The Wino

Pamela S. Busch of CAV Wine Bar & Kitchen started drinking wine at a Passover Seder when she was ten years old. By the time of her Bat Mitzhah, her first truly drunken experience, she graduated to hard alcohol, becoming a fan of apricot sours and tequila sunrises. During the…

Poor Madeira….or should I say pour Madeira? by Paul Einbund It's been three years since Paul Einbund moved from Los Angeles to San Francisco--he has no plans of changing locales since he is now partners with chef Daniel Patterson at COI restaurant. He had previously been at…

Peter Greerty was raised in the heart of the Napa Valley in St. Helena, California. His restaurant career has led him to such places as Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Yountville, and the Ritz-Carlton Boston, where he was the Director of Wine & Spirits for the hotel. He currently is…

H. Joseph Ehrmann, better known as H., started his career at fifteen years old as a cook on the beaches of New Jersey. Many positions, restaurants, and bars later, he renovated one of the oldest saloons in San Francisco and reopened it as Elixir. The bar has won numerous accolades…

Scott Beattie, a third generation San Franciscan, began tending bar while studying toward his English degree at U.C. Berkeley. He's worked at such popular establishments as Perry's on Union Street, the Blue Light, and Postrio. From 2001-2005, Beattie manned the celebrated "Cellar Bar"…

Carl Grubbs grew up in the shade of grapevines in Livermore, working for the Wente family. Over the years and many long harvest days, he has worked in the vineyard, the cellar, the lab and on the bottling line; he's also been a sales force and a delivery…

Jacques Bezuidenhout hails from South Africa, but has been working in San Francisco since 1988. While at The Irish Bank, Jacques created what many believe to be the most extensive Scotch Whisky selection in the Bay Area. He has been the opening consultant for multiple bars and restaurants, and has…

Duggan McDonnell opened and launched the acclaimed spirits program at frisson and is currently working as a freelance cocktail consultant while developing 'Cantina,' a culinary cocktail lounge with much Latin funk. (More on this soon, stay tuned.) WHEN BITTER IS BETTER Have you noticed the rash (cultural phenom,…

Photo from Vintrust Kim Beto is known by numerous industry folk for his dynamic and inspired work with Southern Wine & Spirits, but prior to working with Southern, he was the Director of Beverage for the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Many also know him from his days as…