Building an Ever Stronger, More Diverse Team for 2025
As we prepare for the 2025 World Blind Tasting Championship, our USA Wine Tasting Team is shaping…
usa wine tasting team
SUPPORT THE FIRST ALL WOMAN WINE TASTING TEAM!!
Raising a Glass to American Excellence in Wine Tasting!
Team USA competes on the global stage to celebrate diversity, knowledge, and palate precision.
Our Mission
The USA Wine Tasting Team is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) dedicated to assembling and training a competitive, diverse, and passionate team of wine professionals to represent the United States at the World Blind Tasting Championship each year.
The World Tasting Championship!
Held annually in France, the World Tasting Championship challenges teams from around the world in a high-stakes blind tasting of 12 wines. Competitors must determine grape variety, country, region, and vintage. With only ten minutes per wine, team collaboration is key.
The USA Wine Tasting Team
Since our formation, we’ve proudly represented the U.S. on the world stage. Our team is comprised of sommeliers, educators, winemakers, and other wine professionals from across the country. The goal of the USA Wine Tasting Team is to expose diverse groups to wine tasting and wine tasting competitions, providing support through resources, knowledge, mentorship, and inclusive camaraderie. We focus on including women, minorities, and LGBTQIA+ people into the competitive circle.
What We Do
- Compete in the highest levels of International blind tasting
- Promote wine education and exposure in underrepresented communities
- Host tastings, fundraisers, and team trials across the country
How We Train
- Weekly blind tasting drills – both dry and liquid
- Team Consensus practice
- Guest educators and region-specific study sessions
- Focus on pattern recognition and communication
- Mock competitions – practice under timed conditions
- USA Wine Tasting Team in Action
Become a Supporter
We couldn’t do this without the support of our generous partners who believe in our mission.
Get to Know Us!
the 2025USA Wine Tasting TEAM
Katy Long
Team member 2025
Katy Long is a multifaceted wine industry professional who thrives on connecting people, culture, and travel, through the lens of wine. Ms. Long has held key positions in marketing, brand advocacy, and sales management to enhance brand visibility and foster international partnerships through strategic collaboration across disciplines. Additionally, Ms. Long is committed to community service, demonstrated through her tenure on the Board of Directors for the Redwood Empire Food Bank.
Ms. Long has worked in the wine industry for nearly two decades with experience in production, sales, marketing, communications, and education, including at Vintage Wine Estates, Cain Vineyard and Winery, Far Niente Winery, Nickel and Nickel Winery, Meadowood Napa Valley and The Bounty Hunter Rare Wine and Spirits. Ms. Long earned an AOS from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and earned a BS from New York University, and earned DipWSET, CSS, and CSW certifications. Ms. Long is currently a Master of Wine Student.
Katy Long
Team member 2024
Katy Long is a multifaceted wine industry professional who thrives on connecting people, culture, and travel, through the lens of wine. Ms. Long has held key positions in marketing, brand advocacy, and sales management to enhance brand visibility and foster international partnerships through strategic collaboration across disciplines. Additionally, Ms. Long is committed to community service, demonstrated through her tenure on the Board of Directors for the Redwood Empire Food Bank.
Ms. Long has worked in the wine industry for nearly two decades with experience in production, sales, marketing, communications, and education, including at Vintage Wine Estates, Cain Vineyard and Winery, Far Niente Winery, Nickel and Nickel Winery, Meadowood Napa Valley and The Bounty Hunter Rare Wine and Spirits. Ms. Long earned an AOS from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and earned a BS from New York University, and earned DipWSET, CSS, and CSW certifications. Ms. Long is currently a Master of Wine Student.
Paige Post Bindel
Team member 2025
With over 20 years of Intense Blind Tasting Experience and Training, consistently passing the Blind Tasing Portion of the CMS Advanced Exam 4 straight times. World Traveled Career Sommelier, Wine Professional, Educator, Wine Writer and Moderator.
Possessing a Vast Working Knowledge and Educated Palate of the World Wine Regions. Tasting Access through my Sommelier Position at the Antinori Sponsored Peppoli Restaurant, Pebble Beach CA. Vast Experience competing in Wine Competitions for Over 20 years.
Experienced Sommelier – Pebble Beach Co. 21 years, Proprietor – SommLovesChef, Sommelier Chair/Moderator- American Wine Society-Monterey Chapter, Wine Writer – MonarchWines.com, Wine Reviewer/ Writer – SommCru.com, Wine Reviewer/ Writer – DabbleInn.com
Accreditations Certified Sommelier – CMS Certified Sherry Wine Specialist – CSWS Currently Studying for
WSG – Champagne Master.
Paige Post Bindel
Team member 2024
With over 20 years of Intense Blind Tasting Experience and Training, consistently passing the Blind Tasing Portion of the CMS Advanced Exam 4 straight times. World Traveled Career Sommelier, Wine Professional, Educator, Wine Writer and Moderator.
