GiraMondo Wine Adventures

GiraMondo Wine Adventures is a wine-centric event planning firm. We propose a number of wine events for all kinds of corporate functions, whether they are for employee appreciation, recruiting, client / prospect appreciation, holiday parties, team-building exercises or board / offsite meetings. Our unique wine events can be catered to all levels of wine expertise and are an exciting and different approach to corporate events. Some of our solutions include: Turnkey prepackaged fine wine receptions and classes such as The Sipping Soiree, Wise on Wine, and Connoisseurs’ Club. Each are designed for your event needs and delivered to your office and setup for your immediate enjoyment. Turnkey prepackaged wine entertainment solutions such as Vini Vegas: the Ultimate Wine Casino and Winemaking Academy. These events are a unique and exciting option for any event! Having worked with many different types of people and companies, we understand the importance of creating fulfilling relationships among partners, associates, employees, and clients. Our events can be a great addition to your firm’s programs and a new approach to your social events. Additionally, GiraMondo Wine offers wine events in the Washington, DC area for all wine enthusiasts. From beginner courses to advanced tastings and from intimate gatherings to embassy wine festivals, GiraMondo Wine has an event to appeal to any wine drinker!

More info:

11002 Veirs Mill Road Suite 727
Wheaton, MD 20902

• infos@giramondowine.com
• www.giramondowine.com
• 301.841.7609- ask for Hailey

Dara Does It

Can’t cook and want to learn? Want a specialty event to draw attention to your business? Need a spokesperson to kick start a new product? Dara Bunjon, founder of Dara Does It brings to the table her passion for food along with her years of public relations and marketing experience. Your choice of services are vast from cooking classes for home cooks and team building, food styling, freelance writing, cooking presentations on television, and product demonstrations. If it is food – Dara Does It. Google Dara Bunjon for a more in-depth profile.

More info:

• info@dara-does-it.com
• www.dara-does-it.com
• 410-486-0339

TasteDC- DC's Taste

TasteDC - Washington, D.C.'s Premiere Wine Tasting Organization offers your group a fun and educational event that will be unforgettable! We've been entertaining people for over 11 years with over 1,000 tastings to our credit - and over 30,000 happy customers! Affordable - YES, Snooty - NO, Entertaining - You Bet!

More info:

3018 Arizona Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20016

• wine@tastedc.com
• www.tastedc.com
• 202-244-3700

Jay Youmans MW - Capital Wine School

Jay Youmans was the 21st American, and the only person in the DC area, to ever pass the Master of Wine Exam; the most difficult and challenging exam of its kind. He has been tasting wines professionally for almost 30 years. He teaches the Wine & Spirit Education Trust courses (WSET), and the Certified Specialist of Wine Prep Class (CSW) offered by the Society of Wine Educators. He has judged at numerous wine competitions including the Star Wine Competition, the California State, and the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition. He writes about wine for the International Wine Review, and is a contributor to an upcoming book on the Business of Wine, published by Greenwood Press. Over the years, Jay has developed a loyal following and reputation for his humerous and unpretentious approach to wine. Let him share his tasting expertise with you.

More info:

9600 Parkwood Drive

• jay@capitalwineschool.com
• www.capitalwineschool.com
• 301-530-5388

Jamie Foster, CSW

Jamie Foster has been awarded the Advanced Certificate in Wines, Spirits and Other Alcoholic Beverages through London’s Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET). She has been assigned as a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) by the Society of Wine Educators. She sports a prestigious background in wine, having studied at Aspen Wine Program & the International Wine School.

She is also affiliated with the Washington Wine Academy, the DC resource for wine education. Ms. Foster offers a fun and entertaining way for students to effortlessly develop their senses and enjoy the ultimate wine experience.

More info:

P.O. Box 886
Bowie, MD 20718

• winespeak@vinstrategies.com
• www.vinstrategies.com
• (301)358-3323

Tom DiNardo - The Wine Zealot

Tom DiNardo has worked in the wine industry in both California and Washington. With a reverence for the grape, Tom continues his passionate pursuit today as a wine consultant and educator who teaches others about oenology and wine collecting. Mr. DiNardo is a sommelier diplomate with the International Sommelier Guild and a member of the Society of Wine Educators. He is a freelance writer for Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Santé and Wine Adventure Magazines, and is a regular contributor to Wine Squire.com and WineandSpiritsJobs.com. Tom is a featured auctioneer for Chicago based ERI wine auction gallery, and has sold some of the finest and rarest wines from around the world. Mr. DiNardo is also a certified master appraiser. Through these unique experiences, Tom has gained invaluable knowledge about the wine industry.

