Thatcher brings 16 years of experience in Michelin-starred hospitality to his ongoing discovery and curation of world-class wines. Beginning his career in the kitchens of West in Vancouver and COI in San Francisco, he leveraged his early appreciation of ingredients and nuanced flavor profiles to pass the Court of Master Sommeliers Certified Sommelier exam at just 22 years old. From there, Thatcher joined the team at Saison in San Francisco, where he began to hone his open-minded approach to the modern world of wine. Several years later, he seized the opportunity to move to Tokyo and work at Takazawa, a World’s 50 Best Restaurant where he earned the title of Head Sommelier and a Wine Spectator’s Best of Excellence Award for the restaurant.
 In 2018, Thatcher returned to Saison to become the restaurant’s Director of Service & Beverage, during which time he was asked to consult on a number of private wine collections. In the months that followed, he became a sought-after resource for clients across the U.S., Europe and Asia, formally launching Thatcher’s Wine Consulting in April of 2019....

Originally from a small town in Vermont, Noah Dranow grew up surrounded by hospitality with a family passionate about food and wine. As one of the founders of the New England Culinary Institute, Noah’s father raised him to be fascinated by the industry. Noah’s official entry to hospitality began at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, followed by Rialto with Chef Jodi Adams, before moving west to San Francisco in 2001. Working from waiter to sommelier, Noah rose the ranks at Farallon during the dotcom bubble, where he was introduced to many industry leaders such as Michael Mina, Saison partners Mark Bright and Josh Skenes, Rajat Parr, and others. After time at Farallon, Noah was a sommelier at Michael Mina, then Head Sommelier and ran the wine program at Bourbon Steak prior to joining the Saison and Angler team as Director of Wine Programs for Saison Hospitality Group. 
While at Saison and Angler, Noah met and thoroughly enjoyed working with Thatcher on the launch of Angler, until Noah left to be Director of Sales for Verve Wine San Francisco. Once Thatcher’s Wine took off, Noah was thrilled to join the team in February 2020. As Director of Sales and Logistics for Thatcher’s Wine, his primary focus is on logistics, ensuring the smooth arrival and departure, packaging, and tracking of valuable wines for their discerning clients. ...

Courtney discovered her love for hospitality at the age of 14 and has never looked back. Beginning in family friends' restaurants and eventually moving to luxury fine dining and specializing in wine, Courtney brings 15 years of hospitality experience to the table. Prior to her current role as Director of Operations at Thatcher’s Wine, Courtney was most recently the Wine Director for The Modern, the winner of the Wine Spectator Grand Award and two-Michelin starred restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Courtney began at Starwood Hotels and the W Hotel in Hoboken before making the jump to Manhattan, where she oversaw members-only restaurant Sidecar before moving to Tribeca Grill, a New York staple for wine. Courtney’s determination to continue her studies in fine wine brought her to work with Master Sommelier Michael Engelmann at The Modern as Junior Sommelier, where in just four years, Courtney worked her way from Junior Sommelier to Wine Director. In her current role, Courtney oversees operations for both Thatcher’s Imports and Thatcher’s Wine, leading both the imports and sales teams. She works with Thatcher in sourcing new wine producers, and manages producer onboarding and communications, in addition to handling private client and allocations for Thatcher’s Imports. Courtney also serves Thatcher’s Wine Consulting’s private clients, assisting in cellar acquisitions and sales, in addition to managing the Thatcher’s Wine Cellar Access monthly subscription program. Courtney is an expert in blending her knowledge of wine by translating the complex and often highbrow world of wine into language that’s simple and straightforward, and tailored to each client’s preferences and personality....

Doug Kahn joins Thatcher’s Wine with over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry and four years in the fine wine industry. A Pennsylvania native raised just outside of Philly with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Temple University, Doug has held a range of front-of-house positions with prestigious restaurants in Philadelphia, New York and Chicago, including three-star Michelin Eleven Madison Park and two-star Michelin Sixteen. Doug caught the wine bug at Eleven Madison Park while learning to be a beer and cellar master. Soon after, Doug pursued his certifications through the Court of Master Sommeliers and passed his Advanced exam in 2017.

