As online wine sales continue to increase in the U.S., the wine purchasing experience inevitably changes. How do you convey the texture, length, intensity, aromas, and balance of a wine through the internet? How do you sell a visceral product like wine with words and pictures? If the consumer cannot taste the wine themselves before purchase, they need to trust that a team of experts has. Wine Access, one of the original online retailers in wine, began as a web hosting service for wine shops and other wine businesses in 1997. Over time, the company has evolved into the robust direct to consumer wine retailer that it is today, with a carefully vetted selection of both ephemeral daily offers and a more permanent inventory of wines from the industry’s top regions and producers. They sell their wines by telling the stories around each of the producers and wineries they work with. They are a leader in direct to consumer wine sales; an area of tremendous growth in the wine industry. Wine Access has an unprecedented level of wine expertise, and each bottle sold must first pass through a rigorous tasting panel to get in the portfolio; indeed, only 1% of the wines in the panel tastes end up making it to the online store. Vanessa was head of sales and marketing for several of Napa’s most prestigious estates including Arietta Wines, Dana Estates, and Realm Cellars. Previously, she was a retail buyer and wine bar wine director in New York. She’s President of the Board for the Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch, holds the WSET Diploma, and was the recipient of the Niki Singer Memorial Scholarship from the International Wine Center. Vanessa has passed the Theory and Practical portions of the Master of Wine exam and is writing a research paper as the final stage. Eduardo served as Corporate Beverage Director for the Global Morimoto Group and has worked at some of Napa Valley’s most iconic restaurants including Tra Vigne and Bistro Don Giovanni. He is a professional Wine, Sake and Spirits Judge for many competitions in the US and Japan and writes for both the Napa Valley Register and Decanter Magazine. He is an Advanced Sommelier Candidate and is also a Certified Sake Professional. For $100 off your first Wine Access purchase of $250 or more, please visit wineaccess.com/crupodcast and discount will be applied at checkout. FOLLOW WINE ACCESS ON... INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK WEBSITE     For wine industry leaders and entrepreneurs alike the Sonoma Executive MBA programs in wine business is a game-changer. The first of their kind in the United States and developed in response to the needs of the wine industry, Sonoma State University's AACSB accredited Executive MBA programs combine globally-recognized excellence in business education with wine industry expertise. Their alumni are leaders at elite wine brands around the world. Students have access to an unparalleled network of wine industry scholars, practitioners, and classmates. The programs offer experiential learning through an immersive 4-day leadership sailing weekend in San Diego Bay and in-country consulting projects during a 12-day international business trip. Market-responsive courses are held in the Wine Spectator Learning Center, an innovative learning space gilded with advanced technology and flexible learning classrooms. Applications for the 2020 Sonoma Executive MBA in Wine Business cohort are accepted through February 28th. Visit http://sbe.sonoma.edu/podcast for more information, to speak with an admissions counselor, or to RSVP for an information session. Follow us on social media @sonomasbe.