Meet the Moderator
Kevin Zraly
Author, Educator, & Storyteller
James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award recipient
Contact:
kevin@kevinzraly.com
Internationally acclaimed wine educator, best-selling author, James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Kevin Zraly has been described as a naturally gifted speaker who is both refreshingly humble and candid. His passion for wine and food and his engaging teaching style help demystify the ever-changing world of wine. Kevin offers Wine Classes, Wine Paired Dinners, and Wine Tastings, and speaks on wine, food, and restaurants.
After graduating college and studying wine by visiting vineyards and winemakers around the world, Kevin had a chance meeting with legendary restaurateur Joe Baum which led to his being hired as the first Cellar Master and Wine Director of the renowned Windows on the World Restaurant atop One World Trade Center. Windows soon became the country’s top grossing restaurant and, with Kevin at the helm of its highly recognized wine list, sold more wine than any restaurant in the world. It was there that he established his Windows on the World Wine School which ran for forty years and has graduated more than 20,000 students ranging from wine novices and aficionados to top chefs and culinary professionals. Kevin worked at the Windows on the World Restaurant for 25 years, from the day it opened in 1976 until September 11, 2001.
Kevin created the New York Wine Experience which, as of 2024, has generated over $40 million in donations which have gone to the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation. Beneficiaries of this fund include University of California at Davis, Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Institute, the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, the CIA at Greystone in Napa, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, Napa Valley College and Jose Andrés’ World Central Kitchen.
Kevin has been featured in such publications as The New York Times, People magazine, The Wall Street Journal, GQ Magazine, Newsweek, and USA Today and has appeared on national TV and other syndicated television and radio shows. He co-hosted the Food Network show “Wine A to Z,” captivating his audience with his signature charisma and enthusiasm.
He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Culinary Institute of America (since 1990) and teaches the Windows on the World Wine School Virtual One Hour Wine Expert classes as well as Master and Advanced Wine Classes.
Kevin is the author of eight books, including the best-selling Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, now in its 35th edition with more than 4 million copies sold. He is also the author of the first book that covers wineries and vineyards in all 50 states, Kevin Zraly’s American Wine Guide, The Ultimate Wine Companion, a compilation of 40 world-renowned wine writers, and co-author of Red Wine. His memoir, A Glass Half Full: A Cellarmaster’s Journey Through Wine and Life, will soon be released.
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Christof Hopler
Hopler Winery
Breitenbrunn, Austria -
Damien Barton Sartorius
Chateau Leoville Barton
Bordeaux, France -
Dermot Sugrue
Sugrue South Downs
Wivelsfield Green, England -
Fabio Zenato
Le Morette
Azienda Agricola Valerio Zenato, Italy -
Chuck Wagner
Wagner Family of Wine
Rutherford, CA, USA -
Sue-Ann Staff
Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
Jordan, Ontario, Canada -
Wynand Grobler
De Kleine Wijn
Swartland, South Africa -
Amanda Johnson
Spy Valley Wines
Marlborough, New Zealand
The speakers may be changed without prior notice.
Christof Hopler
Christof Höpler is the owner and winemaker of Höpler, a family-owned winery with a rich history dating back to the 1860s. The business was founded by Jost Höpler in the 1980s and has since been passed down to Christof, who continues the family tradition of sensitively farming their 50 hectares of vines.
The winery, now located in the village of Breitenbrunn, is known for its high-quality, sustainable wines. Christof believes in allowing the wines to find their own balance, using a combination of traditional and modern winemaking methods. The majority of their wines are fermented and stored in stainless steel tanks, with some red wines matured in French oak barrels. Notably, all their wines are vegan, as no animal-based products are used in the winemaking process.
Höpler is committed to sustainable practices, with a focus on caring for the ecosystem and the health of their vineyards. They prioritize natural methods such as relying on rainfall for watering, using cover crops and natural compost between rows, and avoiding the use of pesticides. Additionally, they adjust their viticultural practices according to each vineyard and the prevailing climate, aiming to minimize intervention and let nature maintain its balance.
In a historic move, the stewardship of the company has been passed to Christof’s three daughters, Albiera, Allegra, and Alessia, marking the 25th, 26th, and 27th generations continuing the family’s pursuit of excellence and innovation.