Wine is embedded in John Cerasulo’s family history. His grandfather was a winemaker in Messina, Sicily, and brought the tradition of winemaking to New Haven, Connecticut in the 1950’s. John retraced his grandfather’s footsteps in a way through fine arts, earning his Bachelor of Arts in Painting and Drawing from the Southern Connecticut State University, and then traveling to Italy to complete a Post Baccalaureate in Printmaking from the University of Urbino. Upon completing a Master of Fine Arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, John worked in sales roles, from apparel in New York City to wine in southern California, to support his work as an artist. Prior to joining the sales team at Thatcher’s Wine, John worked in wine sales for California for Kogod Wine Merchant, and then Rosenthal Wine Merchant.

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Daniel Estrada’s path into the wine industry has been atypical. Daniel first became acquainted with wine at the age of 22 while driving through the Russian River Valley. On a Saturday afternoon, an unexpected visit to Joseph Swan Winery coincided with a barrel tasting weekend. The opportunity to meet the winemaker and learn about the history of the family vineyard and wines sparked a keen interest in Daniel in learning about new producers, discovering new wines, and understanding the history behind them. Daniel spent seven years working in the aerospace industry selling airplane and helicopter parts to the U.S. government, before his wife encouraged him to go after what he was passionate about. She always caught the twinkle in his eye when they spent time in wine country.

Garrett Smith was first introduced to the idea of wine as a career at the prized Mayflower Inn Spa in Connecticut while working to save money to fund a fledgling sports writing career. Noticing potential in the tireless young man, the Head Sommelier instructed Garrett to first organize the dusty cellar, and later invited him to join tastings with distributors. Before long, Garrett was acting as part-time sommelier by age 22, and hungry to learn more. Soon after, Garrett journeyed across the country to California, where he studied at the Professional Culinary Institute and passed his Certified Sommelier exam. On a lark, he was accepted to The French Laundry’s Vinternship program under Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly, who took Garrett under his wing to polish the rough edges and focus his energy.

Simone Popov’s path into the wine world is an unconventional one, having grown up in Kyiv, Ukraine where beer and vodka were more prevalent. He was oblivious of wine until he attended Sonoma State University in the heart of wine country. As he pursued a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Simone dreamed of becoming a sports agent, a role in which he imagined he would be negotiating deals and signing contracts for Europe’s most prominent club teams, and one day rubbing shoulders with the stars of his beloved Liverpool F.C. Upon graduation, Simone took a sales role with Regal Wine Co. in California distribution. Intrigued, Simone reevaluated his career focus, and decided to pursue his newfound interest in wine. .

Jack Goldman is the Wine Director & General Manager of Thatcher’s Wine LA in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Previously, Jack was the Wine Director for Jon & Vinny’s restaurant group where he led the curation of the wine and beverage programs at all of the Helen’s and Jon & Vinny’s locations. Jack joined Jon & Vinny’s in 2019 as a sommelier at their Brentwood location, before becoming Wine Director at Jon & Vinny’s in Fairfax.

Haley O'Brien's journey into the world of wine is a testament to her adventurous spirit and unwavering dedication. Hailing from Burbank, California, she honed her skills both on the soccer field and in the classroom at the University of California, Irvine, where she earned a degree in Social Ecology with a minor in Criminology/Law and Society. It was during her time living in France that Haley's passion for wine was ignited. Immersed in the rich wine culture of the region, she delved deep into the world of viticulture, exploring vineyards, studying, and tasting extensively.

Nick Berenson has had an appreciation for wine from a young age. His father has been an avid collector of rare and fine wine for over forty years and Nick quickly adopted the same passion, turning it into a life-long career. Nick first learned the skills of the wine trade at the New York Wine Warehouse, renowned for their Burgundy selection and an official partner of Zachys auction house. Inspired to bring his passion to life, Nick enrolled in the International Culinary Center's Intensive Sommelier Program, receiving his Court of Master Sommeliers certification upon graduation.