Seattle Wine Awards - Tasting Panel

Darrius Allyn
Master Sommelier

Darius began working in hospitality at the age of 15, at The Salish Lodge Inn at Snoqualmie Falls, Washington.  He spent five years working on the Red Prussian Luxury German train, serving American clientele who were traveling in Europe, gaining some knowledge of wine there as well as on backpacking trips and by harvesting grapes in Italy and Greece.  He went home to Seattle and worked as the buyer and staff educator for Theoz restaurant there and for several Tom Douglas restaurants, including the Dahlia Lounge, Palace Kitchen and Etta's Seafood.  He landed his first sommelier position at age 25, back at the Salish Lodge Inn where he got his start.  In 2005, Allyn became the 60th American to pass the Master Sommelier Exam and he began his wine consulting business the following year as a partner in Wineworks Consulting Services, then moved to Las Vegas to work at Charlie Palmer's Aureole restaurant at the Mandalay Bay Resort.

Joel Butler
Master of Wine

Becoming one of the first two Americans to pass the rigorous Master of Wine examination in 1990 on his second try, Butler fulfilled a goal that was several years in the making. He is President of the Institute of Masters of Wine, North America, Ltd., coordinates the annual North American seminar program and also is an instructor for the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) courses offered at COPIA in Napa Valley and in Seattle, WA. He is currently a partner in WineKnow LLC, a wine education provider, and working on a book while doing some consulting.

Doug Charles
Compass Wines

Compass Wines was founded in Anacortes Washington, 'the gateway to the San Juan Islands' in 2001 by former restaurateur Doug Charles, and Seattle businessman, Will Parks. The goal was to reintroduce a feeling of customer service, much like the restaurant industry, to the retail wine business, with a joint goal of having the greatest selection of rare Washington State wines on earth. Doug's twenty plus years in the food industry, combined with his extensive consulting background and professional training provide the contacts and trust with the wineries of Washington.

Phillip Dunn
Canlis

Phillip Dunn, a native of the South, brings a flair of southern hospitality to Canlis Restaurant.  After graduating from Auburn University with a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts, Phillip moved to Atlanta where he quickly fell in love with the world of food and wine.

In 2001, Phillip moved to Seattle, where his earnest pursuit of a career in wine began at the Four Star/Four Diamond Woodmark Hotel, and later Jak's Grill in Laurelhurst. Cross training in the wholesale industry for two years, he excelled at selling the wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Italy and California to top accounts in Seattle.

After passing the Advanced Sommelier Examination on his first attempt, Phillip will sit for the Master Sommelier exam in early 2010.  He also holds the Sommelier Diploma from the International Sommelier Guild and is a Certified Specialist of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators.

In June 2008, Phillip was hired as Assistant Wine Director at Canlis. "I have the fortunate challenge of being involved with one of the greatest wine lists in the world.  My dream job has become a reality."

Jeff Fournier
Esquin Wine Merchants

Jeff Fournier is the main buyer for Esquin Wine Merchants in Seattle, and has been there for more than 7 years. Jeff is a sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers and has over 30 years of industry experience; he spent over 15 of those years in wine and spirits buying positions in numerous venues, including grocery, restaurant and one of the largest fine wine shops in the Northwest.

Thomas Henick-Kling
Director of the Viticulture & Enology Program - Professor of Enology
Washington State University

Dr Henick-Kling grew up in Germany and was trained in Germany, USA, and Australia.  He is a wine microbiologist and has commercial and experimental winemaking experience and extensive knowledge of wines from Europe, USA, Australia and New Zealand. He is active in several national and international professional societies.  He is a wine judge and a reviewer for several scientific journals. Wine research and extension: physiology of lactic acid bacteria, wine yeast ecology, molecular characterization of wine yeast and bacteria, modification of wine flavor by yeast and bacteria, wine flavors, winemaking technology.

David LeClaire
Founder and General Manager, Wine World Warehouse

David LeClaire is a certified sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers and founder of WINE WORLD, the NW's largest wine store.  He created the two largest wine clubs in the Northwest, Seattle Uncorked & Portland Uncorked, and is also a member of The International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association.  Mr. LeClaire served as wine director at Seattle's prestigious Alexis Hotel (& Painted Table Restaurant) for ten years. David  is an instructor at North Seattle Community College, and is also a free-lance writer for the Washington Tasting Room Magazine.