Damien Barton Sartorius
Born in 1990, Damien Barton Sartorius grew up in the midst of his family’s vineyards and winery. He quickly developed a deep appreciation for wine, terroir, and nature. Damien studied wine making and vine growing and furthered his knowledge with a master’s degree in international business. He gained valuable experience in wine production and distribution through work in Bordeaux, New Zealand, London, and New York City.
Driven by his passion for the African bush, Damien obtained diplomas as a Field Guide Ranger in South Africa. He is currently involved with an NGO called Wild Tomorrow.
After completing his studies, Damien sought to revolutionize the wine industry by creating a more modern, fun, and sustainable approach to wine consumption. Together with his friend Benjamin Joyeux, he co-founded Barton & Joyeux. Their focus is on managing brands and providing consulting services that prioritize sustainability in all aspects of wine, including production, transportation, distribution, and consumption.
In addition to his work with Barton & Joyeux, Damien serves as the Director of Châteaux Langoa and Léoville Barton in Saint Julien. Following in the footsteps of his ten generations of ancestors, he has been a leader in renovating the winery and implementing more sustainable practices, such as reducing bottle weight and using cardboard boxes instead of wood.
Dermot Sugrue
The world-class sparkling wines of Sugrue South Downs are the personal project of celebrated winemaker Dermot Sugrue, who collaborates with his winemaker wife Ana and their small team of dedicated vineyard professionals: Liesa, Geoff, and Shaun. Together, they manage three exceptional, mature vineyards across the South Downs of East and West Sussex, with the earliest planted in 2005 and 2006 on chalk soils. We are independent, artisan, boutique winemakers who live and breathe what we do on a daily basis, through thick and thin, hail and fog, hot and cold. Our wines are regarded by many of the world’s most influential critics and commentators as the very best that England has produced to date. All our wines are small production, hand-made, and typically aged for 5-10 years before release. They are low in sulphites, always vegetarian and vegan, and we practice sustainable viticulture, believing in and respecting the soil beneath our feet. We are farmers, wine lovers, and above all, winemakers with a passion for pushing the boundaries of what English wine can achieve. We never rest on our laurels because life is too short, the opportunities too grand, and the possibilities too compelling.
Fabio Zenato
After obtaining an educational training and a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Sciences, Fabio Zenato decided to join the family company, focusing first on the winemaking process and then on expanding the brand internationally. His dedication, corporate vision, and leadership skills are essential in bringing new energy to the team every day.
In the early 1960s, Gino Zenato founded the company as a vine nursery, eventually venturing into wine production. In 1981, Gino’s son, Valerio, joined the company and enhanced wine production with high-quality wines. The third generation, represented by Fabio and Paolo, continues the family tradition, managing the business alongside Valerio. The company, known as Le Morette, has become a historic winery in the Lugana DOC appellation, operating for over sixty years.
Over the years, the company expanded its vineyard areas, committed to research on the indigenous grape variety of Luagana, and established its presence in both national and international markets. The company’s commitment to innovation is reflected in the expansion of its winery and continuous efforts to improve production efficiency while staying true to its territory’s expression.
In recent years, the company focused on internationalization, reaching markets in Europe, the United States, and Asia. The goal for the future is to make Lugana and Le Morette known worldwide. Additionally, the company’s joint project with the Consortium resulted in the selection of new clonal varieties.
Chuck Wagner
Chuck Wagner was born into a family of farmers and winemakers with deep roots in Napa Valley. He was 19 when he joined his parents to start Caymus Vineyards. Charlie, Lorna, and Chuck were a mom, pop, and son team that stayed in place for 30 years until his parents’ passing. After 53 vintages, Chuck maintains key involvement in the production of Caymus Cabernet Sauvignons.
Two of Chuck’s children, Charlie and Jenny, have become significant winemakers and contributors to running all day-to-day operations, continuing the legacy of past generations.
Through the years, and always the farmer, Chuck has grown commercially wine grapes, table grapes, lemons, and tomatoes. His passion for farming has trained him to lead an exciting new chapter in the family’s history, exploring and putting down roots in nearby Suisun Valley, an agricultural valley protected by an agricultural preserve.
Chuck has steered his family’s business from the very beginning to the present day, adapting to an ever-changing and challenging landscape. He has been recognized for his winemaking and industry leadership, and all the while, maintains deep humility and an appreciation for family, great wine, and the connections between the two.
