Special Guest: Wes Hagen


Wes Hagen is currently the Estate Host & head of Sales & Education in Santa Maria Valley, California and consultant to LXV Wines in Paso Robles. In 2013, Michael Cervin (Wall Street Journal, Decanter) rated Wes as one of the 100 Most Influential Winemakers in the Unites States (#68). Wes worked as Vineyard Manager and Winemaker at Clos Pepe Vineyards and Estate Wines in the Sta Rita Hills for 21 years and is considered an industry leader in Santa Barbara Wine, having served for more than a decade on the Board of Directors for both Santa Barbara County Vintners and Santa Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance. Wes is also an accomplished wine writer, researcher and lecturer. Wes researched, wrote and had approved the last three AVA’s in Santa Barbara County: Sta. Rita Hills, Happy Canyon and Ballard Canyon. He has written for the L.A Times Magazine, Sommelier Journal, Burgundy Report and has appeared and been featured/ quoted numerous times in the Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast. Wes taught the Food and Wine Pairing program at Allan Hancock College for four years and has lectured on the History of Wine and Santa Barbara Wine at Cornell University, CalTech and many, many other prestigious institutions. He has also been nominated for a TED-talk on the History of Wine. Wes has an active and impressive social media following on Facebook (Wes Hagen), Twitter, Instagram and Delectable (@weshagen).

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