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.

2009 Seattle Wine Awards Tasting Panel

Back Row L-R: David LeClaire - Seattle Uncorked, Rob Ord - International Sommelier Guild, Gerry Warren - Seattle Wine Society, Christopher Chan - Executive Director*, Phillip Dunn - Canlis, Tim O'Brien - Salty's Restaurants, Mark Takagi - Metropolitan Markets, Jeff Fournier - Esquin Wine Merchants Front Row L-R: Bob Bain - Fine Wine Specialist, Thomas Price - Metropolitan Grill, Ryan Allison - Cellar 46, Amy Mumma - CWU World Wine Program, Lisa Rongren - The Herbfarm, Jake Kosseff - Kosseff Wine Consulting, Ole Thompson - Wild Ginger/The Triple Door, Doug Charles - Compass Fine Wines

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR TASTING PANEL

Christopher Chan Executive Director, Seattle Wine Awards Executive Director and Certified Sommelier Christopher Chan has over 20 years of Special Events and Food & Beverage experience in Seattle and Washington DC and currently serves as the Director of Wine & Spirits for Seattle’s exclusive Rainier Club. Christopher has just completed the International Sommelier Guild Diploma Course will sit for his Advanced Court of Master Sommelier Exam in October 2009. (*Christopher Chan does not participate in the tasting or evaluating of wine for the Seattle Wine Awards.)

Ryan Allison Cellar 46˚ Founder of awinestore.com and Cellar 46˚ Ryan has a great appreciation for NW Wines and has served as a panel member of the New World International Wine Competition since 2004.  This is Ryan’s first year as a member of the Seattle Wine Awards Tasting Panel.

Bob Bain Odom/NW Wine Co. With nearly two decades of fine wine expertise, Bob has worked the Seattle & Portland markets as a fine wine specialistand has served on the Seattle Wine Awards Tasting Panel since 2007.

Doug Charles Compass Fine Wines Founding Co-Owner of Anacortes, WA fine wine shop Compass Wines in 2001, Doug has also been featured in numerous books and publications, and has judged many local and regional wine competitions. His comprehensive public tastings of rare, older Washington wines from such vintages as 1979, 1983 and 1985 have established him as an authority on the premium wines of Washington State.

Phillip Dunn Canlis Phillip Dunn, a native of the South, brings a flare of southern hospitality to Canlis Restaurant. Phillip became a Master Sommelier candidate in April 2008 after passing the rigorous Advanced Sommelier Examination on his first attempt. He also holds the Sommelier Diploma from the International Sommelier Guild and is a Certified Specialist of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators.

Jeff Fournier Esquin Wine Merchants

Jake Kosseff Extraordinary Dining Society Jake has consulted on the wine lists for some of Seattle’s finest wine centric restaurants such as Crush, Campagne and Qube in Seattle.  In 2006, Jake was named the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs “Best Young Sommelier in America” and has been accepted to sit for the Master Sommelier Diploma examination.  Jake is also the Sommelier for Seattle Metropolitan Magazine’s “Restaurant Dream Team” (2006), as well as Seattle Magazine’s “Best Sommelier” (2007).  Jake currently serves full-time as a consultant and is founder of the amazing Extraordinary Dining Society.

David LeClaire Wine Events & Promotions David LeClaire is a certified sommelier and the founder of Wine Events & Promotions and Seattle Uncorked, Seattle’s largest wine club. He is a wine educator at North Seattle Community College, a freelance writer for Wine Squire & NW Stir websites, and is also a member of The International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association.

Amy Mumma CWU World Wine Program Amy Mumma has worked and taught in the international wine industry for more than 10 years. She is the Director of the Central Washington University Wine Program in Washington State and was awarded the Professional Wine Woman title in Paris at the International Wine Women 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, and the Advanced Certificate from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in London.  She is a freelance writer for publications including Vineyard & Winery Management and the North American correspondent for the Bordeaux wine magazine L’Amateur Bordeaux.  She is a wine judge and frequent presenter at national and international conferences.

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 International Sommelier Guild Robert Ord is an Instructor with the International Sommelier Guild and was honored with the first Jeffery H. Johnston Award of Excellence by the Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation. The honor recognized Mr. Ord’s accomplishment in receiving the highest score in the Advanced Sommelier examination in 2008.

Thomas Price The Metropolitan Grill Thomas recently earned his Advanced Sommelier Certification from the prestigious Court of Master Sommeliers.  He is currently a Sommelier/Captain at Seattle’s legendary steak-house, The Metropolitan Grill in addition to being the owner/founder of Luau Polynesian Lounge & Restaurant.  Thomas plans to sit for his Master Sommelier examination in Spring 2009.

Lisa Rongren The Herbfarm 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 before taking up her current position as sommelier at Puget Sound’s renowned Herbfarm Restaurant.

Mark Takagi Metropolitan Market Born and raised in Seattle, Mark has grown up with Washington wine.  Working his way through the some of Seattle’s finer restaurants, Mark began a career as one of Safeway’s original Wine Stewards.  Acknowledged locally and nationally, Mark now works as the Director of Food & Fine Wine for Metropolitan Market.  He is devoted to philanthropy with his dedication to volunteering on the wine procurement committees for numerous Civic and Charity organizations.

Ole Thompson Wild Ginger/The Triple Door Olé Thompson is the Wine Director at the Wild Ginger Restaurant and The Triple Door Theater and Musicquarium in downtown Seattle. Recently given the “Best of Award of Excellence” by the Wine Spectator for Wild Ginger’s extensive and excellent wine list. Olé is currently working towards his Master Sommelier Diploma and has tasted well over 100,000 wines in his many years in the wine business.

Gerry Warren Seattle Wine Society Gerry is one of Seattle’s wine originals.  He has served as past president of the Enological Society of the Pacific Northwest, Chair of it’s judging of Northwest Wines and founding chair of the Auction of Northwest Wines.  In addition to his participation on the Seattle Wine Awards Tasting Panel he serves as a  judge at wine competitions in the Northwest and California.