Portland, OR / 888-488-8876 / info@wineisdivine.com

Sommelier-Server / Noisette / Portland, Oregon / 2011 – Current
Part-time. Fine dining service at modern French, multi-course restaurant, owned by renowned chef, Tony Demes. Serving guests, assisting with wine program, bartending.

Service & Wine / Biwa / Portland, Oregon / 2011 – Current
Part-time. Classic PDX multitask, hybrid position at an extremely busy izakaya. Handling all incoming guests & extensive waiting list, supporting servers, bussing, cocktailing, food running & crafting wine list.

Sommelier / Jeffrey’s Restaurant and Bar / Austin, Texas / February 2010–June 2011
Served as Sommelier on the floor of this busy West Austin fine dining icon, established in 1975. Assisted with special events, staff training and private dining venues. Collaborated with Executive Chef to create unique wine pairings for ever-changing tasting menu. Assisted Wine Director with new additions and overall maintenance to the 600 bottle wine list. In 2011, Jeffrey’s received its first ever Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence [2-glass].

Consultant and Writer / WineIsDivine.com / 2000 – Present
List of activities is found below, under Consulting/Events section.

Communications Director / New Era Portfolio / Austin, Texas / June 2009 – June 2011
Two year commitment on Senior Management team rebuilding e-Commerce unit after recession-related rightsizing. Responsible for staffing and hiring decisions. Directly supervised internal and external contributors managing critical marketing functions including: email marketing, PPC, SEM/SEO, Social Media, CRM, and web analytics. Managed and developed content for national marketing campaigns for both B2B and B2C channels [newerahd.com / gallerydirect.com].  Launched and managed in-house video studio and production. Collaborated with Business Development Director and Senior Management on all key technology acquisitions for production floor. Oversaw internal & external corporate communications, all Public Relations activities and charitable donations. Co-managed SaaS solution providers to achieve objectives. Company doubled its revenue in 2010 and increased its production facility by 50-percent.

Lead Sales / Austin Wine Merchant  / Austin, Texas / March 08 – June 09
Responsibilities included sales and staff training for this well respected niche retailer established in 1991. Assisted in buying and special event coordination: wine dinners, supper clubs, catering.

Lead Server / Driskill Grill / Austin, Texas / October 07 – October 08
Part of an elite team for opulent fine dining venue located inside landmark Driskill Hotel established in 1886.

Vice President Business Development / New Era Portfolio / Austin, Texas / 2004 - 2007
Identified and assisted in developing strategic relationships with clients, partners and prospects. Led the marketing team to develop and implement strategies and insured that outgoing marketing materials aligned with the company’s vision. Worked to develop business opportunities resulting from trade show and market attendance. Served on the Executive Management Committee and reported directly to the principals of the company. Traveled extensively. Client list included: Harrah’s Entertainment, Bloomingdale’s, Hyatt Hotels, Hilton Hotels, Ballard Designs, Betty Ford Clinic, General Electric.

General Manager and Wine Director / Emilia’s / Austin, Texas / December 01- March 03
Managed 1000+ label list and unique by-the-glass program for this high-end modern French restaurant.  First restaurant in Austin to achieve Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence in August 2002. Managed staff, financials, marketing, PR, and special events.

Owner / Agenda Mgmt / Consulting Project: Red Eyed Fly / Austin, Texas / Summer 01
Intense consulting project for popular downtown live music venue and bar included staffing overhaul (terminations and replacements), analyzing profitability from two years of business through introduction and implementation of monthly P&L system; in turn, client sold venue for profit.

Owner / Tocai Restaurant and Wine Bar / February 97- April 01
Used hands-on approach to run this upscale 68-seat, Mediterranean bistro / wine bar, winning much praise over the restaurant’s four year history. Duties included staff management, menu development, wine program, catering, accounting, and marketing.

Sommelier / Café at the Four Season / Austin, Texas / December 95- June 97
Learned and participated in every aspect of fine dining from mis en place to tableside serving. Promoted to sommelier position as a result of leading sales of high-end wine.

Activities / Education

Bar Smarts Advanced Certificate / 2011
Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced Certificate / 2009
Awarded Société Mondiale du Vin Scholarship / 2008
Author / Paying Attention: A Guide to Wine with Food / 2003
Relevant Travel / Mosel, Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Alsace, Champagne, Burgundy, Rhône Valley, Languedoc, Bandol, Bordeaux, Loire Valley, N. Spain
University of Texas at Austin, BA / Special Honors in Government / 1993

Consulting / Events

Panelist / Sommelier Journal / Slovenian White Wine Blind Tasting / April 2011
One of seven panelists contributing to the largest US-held Slovenian white wine evaluation. Published in the Spring edition of the highly respected trade magazine Sommelier Journal. 