Possessing a Vast Working Knowledge and Educated Palate of the World Wine Regions. Tasting Access through my Sommelier Position at the Antinori Sponsored Peppoli Restaurant, Pebble Beach CA. Vast Experience competing in Wine Competitions for Over 20 years.
Experienced Sommelier – Pebble Beach Co. 21 years, Proprietor – SommLovesChef, Sommelier Chair/Moderator- American Wine Society-Monterey Chapter, Wine Writer – MonarchWines.com, Wine Reviewer/ Writer – SommCru.com, Wine Reviewer/ Writer – DabbleInn.com
Accreditations Certified Sommelier – CMS Certified Sherry Wine Specialist – CSWS Currently Studying for
WSG – Champagne Master.
Ryan Robinson
Team member 2025
Ryan Robinson is the Director of Education for Brescome Barton and Worldwide Wines in Connecticut, an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Haven, and is the Principal at SommCentric, a beverage education and consulting agency.
Originally from Idaho, Ryan relocated to New England to pursue the Masters title.
As a wine communicator, Ryan is the Wine Columnist for the Connecticut and Rhode Island Beverage Journal and hosts a podcast on Italian Wine Podcast based on Attilio Scienza’s book, The Art of Wine Storytelling.
He holds the credentials of Advanced Sommelier-CMS; WSET Diploma and WSET Educator in Wine, Sake and Beer; Rioja Wine Educator; VIA Italian Wine Ambassador; Wine Scholar Guild Educator and Spanish Wine Specialist; and is Certified Scotch Whisky Professional from the Council of Whiskey Masters.
David Reuss
Team Member 2025
Originally hailing from Montana, David began his wine career in Boulder at Frasca Food and Wine under the tutelage of Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey. After years of honing his craft, he set out on his own and became Wine Director of Shanahan’s Steakhouse in south Denver, popping bottles for celebrities and locals alike. Along the way, David branched out into freelance cellar management, auction/liquidation consulting, and individualized wine education for both private and corporate clients. He has also helped proctor lower-level exams for the Court of Master Sommeliers.
David passed his Advanced Sommelier Exam in the Fall of 2019 and has been actively pursuing his Master Sommelier diploma, passing both his theory and service exams. He joined Jackson Family Wines in the fall of 2023 as Regional Wine Educator, focusing on Colorado, Texas, Nevada, and Minnesota. He has loved JFW wines for many years and is excited to educate his coworkers, buyers and guests on his favorite labels.
His favorite beverages include Oregon Pinot Noir, anything with bubbles, and the occasional gin and tonic. Outside of wine education, David loves spending time with his wife and kids, exploring the mountains around Colorado, and traveling.
David Reuss
Team member 2025
Originally hailing from Montana, David began his wine career in Boulder at Frasca Food and Wine under the tutelage of Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey. After years of honing his craft, he set out on his own and became Wine Director of Shanahan’s Steakhouse in south Denver, popping bottles for celebrities and locals alike. Along the way, David branched out into freelance cellar management, auction/liquidation consulting, and individualized wine education for both private and corporate clients. He has also helped proctor lower-level exams for the Court of Master Sommeliers.
David passed his Advanced Sommelier Exam in the Fall of 2019 and has been actively pursuing his Master Sommelier diploma, passing both his theory and service exams. He joined Jackson Family Wines in the fall of 2023 as Regional Wine Educator, focusing on Colorado, Texas, Nevada, and Minnesota. He has loved JFW wines for many years and is excited to educate his coworkers, buyers and guests on his favorite labels.
His favorite beverages include Oregon Pinot Noir, anything with bubbles, and the occasional gin and tonic. Outside of wine education, David loves spending time with his wife and kids, exploring the mountains around Colorado, and traveling.
Kristen Shubert
Captain & Board President
French Wine Scholar & Spanish Wine Scholar certified with Highest Honors, and WSETIII certified with Merit. Current United States Champion Wine Taster, competing at the international level in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022 with third place in the world in 2016 at the La Revue du Vin De France Magazine International Wine Tasting Competition. She was the first woman to compete for Team USA in 2016. She is currently crafting wine for her own label and is a freelance journalist for wine industry publications, SommJournal and Winemaker Magazine. She also volunteers as the Vice President of Cellarmasters of Los Angeles amateur winemaking group, a 501-C-3 non-profit. Grenache and Petite Sirah have been silver medal-winners at the OC Fair and the 48th Annual Amateur Wine Makers Competition in California. She is a graduate of UNLV with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management, and a Culinary Certificate from Johnson County Community College Culinary Sciences. She put her Certified Sommelier skills to use at her wine Bar, Vintura in Ventura, CA, from 2016 through 2019, where she created the trademarked wine game, Wine Wars. Follow her at www.Somsisters.com
Stacie Hunt
Board Member 2024
Stacie is a Certified Silver Pin Sommelier, AIS/WSA, Dame de la Chaine des Rotisseurs and Co-founder, SPLASH Productions, producers of Wine, Cuisine & Art events and exhibitions, videos, and documentaries. She is a producer/host of live streaming shows for wineries, regions, and brands and producer of Wine Spectator magazine documentary. An Emmy® and Belding® Award winning TV journalist; the wine/food contributor to award-winning SOMM Journal and Tasting Panel & Forbes magazines and other publications. Additionally, she is the wine reporter for NPR; an international wine judge; a taster for Wine & Spirits Magazine; and author of Zinfandel 101: A Beginners Guide. Stacie serves as Vice President of the National Association of Wine Retailers and is an adjunct professor at Cal Poly, USC, and UCLA.