Amy Mumma
Director, Central Washington University Wine Program

Amy Mumma has worked and taught in the international wine industry for more than 15 years. She is the Director and Founder of the Central Washington University Wine Program which offers the only four year accredited Global Wine Studies degree in the Untied States.  She was awarded the Professional Wine Woman 2005 and 2006 title in Paris at the International Wine Women Awards and continues to serve as a judge for the International Wine Woman Awards.     

Amy has a MBA in Wine Industry from the University of Bordeaux Business School, a Diploma of Tasting and Wine Studies from the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France, and the Advanced Certificate from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in London.  She has published numerous articles for the wine industry and written five books on wine ranging from viticulture and enology, wine regions, marketing, sensory analysis and wine faults.

Tim O'Brien
Salty's on Alki

A long-time Northwest wine professional, Tim has worked in the beverage world since 1988 and is currently the distinguished Wine Director & Sommelier for Salty's Restaurants. Tim has earned numerous Wne Enthusiast Awards as well as being honored many times; most notably by the Washington Wine Commission as the 2004 Walter Clore Honorarium recipient and the 2006 Washington Sommelier of The Year.

Rob Ord
Advanced Sommelier, Vinum Wine

Mr. Robert Ord has over fifteen years as a professional in the wine industry, and is currently the Import Manager and Wine Educator for Vinum Importing and Distributing.  He passed the Sommelier Diploma Program through the International Sommelier Guild and was invited to take part in their Teacher Education Program. In 2007 he began teaching classes for the International Sommelier Guild in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. He holds the Advanced Sommelier designation from the Court of Master Sommeliers, and earned the prestigious Rudd Award for the highest exam score in the Cincinnati test in 2008. He was later awarded the first ever Johnston Medal for the highest cumulative grade in the USA for that year.  In February of 2010 he sat for the Master Sommelier Examination passing 2 of the 3 parts on his first attempt, and has recently become certified as a Sake Specialist.

Andy Perdue
Editor, Wine Press Northwest

Andy serves as editor of Wine Press Northwest, a quarterly consumer magazine that focuses on the wine regions of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho. He is the author of "The Northwest Wine Guide: A Buyer's Handbook (Sasquatch, 2003) and also has contributed to five other books on Northwest food, wine and travel. He co-authors a weekly wine column that appears in 17 daily and weekly newspapers, and he also is an international wine judge.

Lisa Rongren
John Howie Steak

Lisa recently earned her Advanced Sommelier Certification from the prestigious Court of Master Sommeliers. She's worked at Scott Carsberg's Lampreia in Seattle, John Howie's Seastar in Bellevue, and was the Wine Director at the venerable Ray's Boathouse in Seattle and Sommelier at Puget Sound's renowned Herbfarm Restaurant.  She is currently the lead Sommelier at Bellevue's John Howie Steak.

Sean Sullivan
Editor, Washington Wine Report

Sean P. Sullivan is editor of Washington Wine Report – an independent blog focused exclusively on the wines of Washington State. The blog was founded in 2007 with the goal of providing consumers with wine ratings and information. He has written for Seattle Metropolitan, Vineyard & Winery Management, Washington State Wine Touring Guide, Edible Seattle, Wine Press Northwest, and Wine & Jazz. Sullivan resides in Seattle, Washington.

Mark Takagi
Metropolitan Market

Born and raised in Seattle, Mark's interest in wine started while working in some of the city's finest restaurants in the late 1970s and early 80s.  That experience guided him into the emerging Washington State wine industry.  Mark is currently Director of Specialty Sales for Metropolitan Market.  He is acknowledged locally and nationally for his work in the wine industry, and is devoted to philanthropy, lending his wine expertise to numerous local civic and charitable organizations.

Kristen Young
Director of Wine, Waterfront Seafood Grill

Kristen has served at prominent Seattle restaurants such as Campagne and Nell's, developing her passion for fine food and wine. Previous to her work at the Waterfront, Kristen opened Tilth Restaurant with Chef Maria Hines, overseeing the wine program and front-of-house operations. Kristen holds oenophilic accreditations from both Court of Master Sommeliers and International Sommelier Guild, as well as a Bachelor's in Business Administration from The University of Toledo.

Ms. Young was named 'Sommelier of the Year' 2011 by the Washington State Wine Commission and is proud to participate as part of the Sommelier team for both Taste Washington and the International Pinot Noir Celebration.