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

Jeff is a sommelier with the guild of sommeliers and has over 18 years of restaurant experience including management and full service, and over 10 years of wine retail experience as a buyer. Currently, Jeff works for Esquin as New World Wine Buyer and Washington Wine Specialst.

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.

Olé 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.