Andy has always had an interest in how things taste. After working his way through local restaurants, Andy headed straight for the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to round out his education in the culinary arts and restaurant management. After a stint at Little Nell, Andy found his true interest in the front of house. He graduated from the CIA in 2002, moved to Walland, Tenn., and began his career with Blackberry Farm in 2002. He soon became involved in the young wine program. In less than six years, Blackberry’s wine cellar grew from 17,000 bottles to 166,000. With Andy Chabot’s talent on the floor, the wine program has become synonymous with the success of Blackberry Farm. In 2007 Andy took on the role of Director of Food and Beverage, running all aspects of the service and beverage departments at Blackberry Farm. The Barn at Blackberry Farm, under Andy’s direction, has been honored with three James Beard Awards: Best Chef Southeast 2013, Outstanding Wine Program 2014, and Outstanding Service 2015. With the opening of Blackberry Mountain in 2019, Andy expanded his leadership to guide the development of menus and the wine cellar at the new resort as the Vice President of Food and Beverage at both properties.

In 2022, Andy was promoted to Senior Vice President of Food and Beverage for Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain. Today, Andy is responsible for all aspects of the food and beverage programs at both resorts, encompassing seven restaurant outlets, all wine and spirits programs, the Farmstead areas as well as overseeing special events and groups at the properties.

Andy’s media features include Imbibe Magazine, Wine Spectator Magazine, Food & Wine Magazine, The TODAY Show, Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40, and more. Andy has proceeded past the advanced level of the Court of Master Sommeliers Exam and was the recipient of the Michael Bonaccorsi Scholarship.

Craig Collins caught the wine bug while working at a winery as an undergraduate at Texas A&M University, which led him to study abroad in Italy during his senior year. He learned about the Court of Master Sommeliers during his postgraduate stint with a wine distributor and began honing the professional skills and industry knowledge that would help him advance through the program. Craig passed the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination in 2011, a feat achieved by less than 200 people worldwide at that time. He now represents some of the most pedigreed wines from around the world as the sales manager at VINTUS, one of the premiere import companies in the country. He is an active member in the Court of Master Sommeliers and frequently serves as a featured speaker at wine and food festivals across the country. Recognized as a leading educator in his field, Craig is often asked to judge wine competitions and contributes to both local and national publications.

Julie discovered her passion for wine while waiting tables during her undergraduate days at Texas A&M University. She continued to study wine and work in wine bars while completing a graduate program in biotechnology at Johns Hopkins. After achieving the Advanced Sommelier certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers, as well as the Certified Wine Educator credential, she said goodbye to the biotech industry. Over the years, she represented the Terry Theise portfolio for Skurnik Wine & Spirits, worked with Chef Michael Mina at the Four Seasons in Baltimore, and built a “Grand Award” winning wine list with her friend and mentor, Keith Goldston. She passed her Master Sommelier Diploma Examination in 2022 and achieved numerous accolades along the way from both press and peers. Currently, she is chef sommelier for The Post Oak Hotel and wine director for Stella’s Wine Bar in Houston.

Heitz Cellar Estate Director and Master Sommelier Erik Elliott grew up in Philadelphia, PA, and graduated from Temple University in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration focusing on Marketing.

After falling in love with hospitality and wine while working at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in Philadelphia, he sold everything he owned to move to Aspen, CO, to pursue his dream of becoming a Master Sommelier. Erik landed at The Little Nell, the world-renowned hotel and wine program at the base of Aspen Mountain. Erik Spent six years in the James Beard-nominated wine program and worked his way up to become the Lead Sommelier. When The Little Nell would close each off-season, Erik would spend his time visiting the most esteemed estates throughout France, Italy, and Spain, honing his knowledge and appreciation for wine.

After his colleague Carlton McCoy Jr. accepted a position at Heitz Cellar following Gaylon Lawrence, Jr.’s acquisition, Erik felt that he still had more to learn and traded the mountains of Aspen for Napa Valley’s vineyards. In 2019, he accepted a position as the Estate Director at Heitz Cellar.

