Sommelier Secrets:

David Glancy is a Master Sommelier and Certified Wine Educator. He is one of 12 people in the world to hold both credentials. Glancy also has obtained Certified Specialist of Spirits, Italian Wine Professional, and French Wine Scholar credentials.

In 2006, while working for Professional Culinary Institute (now ICE), he created the only Certified Sommelier Program ever approved by the Court of Master Sommeliers. In 5 years, he helped more than 400 students to pass the Court of Master Sommelier's rigorous mid-level exam. This was 10% of the world's supply of Certified Sommeliers at that time.

Soon after in 2011, Glancy founded San Francisco Wine School to create the ideal educational setting from the ground up. David created San Francisco Wine School with the aim to open the wide world of wine to students everywhere and at any level, by offering all of the wine industry's most relevant credentials under one roof. The school is also a hub for workshops and events for enthusiasts and professionals alike. Since the pandemic, classes are in a highly interactive Hybrid Format for Roomers & Zoomers and 2-ounce wine bottles are shipped all over the USA.

Virginia Philip is the owner of the Virginia Philip Wine Spirits & Academy and wine director at the iconic Breakers Palm Beach resort, where she leads the award-winning beverage program for 10 restaurants and bars. A strong female force in a predominantly male industry, Philip became the eleventh woman in the world to earn the extraordinary accreditation of Master Sommelier, the highest certification of international proficiency held by just 29 women out of 236 professionals worldwide, in 2002. Philip continued to earn notable achievements throughout her career including the title of “Best Sommelier of the United States” from the American Sommelier Association from 2002 to 2006, James Beard Foundation nomination for Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional in 2012 and “Honorary Doctorate Degree of Oenology” from Johnson & Wales (where she graduated in 1989) in 2015. In 2017, Philip achieved a lifelong dream with the debut of the Virginia Philip Wine Spirits & Academy in Palm Beach, where she offers 1000+ personally-selected wine offerings and an extensive spirits collection along with weekly wine education programs and guest appearances from national and international winemakers.

Philip has earned her reputation as a devoted expert in the industry. In 2020, she was named by WINWSA (Women in Wine & Spirits Association) as 1 of 50 of the most influential women in wine & spirits, and has been featured on “The TODAY Show,” the Food Network, Food & Wine, Town & Country, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Country Living and Decanter, among others. She continues to follow her passion for wine education and share her insight on the world’s most impressive wines.

As a savvy businesswoman and entrepreneur, Philip is highly regarded for her dedication to mentoring future sommeliers and those in pursuit of Master Sommelier certification or furthering education.

As one of 273 Master Sommeliers in the world, George Miliotes is a passionate educator and curator of wines. A firm believer in education and knowledge-sharing, Miliotes continuously studies wine, identifying the most interesting wines through annual trips to wine-growing regions from France to South Africa. Building relationships with some of the best vintners in the world, he also takes an active role in the winemaking process helping to create custom blends.

Miliotes’ unique by-the-glass lists encourage guests to make adventurous choices, selecting new wines, whether they are domestic or global, to pair with their courses. The result of his worldwide efforts are wine lists that are distinct to his restaurant’s culinary offerings, and widely reviewed as exceptional in every way.

George Miliotes is the grandson of Greek immigrants and a child of the restaurant and hospitality business. His family owned a specialty market and café in Orlando, Fla., which became a gathering spot for local chefs and served as the starting point for Miliotes’ passion for food and wine.

Miliotes later became the general manager of California Grill at Walt Disney World Resort, where he not only created an award-winning wine list, but also one of the first lists in the country to offer 100 wines by the glass. He is widely regarded as one the restaurant business’ foremost wine experts.

In March 2007, Miliotes became a Master Sommelier, passing a series of rigorous examinations that requires the candidate to identify grape variety, country of origin, district of origin and vintage of wines by taste, sight and aroma alone. From 2002 – 2016, he oversaw all aspects of wine culture for Darden including The Capital Grille and Eddie V’s, and was one of the founders of Seasons 52. George led the development of their award-winning wine lists and educated and motivated service teams about wine in order to deliver exceptional guest experiences.

Miliotes returned to Walt Disney World with the opening of Wine Bar George, the only wine bar in Florida led by a Master Sommelier. Now open in The Landing at Disney Springs, Wine Bar George brings Miliotes’ expertise and worldwide travels to the heart of Central Florida. Follow George @WineBarGeorge and visit WineBarGeorge.com for more information.

With a career in hospitality spanning 20 years, Chris’s first restaurant job was a means to an end—a way to pay his bills while attending Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He immediately loved the challenge of serving tables—the fast pace, the attention to detail, and the demand to continue to learn about food and wine. His passion and curiosity for wine led him to apply for—and receive—a coveted wine internship at The French Laundry. Here, Chris went from having a mere interest in wine to being devoted to wine. He moved to San Francisco to work as a Sommelier at Spruce and from there went on to be the Wine Director at Restaurant Gary Danko. After stints at Sociale, Michael Mina and Octavia, Chris got the opportunity in 2018 to open Ungrafted with his wife, Master Sommelier Rebecca Fineman. They also just recently opened their wine bar, GluGlu, at Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors.

Despite the long days at Ungrafted and little time with his family, he continued to set aside time for his studies. He recently passed the rigorous Master Sommelier Exam as of August, 2022. Now, Chris and Rebecca are the only Master Sommelier couple with their own restaurants in the world.

Chris’s accolades are numerous and include: 2012 Best New Sommeliers (Wine and Spirits Magazine); 2013 Top New Somm Competition Winner (Guild of Sommeliers); 2013 Zagat 30 Under 30. Chris has been featured on NBC Bay Area (Ungrafted), as well as CBS Bay Area (GluGlu). Chris is also an adjunct instructor at the San Francisco Wine School.

When he is not at work, Chris enjoys dancing, running, and making silly faces with his two daughters.