Amanda McCrossin

Sommelier

Amanda McCrossin is a certified sommelier, wine personality, podcast host, and Instagram/YouTube/TikTok creator known as “sommvivant.”

Amanda has worked as a sommelier in both NYC and California, but perhaps most notably at PRESS Restaurant in Napa Valley. Her 5 year tenure at PRESS as a sommelier and later as Wine Director gave Amanda the unique opportunity to work in the heart of wine country with the largest, deepest, restaurant collection of Napa Valley wines in the world. During her time the wine program thrived; garnering nominations, accolades, and awards from nearly every major publication and outlet in food, wine, and hospitality. She has been featured in Food & Wine Magazine, Food Network, Forbes, San Francisco Chronicle, on the cover of SOMM Journal, and Wine Enthusiast who named her a Wine Star nominee for 'Sommelier of the Year.' Amanda is widely considered an expert in Napa Valley wine and is regularly sought after for consulting, media appearances and speaking engagements.

In the fall of 2020, Amanda collaborated with National E-Commerce Wine Retailer Wine Access to launch the Wine Access Unfiltered Podcast.

Brandon deLeuze

Winemaker, ZD Wines

Like his father and grandfather before him, Winemaker Brandon always knew that he wanted to make wine. Brandon was one of the first graduates from the Wine and Viticulture program at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He continued his education working in vineyard management for Pacific Vineyard Company and in production at Eberle Winery. Brandon started working full-time for ZD in 2006 and received his Wine Intensive EMBA from Sonoma State University in 2015. He is committed to producing the highest quality wines, raising the bar of excellence, and is always looking for new and innovative approaches to winemaking.

ZD's winemaking style began to take shape in 1969 with my grandfather, Norman deLeuze. Originally an aerospace engineer, his jump into winemaking was not only fueled by passion for wine, but supported by great technical ability. My father, Robert deLeuze, then built upon this platform to create the distinctive style that ZD is so well-known for today. With an uncompromising focus on quality, consistency and style, we continue to maintain an unwavering balance between tradition and innovation.

Alison Doran

Winemaker, Hill Family Estate

Ryan Hill always stated that if you want to dream in color, drink wine. This dream soon became a reality for Hill Family Estate when winemaker Alison Doran joined the team and made the inaugural 2001 vintage. Alison was introduced to Doug while he was growing grapes and she was making wine for Lewis Cellars.

Doug loved Alison’s style, personality and determination to produce the finest wines possible. Alison developed this skill while being mentored by renowned wine expert and leader among the best wineries in Napa, Andre Tchelistcheff, completing a degree in winemaking from UC Davis and spending time in the legendary winery-filled region of Alsace, France. Today, Doug and Alison work closely together selecting the highest quality grapes and producing ultra premium wines.

Ernie Weir

Winemaker, Hagafen Cellars

Owner and winemaker Ernie Weir started his career at Domaine Chandon while attending University of California at Davis. He began Hagafen in 1979, releasing the first commercial vintage in 1980, while still at Domaine Chandon where he became Chandon's vineyard and nursery manager. Weir began modestly with his own label, producing wine with grapes from Winery Lake Vineyard, increasing production to 3,000 cases by 1990. In 1997, he left Domaine Chandon to build the Hagafen Cellars winery and tasting room on the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley.

Lorenzo Trefethen

Winemaker, Trefethen Family Vineyards

Full of creative energy and known for his infectious laugh, Lorenzo Trefethen believes in the power of wine to bring people together. Growing up, the family table was often full of interesting visitors to the Napa Valley, and as an undergraduate at Stanford, he took over instruction of the French Department’s wine tasting course. These early experiences of uniting people around wine inspired Lorenzo to make a life in the family business. Amongst the family, it is Lorenzo who travels most often to support sales, and he works closely with both the marketing and finance departments. His work is evident in the design of our wine labels, brochures, website, and tasting room. Curious and gregarious, he connects us with new audiences and ideas from outside the world of wine and always enjoys hosting guests at the winery. He also sits on the board of the Bay Area Council, a policy organization comprised of Bay Area business leaders.

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