Sue-Ann Staff
Sue-Ann Staff is a passionate winemaker with a family background in viticulture spanning five generations on the Niagara Peninsula. She received a formal education in winemaking from Roseworthy College, University of Adelaide, South Australia, and has gained experience working in various vineyards worldwide. Sue-Ann has achieved recognition as one of Canada’s top winemakers, winning over 450 national and international wine awards. She was honored as the “2002 Winemaker of the Year” by the Ontario Wine Awards and recognized as one of the world's top four “Women in Wine” by the International Wine and Spirits Awards of London, England – not once, but twice! These achievements were accomplished while she was the Winemaster at Pillitteri Estates Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.
Currently, Sue-Ann is the Proprietor/Winemaker of Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery, located on her family’s two-hundred-year-old estate in Jordan, Ontario. The winery produces high-quality VQA wines from grapes grown on the Niagara Escarpment property. Sue-Ann’s wines are known for being bold with a delicate touch, offering exceptional Rieslings, opulent reds, delightful rosés, festive sparklings, and seductive Icewines.
Sue-Ann has also launched “Fancy Farm Girl” wines, which bring approachability and affordability to exceptional VQA wines. The full range has been successfully launched in the LCBO and is now exported to Manitoba and Quebec.
Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery Inc. was awarded the “2014 Niagara Entrepreneur of the Year” Emerging Business and the 2015 Shannon Passero “Women In Business” award. The winery’s walls are adorned with several dozen awards from regional and international competitions, continuing the tradition of fine winemaking in the Niagara Peninsula.
Wynand Grobler
Wynand and his wife Anya, started the family run winery in 2012 and now their 300ton winery is based just outside the small town Tulbagh in the Swartland, South Africa. They focus on very select old vines and in some instances off the beaten track varietals, that if not grown on their farm, are bought in from all across South Africa.
Anya was involved in the marketing a few prominent South African wineries before heading up the newly found winery.
Wynand’s approach to winemaking can be summed up as a minimal but clinical, utilizing as much traditional and new world technologies as possible while attempting to preserve the sense of place in each of his their many different wines.
His local and international experience as a winemaker includes wineries with the likes of:
Ernie Els Wines, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Rust & Vrede Wine Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Rickety Bridge, Franschhoek, South Africa
Uwe Schieffer Weinbau, Sud-Burgenland, Austria
Domaine David Dubain, Burgundy, France
Domaine Bruno Lorenzon, Burgundy France
Domaine Gayda, Lanquedoc, France
Drie Fonteine, their recently acquired farm in Tulbagh hosts 30ha of vines planted from the early to mid 2000’s. Various clones of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache settled on Schist, Shale and decomposed granite soils on the 450 acre farm.
Vineyards practices range from a variety of trellised, bush vine and echelon vines while in the cellar minimal intervention winemaking is practiced.
The cellar is one of the first gravity fed cellars in South Africa and features an array of different sized open fermenters that drain into the below basket & pneumatic presses. Wines are usually whole-bunch, always naturally fermented and aged in a variety of vessels that include concrete eggs and tanks, 2000L Foudres and old 225L , 300L & 500L oak barrels.
Their wines include amongst others traditional single varietals like:
Cinsault (planted in 1954 Paarl)
Syrah (Walker Bay, Swartland)
Carignan (Voor-Paardeberg)
Grenache noir (1971 Piekenierkloof and Franschhoek respectively)
Semillon (1905 Franschhoek)
Chenin blanc (1947 Wellington)
Muscat d’ Alexandri (1971 Wellington)
Grenache blanc (Swartland)
And others like Mourvedre, Grenache gris, Verdelho
Cabernet Sauvignon (Stellenbosch)
Pinot noir (Walker Bay)
See attached a recent write up on De Kleine Wijn by Jancis Robinson https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/stars-south-africa-red
Amanda Johnson
Amanda Johnson is the Managing Director of Spy Valley Wines, located in Marlborough, New Zealand. As the daughter of the founding family, she has a deep connection to the winery. Embracing the challenges of her leadership role, Amanda aims to inspire her team and the broader wine industry. Her passion lies in caring for the land for future generations, and she understands the critical importance of sustainability for both Spy Valley and the wine sector. Amanda finally fulfills her long-held dream of actively participating in the family business.
Amanda's best-kept secret is that she spent five weeks ski touring in the Indian Himalayas during her early 20s. This life-changing experience was challenging and exhilarating, teaching her that every challenge is an opportunity for growth, regardless of the outcome.
Regarding wine, Amanda is a huge fan of sparkling wine paired with oysters, a favorite combination she wholeheartedly recommends.