2015 Seattle Wine Awards Tasting Panel
The Seattle Wine Awards could not be possible without the essential and valued contributions of our distinguished group of Northwest wine professionals. See below for more about the members of our esteemed Tasting Panel.
Front Row: (L to R) Jeff Cox: Wine Director, PCC Natural Markets, Mark Takagi: Specialty Wine & Spirits Director, Metropolitan Market, Reggie Daigneault: Instructor, NW Wine Academy, Dr. Greg Chan: Vice-Echanson La Chaine des Rotisseurs, T McNamara: Co-Owner BIN 41 Wine Cellars, Dan McCarthy: McCarthy & Schiering Wine Merchants
Middle Row: (L to R) Mackenzie Parks: ADV Sommelier El Gaucho, Reggie Narito: Master Sommelier, Yashar Shayan: ImpulseWine.com, Lenny Rede: Esquin Wine & Spritis, Tim O’Brien: Wine Director, Salty’s Seafood Grills, Christopher Chan*: Executive Director, David LeClaire: SeattleUncorked.com, Kerry Johnson: Sommelier, Wine Matters LLC, Josh Wade: Owner, Nectar Tasting Room Spokane, Hal Landvoigt: Precept Director of Winemaking
Back Row: (L to R) Joel Butler: Master of Wine, Redmond World of Wine, Brian Carter: Winemaker, Brian Carter Cellars, Jeffrey Dorgan: Director of Wine, Space Needle, Bruce Sturgeon: Director of Wine, BlueAcre
Not Pictured: Jeff Fournier: Esquin Wine Merchants, Maria Halstead: NW Wine Academy, Traci McFarlane: Washington Wine Industry, Chris Tanghe: Master Sommelier Vinum Distributors
* Christopher Chan recuses himself from evaluating the wines.
2015 Sommelier Team ~ Sunday
Standing: (L-R) Joshua Canida ~ Sommelier, El Gaucho Bellevue; Jason Christopher Heerlein; Dennis Berg ~ Bartender, Space Needle; Kyle Wright ~ Sommelier, The Rainier Club; Dave Bender ~ Sommelier, Wish Wine Co.;Katrina Uhl ~ The Wine Trust; Eli Traverse ~ Sommelier, Purple Café & Wine Bar; Casey Marie Mochel
Seated: (L-R) Susan Plunkett ~ WA Wine Industry; Alfonso Aguirre ~ Wine Enthusiast; Rebecca Koehler ~ Sommelier, The Met Grill; Nick Davis ~ Advanced Sommelier; Melanie Licis; Tisha Tiatano ~ Jean Georges Restaurant NYC
2015 Sommelier Team ~ Monday
(L-R) Cara De Lavallade ~ Wine Director, Willows Lodge; Nick Sainati ~ Best Coast Wines; Heather Hedlund ~ Sommelier, Wild Ginger; Oscar Galvan ~ NW Wine Academy; Lauren O’Brien ~ Wine Enthusiast; Justin Biskup ~ Sommelier, Wild Ginger; Stephen Petersen (not pictured)