Ellen is a published Wine Writer, Certified Sommelier, Certified Wine Specialist, Wine Educator and Professional Wine Judge. She is the author of the blog EllenOnWine.com and writes for the AWS Wine Journal magazine (AmericanWineSociety.org), Great Northwest Wine, (www.greatnorthwestwine.com), Michigan Uncorked, and The Slow Wine Guide (www.slowwineusa.com), among other publications.
Ellen’s experience includes 10 years as a moderator for the highly acclaimed Vintners’ Holidays annual event at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite, the American Wine Society annual conferences, and participates as a key speaker, moderator and panelist at various other wine events. For eighteen years, she and husband Ken built and co-owned award-winning Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn (Half Moon Bay, CA) where Ellen served as Wine Director and Sommelier. It was named the California Bay Area’s Top Inn, and ranked among the top 15 Inns for Wine Connoisseurs in North America. They sold their Inn to devote more time to the world of wine. Ellen was also a Sommelier for several years.
In addition to an MBA, Ellen’s wine education includes UC Davis viticulture course work, achieving CSW certification from the Society of Wine Educators program, and earning the credential of Certified Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Ellen serves as a judge at numerous national and international wine competitions including the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition, Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, Mid-American Wine Competition, The Great American International Wine Competition, LA Invitational Wine & Spirits Competition, California State Fair Wine Competition, El Dorado Wine Competition, The Idaho Wine Competition, American Fine Wine Competition, North Coast Wine Challenge, Amador County Fair Wine Competition, Sonoma Harvest Fair Wine Competition, East Meets West Wine Competition, Harvest Challenge International Wine Competition, Cascadia Wine Competition, Savor Northwest Wine Competition, Michigan Wine & Spirits Competition, Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition, Alameda County Fair Wine Competition, Great Northwest Wine Platinum Judging, Selections Mondiales des Vins Canada, Pacific Rim Wine Competition, and the Central Coast Wine Competition.