Plumpjack Group
San Francisco
- Plumpjack Group
- Bacara Resort, Santa Barbara
- Picholine, New York
- Cello, New York City
- Windows on the World, New York City
Gillian Ballance is the award-winning Wine Director and Sommelier for the PlumpJack Group. Ballance believes that the job of the sommelier is "to keep the list interesting, with fun, new wines for guests to try and for the staff to learn about." Prior to this position, Gillian was the Sommelier of Bacara Resort & Spa, a retreat nestled between the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez Mountains in Santa Barbara. Gillian developed and implemented the Beverage Program in the resort’s four dining venues. In addition to maintaining the 15,000-bottle wine collection for the fine dining room, Miró, and managed all staff training of wine and spirit and sales service.
Gillian has more than ten years of experience in the hospitality industry with a focus on fine dining. Before joining Bacara, she worked as the Sommelier of the renowned Picholine in New York City. Prior to that, Gillian was the Sommelier at Cello, also located in New York. From 1996 to 1998, Gillian was the Cellar Master and Sommelier at Windows on the World, the prestigious restaurant and wine cellar atop the World Trade Center in New York City, where she selected and purchased all wines for the multi-tiered program at Windows.
Gillian has been recognized for her expertise with a bronze medal in the National Young Sommelier Competition established by the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs. From 2002, Miró Cellar’s extensive wine list has earned Wine Spectator’s prestigious "Best of Award of Excellence."
A graduate of New York University, Gillian has a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance. She received her Higher Certificate of Distinction as well as her Diploma in Wines & Spirits from the British Wine and Spirits Education Trust, and has continued on to the Masters of Wine Education program for 2004. Gillian remains in perpetual motion out of the resort, attending VinItaly, VinExpo in Bordeaux, and the International Pinot Noir Celebration in Oregon. She also uses her vast wine knowledge by contributing to Wine and Spirits Magazine, Wine Enthusiast and Appellation.