Marnie Old

Known for her common-sense approach, tireless enthusiasm and leadership in the wine community, Marnie Old is one of the country’s leading wine educators and Philadelphia’s highest profile sommelier. She teaches about wine, beer and spirits across the country and around the world.

Marnie's wine columns appear regularly in Philadelphia Magazine and Pennsylvania’s Wine & Spirits Quarterly. She is also a contributing editor for Santé Magazine, serving the restaurant and hospitality industry.

In 2005, Marnie’s award-winning wine classes were launched for internet delivery through the University of Delaware. The Wine Online program is a four part introductory wine course, designed for both consumers and restaurant staff. Marnie has been a wine educator for Manhattan’s prestigious French Culinary Institute since 2001, and serves as mid-Atlantic wine educator for Wine & Spirits Magazine

Marnie spent five years as Sommelier at the famed Striped Bass restaurant, and later as Executive Beverage Director for their premier restaurant group, Meal Ticket Inc. Old launched her independent venture, Old Wines LLC, in October 2001 and her cutting edge beverage programs continue to earn national press and praise.

More info:

Old Wines

710 Chestnut St

Philadelphia Pa 19106

• marnieold@aol.com
• marnieold.com
• 215 351 9985

Melissa Monosoff

Mrs. Monosoff is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has honed her skills at the top restaurants in Philadelphia as the beverage director and sommelier at the Fountain Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel and as a sommelier at The Striped Bass and Avenue B restaurants. In 2004 Wine & Spirits Magazine named Mrs. Monosoff one of America’s “Best Young Sommeliers”. In addition she was awarded the Bronze Medal in the national Jeune Sommeliers competition sponsored by the Chaine des Rotisseurs and the Court of Master Sommeliers. She became a Master of Wine Candidate in November of 2005 and an Advanced Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers in August of 2004. She is now one of a few women in America and the first in Philadelphia to be a candidate for both a certification as a Master Sommelier and Master of Wine.

More info:

• melissambm@yahoo.com
• 215-840-0587

GiraMondo Wine Ventures

GiraMondo Wine Ventures is a wine business professional training company as well as a consultancy to the wine industry. Don’t know what to do with your sommelier diploma and do not intend to work in a restaurant for the rest of your life? Had enough of the pyramid schemes to sell wines in your friends and families’ living room? Or just tempted by making a career switch in the wine industry after years of corporate experience and don’t know where to start? Please take a moment to review our different offerings: - Attend our webinar on how to jumpstart your career in the wine industry and save years of research and interrogation - Participate to our one-day professional seminars on the business of wine to further your career as a marketing and sales professional in the wine industry - Spend one or two hours during a wine entrepreneurship coaching session with our seasoned consultants to gain insights and vet the assumptions for your business plan whether for a wine bar, wine store, wine tour company or wine importer business. - Join our community of wine entrepreneurs (linkedin) and attend our yearly Wine Entrepreneur Conference, the ultimate wine business idea laboratory.

More info:

11002 Veirs Mill Road Suite 725
Wheaton, MD 20902

• infos@giramondowine.com
• www.giraventures.com
• 301.841.7609- ask for Laurent

Keith Wallace, Director

Keith is a leading figure in wine education. The founder of the Wine School of Philadelphia, Keith is a rare breed on the east coast: a full time wine guru. As such, his curriculum vitae is getting quite hefty. Along with being a popular wine personality, he continues to work as a consultant for an Italian winery, a lecturer for two major universities, and a popular wine & food writer.

Keith's interviews have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek: SmallBiz, BonAppetit Magazine, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. On television, he has appeared nationally on The Learning Channel, and regionally on both Fox and CBS. He is a featured wine writer for PhillyStyle Magazine, Dining Out Magazine, and the Wine & Spirits Quarterly.

Whether on stage or in front of the camera, his charismatically goofy persona puts his achievements in the proper light "I love my job ," he says "I drink for a living, for [edit]'s sake. Despite his wine tasting obligations, Keith continues to teach fulltime for The Wine School of Philadelphia.

