense and received the WWS Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.

Bill Redelmeier is the driving force behind Southbrook Vineyards, Canada's largest organic winery. With a deep passion for both wine and the environment, Bill has revolutionized the wine industry in Canada by prioritizing sustainability and organic practices. Bill's journey began with a simple dream: to produce exceptional wines that are not only rich in flavor but also gentle on the earth. Recognizing the importance of organic farming and its positive impact on both the quality of wine and the environment, Bill made a bold decision to focus on organic viticulture from the very beginning. Today, the winery spans impressive vineyards, capturing the essence of Ontario's fertile land, and showcases an extensive range of wines, all of which are certified organic. By prioritizing organic practices, Bill has become a trailblazer in Canada's wine industry. He has shown that it is possible to create exceptional wines while being environmentally conscious, without compromising on taste or quality. In doing so, Bill has set the standard for sustainability in wine-making throughout the country.

Long Cellars is a boutique winery in Woodinville, Washington that has been evolving for over 16 years. Jason became involved in the wine industry in 2008 when he began assisting several Woodinville wineries. Working with them taught Jason how to appreciate, make, and sell wine while simultaneously incorporating fun and laughter. In 2009, Jason produced his first vintage of wine and has never looked back. The primary mission at Long Cellars is to produce fine wines using Bordeaux varietals from some of the most reputable vineyards in Washington. There is also an underlying mission – incorporating a fun and comfortable social setting, which is why the slogan “connecting good people with fine wine” is part of the winery.

Currently, Jason is sourcing fruit from two of the most notable A.V.A.s in the state: Red Mountain and Yakima Valley. Over the years, Jason has focused on producing single varietal and blended wines using all 6 red Bordeaux varietals. Between the Washington state terroir and Jason’s careful and unique winemaking style, Long Cellars wine exudes a classic and powerful New World style. This journey has led to 25 wines receiving a score of 90 or more points.

For over 165 years, the Young family have lived on and farmed their ranch in Sonoma County, becoming one of the largest family-owned growers of premium wines in Alexander Valley. Since 1997, the family have offered small lot Estate wines under the Robert Young name – big, lush Chardonnays, sublime Bordeaux Blends and powerful 100% Cabernet Sauvignons. Today, visitors to the winery in Alexander Valley are welcomed as members of the extended family and invited to experience the beauty of the vineyard ranch and the wines inspired by Robert Young. Join us as we explore the beauty of the Seine River from Paris to Normandy on this magical cruise beginning October 31, 2024.

Although officially the winemaker at Peterson only since 2006, the joke is Jamie has 43 years of experience in the winemaking life. Jamie was born at Mount Eden Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 1981, where father Fred was winemaker from 1979 to 1983, and was raised in the cellar and vineyards there. After the family moved to Dry Creek Valley outside of the town of Healdsburg in 1983, Peterson Winery grew out of the vineyards that his father managed and took him to visit in his youth.

Prior to joining the family winery as assistant in 2002, he worked harvests abroad in both Australia and New Zealand. As Peterson’s winemaker, he follows the same winemaking philosophy and commitment to wines with an honest sense of place that his father has always practiced, while updating a few of the finer points in the process. When not in the winery or vineyards, Jamie can be found hiking, spending time with his two children, playing or watching baseball, trying new recipes, or working in his garden.

Teneral Cellars, founded in Northern California, is a women-owned and operated producer of sustainable, phenomenal wines, harnessing the power of business for good. Exceptional wine is the catalyst for connection, crucial conversations, and investments toward an equitable future for all women.

Jill Osur, is CEO and founder of Teneral Cellars, and previous co-founder and director of California-based winery group GL Enterprises. Teneral Cellars is driven by Jill’s belief that wine can be a conduit for change, a force for gender equity and social justice within the wine industry and our culture at large. Jill is a captivating public speaker who has been described as a “firecracker in the room” with her energizing, moving presence.

As veterans of the wine industry, Jill, along with Teneral Cellars, is the first to disrupt it by creating a business that intentionally reflects the wine industry’s largest consumer: women.