Prior to his wine immersion experience, Tom DiNardo founded DiNardo & Lord Auctioneers in 1993. A true entrepreneur and veteran charity auctioneer, Mr. DiNardo now had a unique opportunity to marry both his passion for wine and fund-raising auctions together in pioneering what is today one of the most exciting and newly emerging trends: charity wine auctions. Since its founding, DiNardo & Lord Auctioneers has achieved an outstanding reputation for fund-raising, record setting auction revenues (5 world records), and client satisfaction. Tom has been a featured auctioneer on TLC's "Wrecks to Riches" television program. DiNardo & Lord Auctioneers is ranked as one of the “Top 4 fundraising auction firms" in the nation, and Tom DiNardo has been referred to as "one of the nation’s preeminent charity wine auctioneers.” Tom welcomes the opportunity to serve your organization. Visit my Auction Calendar.

More info:

PO Box #11

Lynden, WA 98264

• info@DiNardoandLordAuctioneers.com
• www.DiNardoandLordAuctioneers.com
• 888-503-0828

Mark Phillips,

Mark Phillips is one of the most popular wine speakers in the nation. His irreverent approach and humorous delivery makes each talk an entertaining educational experience. He was "discovered" by a public television executive who was convinced Mark was just the person Americans needed to teach them about wine. His PBS show made its debut in March 2006 and has broken all records. No group is too small or too big. Mark has conducted wine tastings for 2 people up to 3000. And with the price as low as $15 per person, it's quite affordable. Contact Mark to find out which of his unique wine tasting formats is right for your group.

More info:

Available to travel.

• m.phillips@winetasting.org
• www.winetasting.org
• 703-799-1221

Kelly Magyarics Wine Consulting

Kelly Magyarics Wine Consulting provides interactive, educational wine tastings for private and corporate events in the Metro DC area. Kelly's philosophy is that wine is something to be paired with great friends, good food and conversation. It should be approachable, not intimidating; fun, not stressful; and above all--enjoyable! Her wine tastings are the perfect option for a memorable wedding shower or engagement party, a casual and fun get-together with friends, or a corporate promotional reception or employee appreciation event. Kelly has been conducting wine tastings in the DC area for groups of all sizes for over 8 years. She is a graduate of the Windows on the World Wine School in New York City, and holds both an Intermediate and an Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET). She will pursue the Diploma when it's offered in the DC area. Kelly is also a freelance wine and food writer. She is a frequent contributor to Wine Enthusiast, and her articles also appear in Imbibe, DC Magazine, Nightclub & Bar and The Tasting Panel. Kelly is also the co-wine columnist for Northern Virginia Magazine. She writes a blog called Kelly's Grape Times, and tweets under the username @kmagyarics. Contact Kelly today to schedule your wine tasting event!

More info:

Serving all of the Metro DC area.

• trywine@gmail.com
• www.trywine.net
• 703.203.WINE

Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach

Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach®, combines her extensive knowledge of wine with her experience as a life coach. She began her wine career in Manhattan where she studied with the American Sommelier Association to obtain her certificate in Viticulture and Vinification with follow-up training at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. As The Wine Coach®, Laurie creates corporate, private events and tours that help people de-mystify wine one glass at a time! Her radio show "Something to Wine About®" can be heard each week on WCEI 96.7FM and WBAL 1090 AM. Her columns are seen in fine magazines like What's Up? Annapolis and GrapeVine. The Wine Coach® events are unique, fun, and always attitude-free! Great for conventions, team building, special occasions or just because.

More info:

PO Box 763
Easton, MD 21601

• laurie@thewinecoach.com
• www.thewinecoach.com
• 410-820-4212

Washington Wine Academy

The Washington Wine Academy (WWA) is your Washington, DC resource for wine education. WWA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission of wine education is evident in every detail of our offerings. Our faculty wine speakers include recognizable names such as wine columnists from the Washington Post, Washington Times and Washingtonian Magazine. In addition to offering both public and private educational wine tastings; we are an approved Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET®) training center. WSET is the world’s premier wine education organization, their training centers can be found around the globe with thirteen (13) approved centers in the Continental United States. As an approved WSET center, we provide training and certification for the wine professional. We offer WSET training taught by a Master of Wine with certification upon successful course completion at the Intermediate and the Advanced levels. Whether you are a wine novice or aficionado the WWA is your premier wine education center in the Washington, DC area. For course and event offerings, please visit us online at http://www.WashingtonWineAcademy.org or email CyndyNelson@WashingtonWineAcademy.org

More info:

P.O. Box 30800
Alexandria, Virginia 22310-0800

• JimBarker@WashingtonWineAcademy.org
• www.WashingtonWineAcademy.org
• 703-971-1525

Adventure Wine

Adventure Wine hosts public and private wine events, tours, dinners and other wine-themed educational & social events.

