Our Team of Wine Expert Hosts

FWE's wine expert staff, Lauriann Greene-Sollin, Sommelier-Conseil & Jean-Pierre Sollin, Sommelier-Conseil, is assisted by our elite group of wine expert hosts:

Colette B., French Wine Expert, Burgundy Specialist
Colette is a native of Dijon, capital of Burgundy, where she traces her family roots back 200 years. She has been steeped in the wine traditions of this region for as long as she remembers. After studying at the University of Dijon, she now teaches classes there on the wines of Burgundy, wine tasting techniques and the history of gastronomy in their International Center for French Studies.  She has been accompanying clients in Burgundy for over 20 years of "passion, enthusiasm and fun," as she puts it.  Colette also organizes and leads wine tastings for the Compagnie Bourgignonne des Oenophiles (Wine Society of Burgundy), the Sofitel hotel chain, and other clients. Colette's extensive knowledge of the wines of Burgundy and Beaujolais, vinification and other wine subjects help illuminate our customized Burgundy wine tours, and our scheduled  Burgundy tours.  Our clients adore her endless enthusiasm and vivacious personality.

Alexender H., French Wine Expert, Bordeaux specialist
After graduating with a degree in law from Oxford University Alex spent his early career working in the City of London, first in investment banking and latterly as an executive search consultant. Following a sabbatical spent on his family's vineyard in New Zealand, Alex decided to pursue his passion for wine on a full time basis. He has worked with leading winemakers in Bordeaux and New Zealand, gaining experience in all aspects of viticulture and winemaking, and is an accredited tutor at the Ecole du Vin de Bordeaux. Alex has an Advanced Certificate from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.

Mary K., Sommelier-Conseil, French Wine Expert
Mary has been leading wine tours in France for wine professionals and enthusiasts for many years, in Champagne, the Loire and Rhône Valleys, Languedoc and Provence. Fully bilingual and of French/American origins, she has earned the prestigious French state-recognized diploma and title of Sommelier-Conseil.  Mary has worked at several wineries in Provence, and has gained an insider's knowledge of viticulture and winemaking techniques from this experience. For two seasons, she was tour director and sommelier for one of the most popular barges on the Canal du Midi.  In addition to leading tours, Mary has her own company providing a variety of services to the wine industry. She leads wine tasting classes, does promotional work for wineries and is a consultant to American importers of French wine. She also participates as a juror in national French wine competitions. Mary leads our Loire Valley tours, as well as customized, private group tours in Champagne, the Loire Valley and the South of France.
 

Amy L., French Wine Expert/Winemaker, Burgundy and Rhône Valley specialist
After graduating from college, Amy moved to Burgundy to learn more about wine and winemaking. She spent 3 years working in the vineyards, in an enology lab, and during harvest with top domaines such as Bruno Clair and Sylvie Esmonin in Burgundy, and later Prieuré Saint Jean de Bebian in the Languedoc.  During this time, she made friends with Michel Bettane, the highly respected wine critic and editor of La Revue du Vin de France, with whom she attended many professional tastings in Burgundy, Alsace and Belgium.  After her European stint she moved back to the States and worked the harvest at Pine Ridge Winery in Napa and Archery Summit in Oregon. She then spent 3 years working with the U.S.'s most famous and influential French wine importer, Kermit Lynch. There she refined her tasting skills and gained an intimate knowledge of France and its wines. Amy now makes her home in southern France, where she is the new owner and winemaker of Domaine de la Gramière, with 4 hectares of vineyard in the Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation.  She produced her first vintage in 2005. Her passion for finding authentic, traditional wines and great local foods is what lead her here, and she happily shares that knowledge and her considerable wine expertise with our tour guests.

Wendy N., French Wine Expert, Bordeaux Specialist
Wendy is British-born, and has been involved in the wine business in Paris and Bordeaux for over 20 years.  In addition to leading wine tours in the Bordeaux region, she also teaches at Bordeaux's premier wine school, l'Ecole du Bordeaux.  She also is active as a négociant and wine consultant in the region.  Wendy's family owns the prestigious 1er Grand Cru Classé Chateau Guiraud in Sauternes, so she is a true Bordeaux insider who is able to show our guests a side of the Bordeaux wine business that only a privileged few get to see.  Wendy is a vivacious, enthusiastic and friendly person who goes all out to give our guests a fantastic experience in Bordeaux.  We're very pleased to have her as wine expert host for several of our scheduled Bordeaux tours, as well as customized, private tours in this region she knows so well.

Stéphane S., Sommelier, French and New World Wine Expert
Formerly Sommelier at 3-star "Le Cinq" restaurant in Paris, Stéphane leads private, customized wine programs for us.  Stéphane grew up in Provence's southern Rhône wine country near Avignon, where he developed a passion for food and wine. He earned his sommelier degree from the Ecole Hôteliere de Nîmes, and soon after graduated with distinction from CMH-Paris, European Center of International Hotel Management. For over 10 years, Stéphane worked in some of the top restaurants in London, Paris, New York and San Francisco. For nearly three years he managed the wine program at The Pierre Hotel in New York.  In Paris, he was sommelier at Ledoyen and the Hotel Meurice.  In San Francisco, Stéphane directed the restaurant at the Campton Place Hotel and was a "cyber sommelier" at Wine.com in Napa Valley. Stéphane is a talented and enthusiastic wine educator.  He has taught French wine tasting classes at the Alliance Française of San Francisco, was an instructor at the Masters of Wine program in Dijon, Burgundy.  He recently held a prestigious post with the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, for whom he was in charge of wine and banquet service, and then became wine director for the official catering company to Prince Charles of England.  He is currently Wine Director for the seven restaurants of the Grand Hyatt Hotel complex in Dubai, and leads tours for our guests during return trips to France.  Stéphane takes a down-to-earth approach to French wine, and brings a unique perspective to our tours as a French sommelier who has worked extensively in the U.S.  He is also a thoroughly charming person and a delightful host. (above, Stéphane with legendary chef Paul Bocuse)

Joel T., Enologist/Winemaker, French Wine Expert 
Joel is a highly enthusiastic person with excellent communication skills which enable him to share his passion: wine! This deeply rooted passion started at a very young age, as his father had a small family vineyard in the Douro region of Portugal (the region that produces Port Wine) and made his own wine (Joel still takes care of that vineyard on his frequent trips to Portugal).  Joel was born in Paris, and obtained a chemistry degree there and then the National Degree of Oenologist in Montpellier. He then worked a few years in the wine industry in different countries: France, Spain, Portugal and New Zealand. Joel continues to work as a consulting enologist for several estates in France and Portugal.  He particularly loves wines with personality that respect their “terroir,” produced by non-conformist winemakers.  Our clients enjoy Joel's humor, warmth and expertise on tours in many of the major French wine regions.