Featured Columnist / FoodServiceNewsDaily.com / Ongoing
Content contributor to food service trade website. Wine reviews and general musings. 

Panelist / Dominus 20 Retrospective Tasting & Dinner at Wink Restaurant / Austin, Texas / December 2009
Invited by the Wine and Food Foundation of Texas to speak at the $900 per person dinner given by Wink Restaurant and collector Brian Owens. The sold out event featured every vintage of Dominus Estate from 1983 – 2003.

Speaker / Wine Salon / Austin, Texas / 2008 - 2009
Education liaison for monthly symposium. The salon brings together collectors and professionals from the retail and hospitality arenas.

Television Appearance / KXAN-TV / Austin, Texas / February 2009
Valentine’s Day segment for popular NBC-affiliate’s morning news, discussing rosé Champagne and the re-introduction of Billecart-Salmon into the Austin market after a long hiatus.

Television Appearance / TV Series DOWNTOWN / Austin, Texas / October 2008
Featured on the EMMY Award-winning television series “profiling the people, places, stories and situations that make DOWNTOWN: As Austin As It Gets.™” Season 4, Ep. 2 featured Mr. Garcia hosting a tasting of crisp Loire whites on a hot Texas afternoon.

Consultant / Chef Chris Lanier, 2006 Private Chef of the Year, PCI / NYC / 2004 - 2008
Wine selecting, service training and food and wine pairing for Chef Chris Lanier, Private Chefs International, Inc. 2006 Private Chef of the Year. Highlights include Thanksgiving Day banquet for actor Robert DeNiro and family + 40 guests.

Consultant / Central Market / Austin, Texas / 2004 - 2008
Consulting project for the Innovation Department of high-end specialty foods chain. Included customer service, wine department and competitive analyses.

Speaker / International Special Events Society (ISES) Seminar / Austin, Texas / April 04
Delivered keynote lecture on wine paired with food to a sold out audience, which included the Texas membership of ISES and their guests.

Staff Training Consultant / Bell Ranch Steak House / College Station, Texas / Feb. 04
Conducted one day seminar on the basics of wine and service for 35 employees of a brand new upscale steak house. Topics included history, geography, tasting analysis, food and wine matching, serving & selling techniques.

Wine List Consultant / Rail Road Blues / Alpine, Texas / December 03
Client desired unique wine list to match distinctiveness of his beer list. Included: education, distributor logistics and inventory analysis.

Book Launch / Paying Attention: A Guide to Wine with Food / Q4 2003
Conducted signing events throughout Central and West Texas to successfully launch Paying Attention: A Guide to Wine with Food. 

USDA Cochran Fellowship Training Program / Austin, Texas / November 00
Lectured on wine paired with seafood. Fellowship consisted of twelve Polish delegates visiting the U.S. seeking food resources to export back to native country.

What inspired the relocation to Portland, OR. [food trip 09-29-10 thru 10-04-10] 

PDX: Higgins, Coffehouse NW, Teardrop Cocktail Lounge, Paley's Place, Clyde Common- epic first day
PDX: Coffeehouse Northwest, comparing espresso
PDX: Park Kitchen, Barista & Stumptown
PDX: Beaker & Flask, Le Pigeon, Crema Bakery
PDX: Halibut's & the Gorge
PDX: Clyde Common & International Sake Day
PDX: Laurelhurst Market
PDX: Pearl Bakery & Adelsheim
PDX: Soter Vineyards & James Cahill
PDX: Toro Bravo & The Secret Society
PDX: Brunch at Beast
PDX: Oktoberfest at Prost!
PDX: Ciao Vito, Zilla, Biwa
PDX: Coava Coffee Roasters
PDX: Olympic Provisions part one
PDX: Olympic Provisions part two
PDX: Biking Portland
PDX: Grüner

Vignettes on Jeffrey's Restaurant & Bar, Austin, TX

Cradle decanted a 2004 Alain VOGE Cornas "Les Vieilles Vignes" at Jeffrey's Restaurant tonight
Jeffrey's Restaurant 35 years old (like SNL)
Graduation weekend at Jeffrey's Restaurant
One of the best nights on the floor at Jeffrey's Restaurant
Anne's new cork presenters
Dinner with Food & Wine Magazine's Anthony Giglio at Jeffrey's Restaurant
Jeffrey's Restaurant- Table 22
Jeffrey's Restaurant- an eventful first shift back
Meet Jeffrey's new barman, Kelly O'Hare
Discussing 35 years of Jeffrey’s Restaurant and the future
Decanting a 3L of Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo – what would MacGyver do?
New Year's Eve prep at Jeffrey's Restaurant
What the Legislative Session Means for Jeffrey’s Restaurant