More info:

14604 Devereaux Terrace
North Potomac, MD 20878

• robert@adventurewine.com
• adventurewine.com
• 240-483-1275

The Vino Vixen

The Vino Vixen is Mari Stull - Award winning Wine Editor of the Alexandria Times and syndicated wine columnist in 17 publications. The Vino Vixen is refreshingly FUN and takes a light-hearted and very enjoyable approach to wine. But make no mistake - the Vixen is deadly serious about educating wine lovers on wine and appreciating wine. If you are looking for a wine educator to give your next event a bit more frivolity and enjoyment with a healthy dose of wine education, look no further than The Vino Vixen. The Vino Vixen discounts her speaking fees to charitable organizations.

More info:

205 Cameron Street
Alexandria, VA 22314

• VinoVixen@vinovixen.org
• www.vinovixen.org
• 571.274.1001

Ryan Gibbens - Wine Palate LLC

Ryan has been studying wine for more than ten years. He began at Penn State University working as a server at the Nittany Lion Inn. He was initially inducted into the wine world by some of his fellow wine fanatics from the restaurant staff. Within only one year, he was heading up the wine list. Two years later, the wine list he initiated earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. He was hooked on wine forever! After earning his B.S. in Finance and International Business, Ryan spent time managing restaurants at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and the former Wyndham, Washington DC hotel. His unwavering attention to guest satisfaction earned him respect from co-workers in each of these positions. Ryan has since branched out and excelled as a sales representative for a wine wholesaler. While he was originally self-taught, Ryan has passed the Master Sommelier Introductory Course with 100% on the exam (something very few individuals can claim), and the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Advanced Course with merit. He has also scheduled a date in October 2009 to take the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) test and, pending his proficient completion, he will follow that up with completion of the Certified Wine Educator (CWE) exam.

More info:

P.O. Box 3328
Reston, VA
20195

• ryan@wineforeverypalate.com
• www.wineforeverypalate.com
• 703.994.9725

Angela Logomasini -- Vintage Wine Consulting

Vintage Wine Consulting was founded by Angela Logomasini. Angela has conducted home and business wine tastings for two years for another company. In 2009, she launched Vintage Wine Consulting to provide her clients with a higher-level of wine education services that are tailored to meet specific client needs and desires. Angela has earned wine education certificates from the internationally-known Wine and Spirits Education Trust, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom. WSET courses and testing are offered around the world by WSET-certified learning centers. These classes and certificates provide a widely recognized and respected qualification for working within the wine industry. Angela has successfully completed both the intermediate and advanced level certificates in Wine and Spirits Education at the Washington Wine Academy. She is also a member of the Society of Wine Educators. In addition to managing Vintage Wine Consulting, Angela writes a wine column for the D.C. Examiner and is a contributor to the Weekly Wine Pick.

More info:

7111 Coventry Road
Alexandria Virginia 22306

• angela@vintagewineconsulting.com
• www.vintagewineconsulting.com
• (703) 944-8141

Tony Guida, Washington Wine and Cheese Seminar

Tony has been conducting wine seminars for large and small groups in the Washington DC area for more than 25 years. His wide experience, his joie de vivre, his no nonsense approach to the subject, as well as his reasonable fees, make him much sought after as a speaker and an educator. Call him at 301-229-0307 to discuss your needs.

More info:

7401 Arden Rd.
Cabin John MD 20818

• tony@sinniusvice.com
• 301-229-0307

Adventure Wine

Award-winning Wine Educator Robert Cavanaugh has hosted tours and seminars in over a dozen countries throughout the world. His humorous, down-to-earth approach makes wine tasting and education enjoyable for all levels of knowledge. Robert is the founder and owner of Adventure Wine (www.adventurewine.com), host of Ultrasport.TV’s Racing through Wine Country, co-host of WEBR’s radio show Vintage Rugby Brothers, and works with Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG Foundation. He holds certifications from the Windows on the World Wine School at the World Trade Center in New York, The Wine and Spirits Education Trust of London, The Academie du Vin of Paris and The Court of Master Sommeliers. Robert is the former Director of Beverage and Sommelier d’ Hotel for the Ritz-Carlton Hotels in New York City and Palm Beach.

More info:

14604 Devereaux Terrace
North Potomac, MD 20878

• robert@adventurewine.com
• www.adventurewine.com
• 240-483-1275