About the team
MICHAEL GUERRA
Mike, a proficient academic, earned a bachelors degree in Psychology from Santa Clara University, a masters degree in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley and completed a post masters clinical fellowship at Yale University. He then embarked on a 7 year career as a social worker.
Leaving his career as a social worker in 1999 to officially pursue his interest in wine, he took a sales position at The Wine Club Santa Clara, the premiere wine shop of its time in the Santa Clara Valley. Mike next took a sales position at K & L Wine Merchants in Redwood City, where he ended up serving as the Assistant Italian Wine Buyer.
Mike has leveraged his knowledge and passion to create and teach wine education curricula, develop food pairing programs, organize and lead wine education events, and lead both private and corporate tasting functions. Mike has been featured in articles in the San Jose Business Journal and San Jose Magazine and interviewed for segments on “In Wine Country,” and two different wine-related episodes on KRON-TV.
After cofounding Enoteca la Storia in 2010 with partner Joe Cannistraci, he tapped back into his studies and achieved the following certifications:
Certified Italian Wine Professional with honors- Italian Wine Central
Certified Specialist of Wine- Society of Wine Educators
Italian Wine Scholar with highest honors- Wine Scholar Guild
French Wine Scholar with highest honors- Wine Scholar Guild
In July of 2019 Michael became one of approximately 1000 Advanced Sommeliers in the world, certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Mike works directly with our import partner, private label sources and exclusive distributors to research, taste and choose the best wines and create the written material for your club(s). He has been curating wine clubs for over 16 years.
RANDY BERTAO
Randall “Randy” Bertao is of 100% Azorean descent and it was his maternal grandmother, an ethnic winemaker, who first introduced him to wine. In fact, he bottled a barrel of her final vintage and is still in possession of a few bottles of it today!
It was the age old European tradition of sharing wine at the table with family and the people you love that first inspired his vinous pursuit’s. Later, a chance encounter with a bottle of 1961 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, with all its thought provoking complexity, inspired a lifelong career odyssey that included restaurant management, ownership and importing wine in England that eventually lead him to the Court of Master Sommeliers where he earned his Master Sommelier credential in 2005, one of only 269 worldwide.
Randy loves sharing his knowledge and expertise with savvy and novice tasters alike. He currently lectures and proctors examinations for the Court of Master Sommeliers, and enjoys mentoring students as they advance through the program. He has endless curiosity and is always inspired to introduce wine lovers to new and interesting wines.
PAIGE POST BINDEL
Paige Post Bindel is a fourth generation native ancestor of the historic Post family of Big Sur, California. She began her career working in the finest coastal restaurants and resorts locally developing her palate for all things wine. She then began traveling the wine regions of the world, which further honed her skills. Embarking on her studies to achieve the Master Sommelier Diploma with the Court of Master Sommeliers. Paige has immersed herself in her studies. Paige studied abroad in Tuscany, Bolgheri and Umbria with the Famed Antinori Family at the Castello della Sala. Paige has participated as a featured speaker at Zinfest San Francisco and as a featured panelist at The Cab Collective, Paso Robles. Paige has also competed as an honored invitee in many international Wine Competitions such as The Ruinart Sommelier Challenge, The Bordeaux Ambassador competition and the Ambassador of Chianti Classico Tuscany competitions. Paige has appeared and been quoted in various National Wine publications such as The Tasting Panel Magazine, The Somm Journal and was featured on the cover and selected by Monterey County Weekly magazine as one of the local Stars of Women In Wine. Paige has been sponsored by many prestigious wineries in immersion education trips throughout many AVA’s in the United States.
Paige is a Certified Sommelier with The Court Of Master Sommeliers and resides her talents with The Pebble Beach Resorts at Peppoli Restaurant, she also holds her degree as a Certified Sherry Specialist with the Regulatory Council of Jerez Spain. Paige has aided as an honorary designer for Georg Riedel of Riedel Austrian Crystal in the design of the updated Zinfandel Crystal glass series.
As of late, with respect to the situation with social distancing, Paige has implemented an on line virtual monthly education and wine tasting program related to her position as Educational Director with The American Wine Society Monterey Chapter. Paige has successfully hosted both “Sommelier Series” Master Classes focused on themes such as “Northern Spain, Rioja & Rias Baixas” and “Italy North vs. South, Veneto & Campania”.
Ian Ziering
Ian Ziering is an Actor, Philanthropist and Entrepreneur, what Ian is not is a wine aficionado. But that’s the fun part!
As a child, Ian Ziering was landing spots in national commercials, which led to roles in various soap operas and stage plays, most notably Guiding Light, which led to his role in the Broadway production of I Remember Mama. In 1981 he made his feature film debut in Endless Love (as Brooke Shields’s little brother) – a film that also marked the big-screen debuts of Tom Cruise and James Spader.
In 1990, Ziering landed the role that would change his life – ‘Steve Sanders’ on the teen drama, Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990). The show brought instant, worldwide fame to the cast. Ian was suddenly an international heartthrob and played the role for the show’s entire ten-year run.
Since Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990), Ziering has appeared on numerous television shows including CSI: NY, JAG and Fran Drescher’s Happily Divorced. In addition, he has continued to be one of the most in-demand actors for various animated films and television shows.
During the fourth season of the ABC hit series, Dancing with the Stars, Ziering showed the world that he was a true triple threat when he became a fan and judge favorite with his partner, two-time Mirror Ball Champion Cheryl Burke, the pair eventually danced their way into the show’s semifinals.
2013 Ian became a Las Vegas headliner when he starred as the celebrity guest host of the award-winning production of Chippendales at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. Taking on this new role, the actor hit the gym and dropped 30 pounds, transforming himself into a fit and muscled man, thrilling the sold-out audiences. His Chippendales engagement brought him a new wave of fans and international acclaim, thrusting him once again into the limelight.