More info:

The Wine School of Philadelphia

2006 Fairmount Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19130

• keith@vinology.com
• www.vinology.com
• 215-965-1514

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

Brian Freedman

Brian Freedman is a food and wine writer, wine educator, and consultant. He is Food and Wine Editor of LifeStyle Magazine, Adjunct Professor of Vinology at The Wine School of Philadelphia, and restaurant critic and food and drinks columnist for AroundPhilly.com. His work has been published in both national magazines and local newspapers, including a short piece on Ansill Food + Wine in the August 2006 issue of Wine & Spirits Magazine. He has also made several live appearances on Fox 29’s “Good Day Philadelphia.” Brian is a partner and the editorial director of ClassicWines.com, the online guide to classic wines and wine retailers. Brian lectures about wine & food exclusively through The Wine School of Philadelphia.

email: brian@vinology.com
phone: 215-965-1514

More info:

• brian@vinology.com
• www.vinology.com
• 215-965-1514

Shawn Dore

SHAWN DORE, DWS/AIWS, has a down-to-earth approach to wine. Shawn is often quoted as saying, "my wine philosophy is very simple, drink what you enjoy. Wine should be an enjoyable experience, my seminars are designed to educate rather then intimidate."

Shawn is a certified Sommelier and a graduate of the internationally recognized, Wine Diploma program from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, United Kingdom, the educational affiliate of the Masters of Wine. Shawn is a regular invited guest sommelier at such world class wine and food events such as Wine Spectator’s Wine Experience, Master’s of Food & Wine, La Paulee and World of Pinot Noir.

Shawn is a National Education Director with The Charmer Sunbelt Group. In this role she assists in development and facilitation of multi level, multi-media, wine, spirit and beer educational programs to be utilized in the 15 markets the Charmer Sunbelt Group distributes alcohol beverages.

Prior to joining Charmer, Shawn was Director of Wine for the Borgata Hotel, Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, NJ. In addition to running the multi-million dollar wine program at the Borgata, Shawn championed Borgata to recent accolades such as a Sante Award, the Cheers Magazine Best Overall Beverage Program, and Wine Spectators Best of Award of Excellence. As well she was an integral part of the inaugural Borgata wine event 'Women in Wine.'

Among Shawn’s accomplishments she developed and operated Sommelier Services Inc., a wine consultant service that provides expert guidance to restaurant groups and private individuals in wine, spirit and beer education, wine list development, cellar management and menu pairing. Additionally, Shawn taught Wine Appreciation at the Culinary Institute George Brown College.

More info:

• sdore79@comcast.net
• 609-289-7350

Federico Dall'Olmo

All that you need to learn about Italian wine: grapes, regions, laws, labeling, tasting, food-pairing and much more.

More info:

123 East Springfield Road
Springfield, PA 19064

• fedeinvino@gmail.com
• 610 202 2793

Mark Cochard CWE, DWS/Chaddsford Winery

Mark Cochard, long time wine educator, earned Certified Wine Educator from Society of Wine Educators, and 2000 Banfi Vintner's Scholarship recipient. One of only 14 Americans to earn the fourth-level WSET Diploma, the highest level of structured wine study available in the U.S. Mark has been an Internal Assessor for the WSET level 3 Advanced Certificate, taught the First Growth Course at Walnut Hill College and is teaching sections of the newly revised WSET level 4 Diploma.

More info:

632 Baltimore Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317

• cfwine@chaddsford.com
• www.chaddsford.com
• 610-388-6221

Tony Lawrence, A Chef For You, Llc

Tony, is known as the winechef, he specializes in the art of food and wine pairing. Working with wine importers, wineries, restaurants wine associations and consumers . Providing educational hands on food& wine cooking seminars, food& wine pairing seminars, wine judging seminars ,wine dinners , how to taste blind.How to write a food & wine pairing menu

More info:

239 east high ST PHILADELPHIA,PA 19144

• winechef@comcast.net
• 215-438-2286 -267-250-5715

John L. Deitrich

John L.Deitrich Mid Atlantic States Wine Director for the InnVision Wines & Spirts, representing approximately 700 hundred vineyards from major wine growing regions of the world. He is responsible for and product selection for several prestigious portfolios. He is also instrumental in promoting and conducting weekly Wine Tasting/Dinners at Wine savvy restaurants in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. He has been Wine Director/Sommelier for The Kennedy Supplee Mansion in King of Prussia,Pa; Vickers Tavern, Lionville Pa. and the Mendenhall Inn, Mendenhall, Pa.

More info:

3603 BonnyBrook Rd

• InneVision@Aol.com
• 717-856-7551

The Wine Club

The longest running Wine Group in the Delaware Valley led by former radio show host John McNulty. Noted by the Wine Enthusaist Magazine and mentioned for tasting in both Grands Vins and Cote d"or by Author and MW Clive Coates, John has also been the Temple U wine guy for over 20 years. John also writes or has written for numerous publications locally as well as nationally.