With his background in hospitality and oversight of Heitz’s new Tasting Salon and Hospitality Center opening in 2022, Erik continually aims to reimagine luxury hospitality and the experience for guests of Heitz Cellar. “Our goal at Heitz Cellar is to move the wine industry forward by crafting the most elegant and balanced wines from sustainably-farmed vineyards while enriching the lives of our guests through hospitality and service. We always remain in the service of others” Erik says. In August of 2022, Erik’s dream was realized when he passed the Master Sommelier Exam on his second attempt.

Additional Accomplishments:
-Highest Score in his class on the CMS Certified Sommelier Exam (Walter CloreScholarship) 2015
-Rudd Scholar – Top Scorer on the CMS Advanced Sommelier Exam 2018

After graduating from Boston’s Simmons University with a degree in Developmental Psychology, Lindsey fell in love with wine during the three years she spent traveling in Europe and South Africa. She has worked in restaurants all over the world including London, England; Ibiza, Spain; Miami, Florida; and San Francisco’s Bay Area. Lindsey joined the wine team at The Inn at Little Washington in 2014 as their cellar master and moved up through the ranks; in 2021, she became the first female wine director at a Michelin Three Star restaurant in the U.S. Lindsey is an Advanced Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers and the mother of two beautiful teenaged girls. “When I think of how I want to be thought of in my career,” she says, “it’s to be generous and to help create opportunities for women in wine.”

Peter spent 25 years in the hospitality industry as a food and beverage director, wine buyer, sommelier, bartender and waiter, including two years in the Burgundy region of France, and a year with a Relais & Châteaux hotel in Switzerland. In 1991, he became the 15^th American to earn the coveted title of Master Sommelier and earned the Krug Champagne Cup by passing all three parts of the exam on the first attempt; he also received the James Beard Foundation “Sommelier of the Year” award. In January of 1995 Peter and his brother-in-law Robert Olson, a software engineer, launched Virtual Vineyards, an ecommerce pioneer and the first U.S. entity to sell wine on the Internet. He is active as a speaker, panelist, judge and educator in numerous wine consumer and wine industry settings both here and abroad. He continues to work today as an examiner and lecturer for the Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory, Advanced and Master level programs.

Logan Griffin’s love for hospitality began at a young age. His parents ran a small catering company, and he has fond memories of a bustling home kitchen where he would help prepare food for events alongside his parents and grandparents. At 15, Logan took his first job in a local restaurant, igniting his love for the culinary world, which ultimately led him to the Culinary Arts program at The Culinary Institute of America. There, he learned the fundamentals of cooking, the art of hospitality and discovered a sharp aptitude for wine and spirits. After learning about Blackberry Farm’s beverage program during his time at the CIA, Logan joined the team in 2011 just after graduation. Through years working at Blackberry Farm, he was able to focus on his craft and gain invaluable knowledge that poised him to take on the role of Director of Food and Beverage at Blackberry Mountain.

As the Director of Food and Beverage, Logan helps oversee all aspects of the dining rooms and beverage program at Blackberry Mountain. He loves crafting cocktails that have a sense of place and utilize ingredients from the Mountain. His passion extends well beyond the bar, and he enjoys being on the dining room floor sharing his knowledge of wine and creating memorable moments for the guests. Logan is a Certified Sommelier and was part of the wine team when The Barn at Blackberry Farm received a James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Service as well as Outstanding Restaurant Service.

Morgan Harris passed the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination in 2018. After ten years of working on all sides of New York City’s world-class restaurant scene, he relocated to San Francisco. Morgan’s experience selling to a diverse, demanding clientele for over a decade informs his tailored approach to shaping beverage narratives. In the digital beverage space, he has worked with major players such as Wine Folly, Vivino, Punch Drink, GuildSomm and WineAccess. He has appeared as a presenter on NBC and the Esquire Network and was a principal character in the 2018 The New York Times best seller, Cork Dork. Morgan was recognized by Wine & Spirits magazine as one of “America’s Best New Sommeliers,” and he was a national-level finalist for competitions sponsored by the Guild of Sommeliers and the Châine des Rôtisseurs. In addition to his other endeavors, he still works several dinner shifts each week at San Francisco’s acclaimed Italian restaurant, Cotogna.