Specializations: Italian, Latin American wines, grapes, and regions. The sound of a cork being pulled, or a screw top gracefully cracked, causes her to grin out loud.
Follow here: www.SplashPROS.com
Stacie Hunt
Board Member 2024
Stacie is a Certified Silver Pin Sommelier, AIS/WSA, Dame de la Chaine des Rotisseurs and Co-founder, SPLASH Productions, producers of Wine, Cuisine & Art events and exhibitions, videos, and documentaries. She is a producer/host of live streaming shows for wineries, regions, and brands and producer of Wine Spectator magazine documentary. An Emmy® and Belding® Award winning TV journalist; the wine/food contributor to award-winning SOMM Journal and Tasting Panel & Forbes magazines and other publications. Additionally, she is the wine reporter for NPR; an international wine judge; a taster for Wine & Spirits Magazine; and author of Zinfandel 101: A Beginners Guide. Stacie serves as Vice President of the National Association of Wine Retailers and is an adjunct professor at Cal Poly, USC, and UCLA.
Specializations: Italian, Latin American wines, grapes, and regions. The sound of a cork being pulled, or a screw top gracefully cracked, causes her to grin out loud.
Follow here: www.SplashPROS.com
Annette Solomon
Board Member 2024
Annette’s comprehensive knowledge of wine and the wine industry is a result of her all-encompassing, first hand experience in every aspect of wine production from viticulture through bottle sales. After completing her Certificate in Enology and Viticulture from Oregon’s Northwest Viticulture Center in 2004, she was selected to work as an understudy to Mark Vlossak of the world-renowned St. Innocent’s Winery. Subsequently, she worked as a lab technician for one of the Willamette Valley’s largest production wineries, worked harvest for several smaller, boutique wineries and even produced her own wine. She further developed her global wine knowledge and gustatory skills through course work and subsequent Certification as a Sommelier by the International Sommelier Guild, WSET Diploma certification (candidate 2023) and UC Davis Advanced Tasting Seminar Credentialing.
In 2006, when the Statesman Journal, a Gannett Corporation publication, introduced “The Vinofiles,” a wine blog, they asked Annette to be one of their original writers; later inviting her to publish her own thrice-a-week wine column, in addition to a monthly winery profile and numerous ad-hoc articles for their holiday supplements. Her contributions were a fixture in the paper for 6 years. She is continuing to publish by contributing to The International Food and Wine Writers Association (IFWTWA) and her own wine blog. Annette gained direct sales experience at several wine retail establishments, including service as a Sales Representative for Young’s Market and working as a BevMo! Wine Specialist. She leverages her Masters of Business Administration from Westminster College and experience as a Senior Pricing Analyst for United Health Care in her current role as Sales Analyst for Riboli Family Wines where she monitors and projects sales for the National Sales team. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of both the wine and business arena with consumers as well as wine makers.
Annette Solomon
Board Member 2024
Annette’s comprehensive knowledge of wine and the wine industry is a result of her all-encompassing, first hand experience in every aspect of wine production from viticulture through bottle sales. After completing her Certificate in Enology and Viticulture from Oregon’s Northwest Viticulture Center in 2004, she was selected to work as an understudy to Mark Vlossak of the world-renowned St. Innocent’s Winery. Subsequently, she worked as a lab technician for one of the Willamette Valley’s largest production wineries, worked harvest for several smaller, boutique wineries and even produced her own wine. She further developed her global wine knowledge and gustatory skills through course work and subsequent Certification as a Sommelier by the International Sommelier Guild, WSET Diploma certification (candidate 2023) and UC Davis Advanced Tasting Seminar Credentialing.
In 2006, when the Statesman Journal, a Gannett Corporation publication, introduced “The Vinofiles,” a wine blog, they asked Annette to be one of their original writers; later inviting her to publish her own thrice-a-week wine column, in addition to a monthly winery profile and numerous ad-hoc articles for their holiday supplements. Her contributions were a fixture in the paper for 6 years. She is continuing to publish by contributing to The International Food and Wine Writers Association (IFWTWA) and her own wine blog. Annette gained direct sales experience at several wine retail establishments, including service as a Sales Representative for Young’s Market and working as a BevMo! Wine Specialist. She leverages her Masters of Business Administration from Westminster College and experience as a Senior Pricing Analyst for United Health Care in her current role as Sales Analyst for Riboli Family Wines where she monitors and projects sales for the National Sales team. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of both the wine and business arena with consumers as well as wine makers.
Blazing Trails & Making History!!
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