Special Guest: Darrell Corti
A second generation Californian, Darrell Corti is an internationally known wine and food expert. He has been a force in the development and growth of the California wine industry.He was a catalyst in the re-evaluation and renaissance of zinfandel and other wine varieties grown in the Sierra foothills of California. He has been a leader in advocating wider use of Italian varieties of grapes in California.
Mr. Corti is widely consulted by experts in the wine and food industry for his opinions on wines and food: i.e., olive oil, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale, with notable quotes in recent editions of New York Times and Fortune Magazine. He has been a contributing Editor of Saveur Magazine.
Mr. Corti sits on several tasting panels for regional, state, national, and foreign wine competitions, and is a member of several wine and food societies, notably American Society of Enologists and Medical Friends of Wine.
Among his many honors are Bacco d'Oro awarded by the Italian Government Institute of Foreign Trade in recognition for his work promoting quality Italian wines; Who's Who of Cooking honoring leaders of America's Culinary industry. WAFIF awarded from the American Institute of Wine and Food; Cavaliere (Knighthood) in the Ordine al Meriot della Republica Italiano awarded by the President of the Italian Republic, a Culinary Institute of America Vintner’s Hall of Fame inductee Class of 2008, and a 2009 inductee into the Italian Trade Commission’s Hall of Fame, just to mention a few of his numerous recognitions.
During recent years Mr. Corti has been a guide for the Smithsonian tours to Italy, and over the past 20 years has been an escort for wine, food, and olive oil tours to Italy, Spain. France, Greece, Portugal, Chile, and Argentina. He has recently been named to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's "Kitchen Cabinet" for their American Food History Project.
Mr. Corti is fluent in several languages with a degree in Spanish and Italian from St. Mary's College in Moraga, California. He also studied a year at the University of Madrid in Spain.
Also in Bios
Special Guest: Eugenio Jardim
A native of Brazil, Eugenio Jardim has been a part San Francisco's wine scene since 1988. He's created and run wine programs for some of the city's hottest clubs and restaurants, been featured guest speaker and judge at countless events and competitions and became the first US Ambassador for Wines of Portugal.
Special Guest: Dean Hewitson, Owner & Winemaker, Hewitson Winery, Barossa Valley
Dean Hewitson has been making wine since he graduated from Australia’s world-famous Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1986. He established highly acclaimed Hewitson winery in the Barossa Valley in 1998. San Francisco Wine School Proudly welcomes him as a special guest panelist for Wine Australia's Old Vine Treasures.
Special Guest: Ira Noroff, CWE, CSE
Ira Noroff has been working in the wine industry since 1976. He is a Certified Wine Educator and holds many other wine & spirits credentials. He was a Director of Education with Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits for 15 years until his retirement in 2020.