Purchased in 1988 by her mother Brigitte Seebass, the vineyard has been the focus of Michelle’s family for most of her life. Her careers in technology and legal fields in San Francisco gave her an excellent basis to transition into the day-to-day operations of the estate winemaking business, as she now oversees the finance, compliance, and planning of her company. Michelle personally oversees operations and welcomes guests to our beautiful Tasting Room in Boonville, California, in the heart of Anderson Valley. Her husband Scott, has also transitioned from a technology marketing career spanning 30 years. In San Francisco he lead his own company that produced branding strategies, new business initiatives and advertising campaigns. Today he oversees marketing, working with winemakers, creative designers, distributors, restaurants and the trade to develop sales channel opportunities for the business. Together, with their son Aidan, the family is immersed in the winemaking business and making world-class wines. Michelle’s family emigrated from Germany and her first language was German. They create highly acclaimed and awarded wines with a subtle, food-friendly European palate in California, and look forward to importing wines from small world-wide producers in the future as well.

Christine has a story to tell. She and her husband, Dennis, purchased 100 acres high in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia in 1999 that was to one day be their retirement retreat after they sold their veterinary practice in Virginia Beach. But before they had a chance to even consider retirement, serendipity stepped in, and soon, up at 1800 ft elevation where the air is cool and the earth, rocky and steep, they were planting a small family vineyard of Pinot Noir, a grape that was determined impossible to grow successfully in the humid, hot Mid-Atlantic climate. This unexpected journey brought their son, Nathan, back to Virginia from Denver to learn winemaking and he would soon produce one of the finest pinot noirs on the East Coast. Their Pinot Noir has been recognized as a “Top Ten Hot Brand 2017” by Wine Business Monthly, and Ankida Ridge was the only East Coast producer invited to Oregon’s prestigious International Pinot Noir Celebration 2016. They are listed in Food & Wine as one of Virginia’s Top 10 Vineyards and have received numerous high ratings from James Suckling and Wine Enthusiast.

Christine loves to share her passion for high-elevation viticulture, the importance of matching grape variety to place and for maintaining respect for the environment. Their panoramic vineyard and sheep farm sits high above the valleys and distant cities and has been cited as having one of the most beautiful vineyard views on the East Coast. “Ankida” is an ancient Sumerian word meaning “Where heaven and earth join.” Christine embraces the connection between people, good food and wine and the conviviality that goes with it all. She hopes you will join her on this cruise so she can share with you their serendipitous story and learn about grape-growing in various regions of the world. She invites attendees to journey to beautiful Virginia wine country and experience for yourself the beauty, tranquility and fine wines of Ankida Ridge. And there is now no retirement in their future!

Sarah and Brice Garrett are the owners and husband/wife winemaking team of Serrano Wine, a small, luxury wine brand located in Hye, Texas. They started from the ground up, with no formal education in viticulture or enology. For the next few years, they completely immersed themselves in the wine world. They traveled to France and Italy and met with winemakers across those regions, they read hundreds of books, they watched documentaries, they tasted every wine that they came in contact with to expand their palate and refine their own winemaking style. They hustled and started to really see growth! Their brand began with a strong social media presence and eventually a tasting room in downtown Paso Robles. They knew they had so much more of their story to write, but Paso Robles was pretty well established, and they wanted to be in an up-and-coming wine region where they could be part of the growth, a place where they could contribute and have some sort of positive impact. Texas was the first wine region they looked at outside of California, and after visiting, they decided they didn’t need to look anywhere else. This is where they wanted to be! The region was full of warm hospitality, a booming, yet still growing, wine scene, and a strong sense of community. This was where they wanted to expand Serrano.

Sebastian and Colleen Hardy are the founders of Living Roots, a winery in the regions surrounding both of their hometowns: the Finger Lakes of New York and the Adelaide Hills of South Australia.

Though it was founded in 2016, the Living Roots story can be traced to Thomas Hardy, Sebastian’s great-great-great grandfather, who immigrated from England in 1850 and planted some of the first vines in South Australia. Seb grew up around his dad’s vineyards in McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills, and went on to pursue winemaking himself. He’s worked vintages in Australia, Austria, France, Italy and the US, and has a degree in Viticulture and Oenology from The University of Adelaide, with a six-month exchange at UC Davis during his studies.

Colleen grew up in Rochester, New York and has a degree in marketing from Michigan State University. Three years into a marketing career in Chicago, she was keen to get into the wine industry and pivoted. Colleen landed a position as a cellar hand for the 2014 vintage at Hardy’s Tintara Winery in South Australia before working for a small boutique winery in a hybrid marketing and cellarhand role.

Seb and Colleen started Living Roots in 2016 and split their time between South Australia and New York, doing two harvests each year and experimenting with a wide range of styles that highlight the natural strengths of each region. With sustainability at the forefront, Living Roots makes wines with varietal and regional expression, minimal inputs and maximum quality.