Our SOMMelier Blog - see what's on the minds of Americas top SOMMeliers...
- Charles Heidsieck, "Champagne Charlie" 1979, 1985, 1989
- Joh. Jos. Prüm, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Auslese 2002
- Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay, Walker Bay, South Africa 2005
- Thierry et Pascale Matrot, "La Piece sous le Bois", Blagny 2004
- Alain Graillot, Crozes Hermitage Rouge 2004
- Produttori del Barbaresco, "Ovello Cru" Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 1996
- Domaine Sigalas, Vin Santo, Santorini A.O. Greece 2003
Andronico's
Oakland, CA
- Andronico's
- Tra Vigne – St. Helena, CA
- Henry Wine Group – San Francisco, CA
Born and raised in Texas, wine found Jeff Porter in stages. Throughout his youth Jeff was fortunate enough to travel with his parents and "forced" to endure long multi-course meals and be a good little boy. As he grew up Jeff became much more fond of those meals and his parents began to slip him wine and Jeff listened to the adults wax poetically about wine. Once he arrived at college his father sent him packing with a case of wine and a book, Hugh Johnson's Wine. It was at this point, in between Organic Chemistry and U.S. Foreign Policy after World War Two that Jeff's path started taking shape.
Not being 21, Jeff wanted to find a way to legally be close to wine, so he interviewed to be a waiter, a cook, a host, whatever would get him into a restaurant. Jeff was hired to be a cook at a family German restaurant in Austin, Texas and for the next two years Jeff learned how to pound a great Schnitzel and that he LOVED wine. Every night the Chef would place a wine on Jeff's station at the end of service and teach him how to taste, the grape, the region, the vintage, and any thing else he could tell him. This experience set Jeff on his path and he has never looked back.
Once he turned 21, Jeff worked for Central Market in Austin, Texas as a wine specialist and eventually became assistant manager. He then decided to follow his passion to California and moved to Oakland and became a wine sales person for a local distributor, The Henry Wine Group. Eventually, Napa Valley called and Jeff became the Wine Director and Sommelier for the esteemed Tra Vigne Restaurant in St. Helena. It was here he started his quest to become a Master Sommelier. Jeff's experience at Tra Vigne allowed him to forge relationships with countless number of small wineries from California and Italy. After 3 years at Tra Vigne, Jeff left to become the Corporate Beverage Director for Andronico's Market, a 79-year-old Northern California gourmet food and wine retailer. Jeff was tasked with up dating the selection of wines, introduce a wine education program and creating a total store synergy between food and wine. He also spends 6 to 10 weeks a year traveling through various wine regions finding wines for Andronico's Market. He most recently went to Argentina and Greece. He has been with Andronico's Market for over 2 years and is still on the quest for his Master Sommelier.