Hi there! We’re Anna Axster & Wendelin von Schroder, cousins who spent over a decade working in music and film. What we loved most about our work was bringing people together to connect over shared experiences. Having acquired a taste for whiskey backstage and in countless venues, bars, and restaurants all across the country, we noticed something fundamental – whiskey was almost exclusively served as a man's drink, so we set out to craft our own and invite everyone to the party. 

Our expertise is in knowing what tastes good. We follow the flavor, not the rules. This led us to doing something unusual for the field but totally sensible to us – blending Straight High Rye Bourbon and American Single Malt Whiskey to create a deliciously smooth spirit that can satisfy the palates of many.

Lodestar Whiskey embodies the laid-back lifestyle of our California base and the universal truth that life's special moments are always better when shared. 

Doreen has worked as a Sommelier all over the world and is the Founder of Orange Glou. ​She is continually educating herself on natural wine, from new winemaking techniques and aging vessels to new producers arriving in the U.S.

Throughout her learnings and work with orange wine, she has come to appreciate its variety and versatility and has been on a mission to share the world of high quality orange wine with others through her store Orange Glou, subscription service, and the many restaurant wine lists she curated as a sommelier in NYC. As part of that mission, she dreamt of hosting a highly selective Orange Wine Fair and eventually just went for it in 2022. Given the success of the first fair, it has become an annual event.

Erica started adult life as an aspirant research scientist in cardiac medicine, but it is her skill in building brands and exports that gained her international recognition. 

She co-founded Kim Crawford Wines in the back room of her central Auckland cottage and proceeded to build a stellar NZ wine brand, later sold to Constellation Brands. Kim Crawford is now the biggest NZ wine brand in the lucrative USA and Canadian markets. 

Erica now focuses on organic farming and winemaking, and is recognized as an expert in sustainability. She also gained a degree in Viticulture as an adult student. 

Loveblock has gained a strong foothold as a premium brand, one of a very few true estate based brands in New Zealand where the grower model is mostly used. 

Erica was inducted into the Business Hall of Fame for Women Entrepreneurs in 2016.

Jordan Harris is best described by three words: Passionate, Determined, and Focused. Jordan has always had an incredible passion for all things to do with food and wine. From his young childhood ordering surf and turf at hockey tournaments while his friends ordered hot dogs, to his first job working as a bus boy in fine dining, Jordan has always preferred the best.

He went on to be recognized as one of Canada's top up and coming winemakers and more recently as a passionate leader in Virginia. He was named Top 40 under 40 Tastemakers with Wine Enthusiast and he was awarded Top 100 Most Influential Winemakers in the USA through Intowine.com. 

With a desire to get closer to home and back into cool climate wine growing, Jordan joined Heron Hill Winery in 2020.  He has since accumulated over (60) 90+ point scores for his Heron Hill wines in the major publications.  

Keith has more than 25 years of experience leading wine businesses across the United States. At Big Cork, he works alongside a team that is driving the winery’s future innovation. Keith came to Big Cork in 2024 after 15+ years with Sonoma's Cline Family Cellars, bringing a passion for crafting world class wines and guest experiences. He believes in our estate’s ability to continue to produce award-winning wines that make Big Cork not only Maryland’s most awarded winery, but one of the nation’s most heralded as well. You’ll often find him walking the vineyards with one of his rescue pups, Penny Lane, Murray and Loki. Be sure to say hello and strike up a conversation about your favorite wines ... and dogs!

After more than 20 years at the helm of the Stoller Wine Group production team, Melissa Burr assumed the role of founding winemaker. The move fulfills her desire to continue supporting the family of brands by championing the Stoller Wine Group with key consumers and members of the trade while helping to maintain house styles for our wineries and brands. Additionally, Melissa will continue to develop and craft the History brand and wines.

An Oregon native, Melissa graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor of Science degree, intending to practice naturopathic medicine before discovering her true passion in wine. She studied winemaking and fermentation science at Oregon State University and interned during harvest for several local wineries before becoming production winemaker for Cooper Mountain. In 2003, Melissa joined Stoller Family Estate as the winery’s first dedicated winemaker. 

Milke Koch and Pablo Solanet cofounded Firefly Farms in 2002 in Accident, MD. FireFly Farms offers nationally & internationally award‐winning premium goat cheese that features the distinct regional flavors of Mountain Maryland’s Allegheny Plateau. Each cheese is artfully handcrafted and aged with precise detail; and, each offers distinguished flavor, exceptional texture, noteworthy composition, and unprecedented aesthetics. The cheese of FireFly Farms is produced using agriculturally sustainable, locally‐sourced fresh goat’s milk and time‐honored, traditional methods of goat cheese making.  At FireFly, we believe in the interdependence of people with one another and with our environment, and we are committed to caring for the land and protecting the environment for today’s communities and future generations.

Nikki Lamberti is a dynamic and entertaining Certified Wine Professional (CWP), Wine Educator and Owner/Winemaker of the boutique wine brand, Sollevato, in Sonoma County, CA. 

Prior to moving to Wine Country in 2012, she spent of 20+ years in hospitality, sales, and recruitment with the Disney Company. She enjoys using that foundation to create magic for her podcast listeners and wine customers by creating content and teaching others about wine appreciation, food and wine pairings and how to find more joy (and less confusion) in all of those things!

Life is short, and Oceano Wines founder Rachel Martin aims to squeeze every last drop out of it. As an accomplished female winemaker, she brings a fresh approach to the traditionally male dominated wine industry.

Rachel’s extensive studies in viticulture and enology from Napa Valley College, along with her Diploma in Sensory Evaluation from the University of Bordeaux’s School of Enology in France, have shaped her expertise. Her work in Virginia wine country, where she established Middleburg as an American Viticultural Area in 2012, highlights her dedication to winemaking excellence.

Recognized as an expert in viticulture and possessing a distinguished wine business acumen, Rachel is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International New York and Washington, D.C. chapters. She was also the first woman to be inducted into the District of Columbia chapter of the International Wine & Food Society.

Tyler Balliet is an entrepreneur, author and leading wine expert. In May 2024, Tyler released Rebel School of Wine, a visually stunning wine guide for the next generation. Written with Millennials and Gen Z in mind, the book is filled with fun facts about the history of wine, as well as where and how to drink it -- the easy-to-read format and vibrant, hand-drawn illustrations makes it the ultimate go-to resource for curious minds.

Tyler has been recognized in Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30 and Wine Enthusiast’s 40 Under 40. Tyler has traveled all over the world judging wine competitions and interviewing key figures in this ever-growing industry. Tyler currently resides in New York City and can be found making pasta from scratch while watching Formula 1 and planning their next trip to an obscure wine region.