Straight outta Sonoma, Braiden Albrecht grew up around wine. His parents have been friends with his viticulturist since he was a kid! With a degree in Viticulture from UC Berkley and extensive travel to New Zealand and Australia, Braiden came back to California to dig in. He joined legendary and historic Mayacamas Vineyards in 2013, becoming only their third winemaker in 2018, working for new owners, the Schottenstein family. He is committed to tradition, the Mt. Veeder terroir, and a low intervention approach to his farming and winemaking.

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Annie Shi is the Beverage Director and partner at beloved NYC restaurants King and Jupiter. She defied her Chinese parents by leaving her Yale education and a career in finance to work in the restaurant biz. Annie balances work/life as a mom and restaurateur. She just had her second child, so, to make life easier, she is opening her own wine bar in Chinatown called Lei. Lei features low intervention wines from established and up and coming producers from around the world along with a tight Chinese menu.

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Matt Taylor is a third-generation Sonoma Coaster hailing out of Occidental Cali. Extensive world travel to Argentina, New Zealand, Spain and France along with learning Biodynamic farming in Switzerland, helped him formulate his winemaking and vineyard skills, along with stints at Joseph Swan, the Araujo’s, Reuling, and Dujac. Fourteen years ago, Matt acquired property close to his childhood home to make Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for his Matt Taylor Wines at his Komerabi Vineyard. He is also the winemaker at Ink Grade, an historic vineyard on Howell Mtn. producing high elevation mountain grown Cab Sauv, Merlot and Sauv Blanc. Matt makes wine that honestly reflects the land and climate of the site while keeping an eye on the long-term health of the land.

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