Born in Montréal, Québec, Élyse Lambert graduated with a degree in hotel management from the prestigious Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) in 1998 and as Sommelier from L’École Hôtelière des Laurentides in 1999.

Throughout her exciting career path, she worked as sommelier in some of the most prestigious tables of Quebec and continued earning credibility for her craft and accolades in Canadian and international competitions.

After winning «Best Sommelier of Québec» in 2004, she won the title of «Best Sommelier of the Americas 2009» in the prestigious competition held in Buenos Aires.
In May of 2015 in Aspen, Colorado she became Canada’s first Quebecer, fourth Canadian and second Canadian woman to hold the prestigious and globally recognized title of Master Sommelier.

After winning «Best sommelier of Canada» in 2015, she again represented Canada in the competition for «Best sommelier of the World » in Argentina. Elyse lambert is now the 5th Best Sommelier of the World 2016.

Elyse has been now working in the restaurant industry for more than 25 years. She is currently working as a Sommelier Consultant for the hotel Ritz-Carlton Toronto. She also consults for private and corporate clients and is often invited to facilitate wine education seminars and to speak at corporate functions in Canada and around the world.

Michael McNeill became Georgia’s only Master Sommelier in 1993. He was the back-to-back recipient of the “Best Sommelier in America” award and represented the U.S. in two world finals: the Sopexa Gran Prix du Sommelier in Paris in 1994 (which allowed him to serve as President of the Jury for the U.S. competition in 1997) and the Concours Mondial du Sommelier in Tokyo in 1995. He has been employed by some of the nation’s most prestigious properties, such as the St. Regis New York and The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta Buckhead, and has also worked alongside numerous Five-star top chefs, including Lespinasse’s Gray Kunz, The Ryland Inn’s Craig Shelton and Gunter Seeger and Bruno Menard of The Dining Room. Michael is currently director of education for Georgia Crown Distributing Co., which also includes Alabama Crown Distributing; in that role, he offers a wealth of knowledge regarding wine service and food and wine harmony, in addition to general sales expertise.

As one of 273 Master Sommeliers in the world, George Miliotes is a passionate educator and curator of wines. A firm believer in education and knowledge-sharing, Miliotes continuously studies wine, identifying the most interesting wines through annual trips to wine-growing regions from France to South Africa. Building relationships with some of the best vintners in the world, he also takes an active role in the winemaking process helping to create custom blends.

Miliotes’ unique by-the-glass lists encourage guests to make adventurous choices, selecting new wines, whether they are domestic or global, to pair with their courses. The result of his worldwide efforts are wine lists that are distinct to his restaurant’s culinary offerings, and widely reviewed as exceptional in every way.

George Miliotes is the grandson of Greek immigrants and a child of the restaurant and hospitality business. His family owned a specialty market and café in Orlando, Fla., which became a gathering spot for local chefs and served as the starting point for Miliotes’ passion for food and wine.

Miliotes later became the general manager of California Grill at Walt Disney World Resort, where he not only created an award-winning wine list, but also one of the first lists in the country to offer 100 wines by the glass. He is widely regarded as one the restaurant business’ foremost wine experts.

In March 2007, Miliotes became a Master Sommelier, passing a series of rigorous examinations that requires the candidate to identify grape variety, country of origin, district of origin and vintage of wines by taste, sight and aroma alone. From 2002 – 2016, he oversaw all aspects of wine culture for Darden including The Capital Grille and Eddie V’s, and was one of the founders of Seasons 52. George led the development of their award-winning wine lists and educated and motivated service teams about wine in order to deliver exceptional guest experiences.
Miliotes returned to Walt Disney World with the opening of Wine Bar George, the only wine bar in Florida led by a Master Sommelier. Now open in The Landing at Disney Springs, Wine Bar George brings Miliotes’ expertise and worldwide travels to the heart of Central Florida. Follow George @WineBarGeorge and visit WineBarGeorge.com for more information.