More info:

• jmctopwine@aol.com

Tomas Oliver

If you are looking for someone to truly present what wine is for your event...look no further. Tomas is well educated, experienced and passionate about wines of all regions. He focus' on what the wine represents and where it truly came from and always gives a beautiful presentation that will be remembered!

More info:

614 S. 7th St.
Philadelphia Pa. 19147

• wineboy.tomas@gmail.com
• 215.407.9552

Phillywine.com

Phillywine.com is the latest incarnation of a Philadelphia-area wine education organization run by Neal Ewing since the mid-1980's. Lecture-format tastings have included such luminaries as Robert Parker and Michael Broadbent. Regionally-focused wine tastings have included vintages back to 1863. We have twice been honored with "Best of Philly" awards from Philadelphia Magazine and were named "Best Wine School in the U.S." by Wine Notes magazine in 2000. Since 1999 we have offered the courses of the WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust), the educational affiliate of the Masters of Wine, the world's most highly regarded and rarely attained wine achievement. We are one of only three locations in the U.S. qualified to offer the two-year WSET Diploma, the requirement for entry into the MW program in much of the world. Most of the WSET classes are taught by Neal Ewing, who holds the WSET Diploma and has earned the title of Certified Wine Educator from the Society of Wine Educators.

More info:

PO Box 1478, Havertown, PA, 19083

• neal@phillywine.com
• www.phillywine.com
• 610-649-9936

Joseph M. Brandolo - Culinary Service School

Thirty years as a seasoned veteran and foodie extraordinaire, I can weave stories of vineyards, wineries, distilleries, and famous restaurants from around the world. I am a devoted "Slow Food" advocate who strongly believes in the "sense of place" when it comes to food, wines & spirits. I have "kicked dirt" in vineyards from around the world as well as toured distilleries with Master Distillers. I currently am a major winery representative and restaurant service and wine educator, as well as had the good fortune of being a whiskey ambassador, writer, restaurant service consultant, and former restaurant owner. I combine romance and education to my tastings. Besides hosting monthly tastings at Auletto Caterers Wine Cellar in South Jersey, I am available as a guest speaker and educator for private events and staff seminars.

More info:

360 Almonesson Road
Blenheim, NJ 08012

• winetek@comcast.net
• 856-374-1002

The Wine Guy LLC

Bob has spent 26 years in the wine business and has a passion for edutainment with wine. He has been a national Education Manager with Diageo Wines and also the Director of Education, Wine & Champagne for Pernod-Ricard USA. Bob makes it fun easy and enjoyable to learn a thing or two about wine.

More info:

213 Hunting Hill Lane
West Chester, PA 19382

• btwineguy@verizon.net
• 610-793-3578

Bill Clark

Wine Appreciation Course Spring & Fall, 10 week courses Located in Bucks County, PA

More info:

438 Delaware Avenue
Langhorne, PA 19047

• whclark@comcast.net
• home.comcast.net/~clark4895/
• 215-752-4895

Cosmo Mullen

If you are interested in planning a wine event, developing a wine collection or just learning about wine in a relaxed and non-threatening setting, then contact Cosmo via cell phone or e-mail. Cosmo is a Chef/Caterer and has studied wine extensively, and would like to share his knowledge and passion for wine.

More info:

• cosmowine@verizon.net

Chef Brenda Board, French pastry wine sommelier

Founder of Oliver & Company Tea Room, celebrated educator, tea chef and tea sommelier, Brenda Board has taken more of the foods we love from afternoon tea to high tea. "Tea is as a fine wine", quoted mentor and friend John Harney of Harney & Sons Fine Teas. The yearly visits to France reminds her of the internship chateaux of Madame Clicquot, Clos du Vougeot, and Louis Latour. The smell and touch of varietals from the vines is felt during the six-course seated event. The beautiful regions of Dijon, Beaune, Epernay, Reims and Burgandy come to life. Experience each month the infused pairing paradigm events of French wines, desserts, chocolats and of course, tea from the finest master tea blender around the world with Chef and Sommelier Board. French Pastry Chef Board is a graduate of the prestigious Restaurant School of Walnut Hill College, the Wine School of Philadelphia and candidate for the International Sommelier Guild, chocolatier for Oliver & Company Tea Room, taught by Miel Patissiere and World renowned Executive Chef Robert Bennett of American Harvest Baking.

More info:

Harriton House
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010

• bk2board@yahoo.com
• 215-243-5119