In 1973 my cousin told me how babies are made. He was eleven at the time and I a mere, awestruck nine. In 1983 this same worldly wiseman showed me my first White Zinfandel, and my preoccupations were thus divided. I resolved both by getting married, drinking Wente Grey Riesling with my wife, and making babies. In 1989 we moved to Livermore where I planted grapes in the backyard (40 Syrah and Grenache vines, currently) then drove around asking the locals how good wine is made. Babymaking, it turns out, is the easier process, but my quest did land me a chance to "learn by doing" at LVC, one of the local valley's smaller wineries. For eleven years Tim Sauer and I learned winemaking together. "Get good grapes and don't screw them up" was our primary epiphany and sometimes we actually nailed it. Our less-than-lucrative small production level meant that we needed "real" jobs too, so I managed grocery store produce departments during these creative years. When The Wine Steward came to Pleasanton in late 1999 I appeared at the door as a winemaker/vendor (they kindly bought some of our wine) and as an inquisitive wine adventurer. I nurtured a pet theory (and still do) that a winemaker could make a "better" product by having a better awareness of the great wines of the world. The Wine Steward's international selection became my library where I "studied" fantastic wine places like Gigondas, Rioja, and the Russian River. In August of 2000 I moved into the library - joining The Wine Steward team and forsaking my day job of thumping little old ladies for ripe cantaloupes (switch that). I still have a natural curiosity about wines not yet explored, so it's a blessing - though sometimes a gut-wrenching curse - to be shown over a hundred different wines each week by our vendors. Always a pleasure, though, is showing our favorite finds to customers. I think I now understand what my cousin must have felt, getting the chance to amaze a fellow human. Thank you to all you awestruck wine lovers for your interest!

I started working in the wine business in college, and never left. When not pulling corks, I'm either cooking, gardening or reading about wine or food. While my favorite wines are those of Italy, Spain, and France, I'm excited by distinctive food friendly wines without regard to price or place.

I first started getting serious about wine in 1998 after being introduced tothe wonders of food and wine pairings by a friend at work. After a few years of "research" (i.e., wine tasting trips), I was fortunate to get a job in 2001 working a couple days a month in the tasting room at ConcannonWinery in Livermore, CA. I joined the Wine Steward in 2004 and have beenworking here part time ever since. Besides whatever is on the menu at thewine bar, you will find me drinking Riesling or Cabernet.

I have passion for Wine & Photography! I began attending the wine bar and wineclasses at The Wine Steward from the beginning. My opportunity to workat the store started in March 2005. The management is great. I'm so proud of the store; it's colorful layout and many selections of great wines. We pride in our customer service. I like to welcome everyone and let them know they can ask questions and feel comfortable to learn new things. Our wine clubs are very beneficial and make a good connection. I also attend the viticulture program at Las Positias College. I'm currently taking Food and Wine Pairing. Cheers!

For me, wine is really all about food. I first began thinking aboutwine in these terms during various trips to France and Italy, where Ihad the experience of drinking locally produced wines that were meantto go with the locally produced food. What a revelation! I love itwhen people come into the store with a recipe in hand, looking for theperfect wine to match. My personal favorites: Barolos, Burgundies, andRhones. (Probably because I love Italian and French food!)

When I was trained to bartend at the ripe age of 18, yes it was legal then, Bourbon and Scotch were in vogue and the majority of wine sold in the restaurant was Mateus, Lancers and Blue Nun. Thankfully the industry has evolved since then. For me working in the restaurant business for thirty years in Arizona, Memphis (The Peabody Hotel), and California, including several years at Wente Vineyards Restaurant, has definitely broadened my horizons on the endless variations of wine and the people who enjoy them. My personal philosophy: Drink the wines you like in the company of those you care for. I enjoy drinking or tasting wines that are new to me, but my usual stand-bys are roses, white Burgundies, Spanish whites and red Rhones. Oh, and an occasional Manhattan for the memories.

I joined The Wine Steward in May of 2005 not knowing much more that wine tastes good and that I wanted to learn more. I have now been pouring at the tasting bar for a couple of years and through guidance, tasting and by taking detailed notes, I have learned a lot about the different grape varieties, growing patterns, top producers, and growing areas. I have really learned to appreciate the differences in the styles of wine, making it hard for me to have a favorite!

After growing up in Missouri, I moved to California in 1991. One of the first friends that I made had only a minor interest in wine, but it was enough to get me started. The first wines that I purchased were from the 1991 and 1992 vintages and I was a very casual and infrequent imbiber. It wasn’t until the late 1990’s that my consumption and knowledge took a rather considerable jump. Working for a large food broker took me into several high-end grocery stores throughout the Bay Area, and I found myself spending more time looking at the wine selection instead of the grocery aisles that were my focus. Leaving the food broker business behind in 1999, I spent nearly a year taking classes, attending tastings, visiting wineries and reading about everything wine related that I could get my hands on. The Wine Steward graciously hired me in September of 2000, and they haven’t been able to get rid of me since. I currently manage our six wine club programs, and if you haven’t joined one of them yet – I look forward to seeing your application in the near future. Cheers!

I was introduced to the world of wine in the Fall of 1999. I began working at a small family owned winery in Edna Valley on the Central Coast . At the winery I was extremely lucky to work side by side with the owner/winemaker. Not only did he have me serving wines in the tasting room but I was part of the production crew. I did punch downs, BRIX readings, chromatography, topped barrels, bottled and labeled the wine. My experience led me to pursue a B.S. in Fruit Science Wine and Viticulture from Cal Poly SLO. Upon graduation, I furthered my wine experience with farming, distribution, national wine sales and home winemaking. My latest endeavor is to broaden my palate and discover the intricacies of wine regions from all over the world.