A New Orleans native, Chris worked at Emeril’s and the Brennan family’s restaurants. After graduation from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business, he pursued his wine passion as a sommelier at Seattle’s Canlis restaurant. Chris worked his first harvest in 2005 at Gramercy Cellars in Walla Walla. By 2007 he had taken top honors at his Advanced Sommelier exam and won the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs “Best Young Sommelier in America” competition, winning the worldwide competition a year later. He was subsequently named “Best New Sommelier” in America by Wine & Spirits magazine. Soon after, he took over the beverage program at Wolfgang Puck’s flagship restaurant, Spago Beverly Hills, quickly developing the program into a Wine Spectator “Grand Award” winner; while there, he earned his Master Sommelier Diploma in 2012. After spending harvests learning the finer points of producing coastal Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Chris founded Seabold Cellars in Monterey County in 2017 and acquired his first estate vineyard in 2023.

Vincent moved to California from his native Phoenix to attend Sonoma State University on a soccer scholarship. His proximity to wine country piqued his interest in the subject, and he ended up concentrating in wine business strategies and marketing. After graduation he honed his knowledge at renowned wineries such as Ridge Vineyards, as well as at famed Bay Area restaurants such as The French Laundry, Gary Danko and Benu, becoming a Master Sommelier before the age of 31. 2022 was a banner year for Vincent: he was designated the “Sommelier of the Year” by VinePair and was named the Michelin Guide California “Sommelier of the Year.” He acts as the Chairperson of the Diversity Committee of the Court of Master Sommeliers, where he focuses on making the organization more inclusive of women, LGBTQ+, BIPOC and other unrepresented communities within the wine and hospitality industry. He is currently wine director at PRESS Restaurant in Napa, where he oversees a Wine Spectator “Grand Award” winning list containing 2,700 selections, including the largest collection of Napa wines in the world.

Amy’s passion for food and wine began as a child around the dinner table in Cleveland, Ohio. After attending The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, she spent a year in the Accelerated Wine and Beverage Program at the CIA’s Napa branch. While working at Michelin-starred Sons & Daughters in San Francisco, Amy received her Level 3 certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers and was named one of the “Best New Sommeliers” by Wine & Spirits magazine and Zagat’s “30 Under 30” for San Francisco. She moved to New York in 2016 to become wine director at Chef John Fraser’s Michelin-starred Dovetail and grew into the role of beverage director for JF Restaurants, Chef Fraser’s full-service hospitality group. Supporting Chef Fraser’s unique culinary vision from the beverage side, Amy leads innovative cocktail creation and development of the group’s extensive wine lists and pairings while fostering close collaboration with the teams at each restaurant to curate an excellent beverage program for guests.

Scott Turnbull originally planned to be a French teacher. After graduating from Penn State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in French, he worked for two years in the Rhône Valley as an Assistant English Teacher at the Lycée Gabriel Faure in Tournon sur Rhone, as well as at the Lycée Hotelier de Tain l’Hermitage. It was at the Lycée Hotelier where he was able to begin learning about wine while helping the sommelier students describe wines in English. After two happy years in France, his visa ran out. Luckily, one of the school’s former students was the Head Sommelier at Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia, and after a quick letter of introduction, Scott was able to trade the classroom for the cellar. Two years at Le Bec-Fin were followed by Head Sommelier roles at Seeger’s in Atlanta, then back to Philadelphia to Striped Bass and then the Fountain Restaurant at the Four Seasons Philadelphia. In 2012, California came calling, and so he moved west to take over the program at Solage Calistoga, before joining the team at the Restaurant in Meadowood in 2018. After the 2020 fires claimed the Restaurant, he joined Winebow in 2021, before taking on the role of Director of Private Clients at Vinfolio, Fine+Rare’s Napa outpost in early 2023. He is a Certified Wine Educator from the Society of Wine Educators, (in addition to being a Certified Specialist of Wine and Certified Specialist of Spirits), and achieved the title of Master Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers – Americas in August of 2022.