Melissa L. Smith
FORBES and Robb Report recognized Founder of Enotrias Elite Sommelier Services; Wine Appraiser, Educator, Writer, and Expert Witness. Creator of the Wine Collecting Master Class.
- Role
- Founder at Enotrias
- Location
- Sausalito, CA, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Melissa L. Smith
FORBES and Robb Report recognized Wine Appraiser, Expert Witness, Certified Sommelier, Founder of Enotrias Elite Sommelier Services, and the creator of the Wine Collecting Master Class. Melissa L. Smith serves as a writer, speaker, and educator specializing in wine, wine collecting, and wine travel. While maintaining a full time position as the Head Sommelier for K&L Wine Merchants, the largest online wine and spirits retailer in the country, she developed the first iPhone app for wine pronunciation, the Enotria Guide, and founded Enotrias, growing the company into the Bay Area’s premier sommelier service company.In 2018, Melissa became the first person certified by the California State Bar Association for her seminar on the Valuation of Wine Collections. The presentation is now recognized by the Bar Associations of thirteen states across the country, and has led to working directly with top Family Law and Trust and Estate attorneys as a valued resource for insurance and legal cases, and providing USPAP compliant appraisals. In 2021, Melissa L. Smith was hired by the Department of Justice as an expert witness in the \"Fat Leonard\" international bribery case against the US Navy. Prior to entering the wine industry, Melissa was a CIA trained chef that spent fifteen years in some of the top kitchens in the country as well as Japan, including stints at the French Laundry, and at Terra, under chef Hiro Sone. After spending years roaming the country with her knife bag and an unbridled sense of adventure, bouncing from a Relais & Chateaux dude ranch in Montana to a hunting camp in Idaho, to a charter yacht in Southeast Alaska, and a pineapple scented season in Maui, Melissa then spent time as the private chef for families of industry giants, and settled down in the San Francisco Bay Area to pursue a career in wine and hospitality.Melissa is certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers, The Culinary Institute of America, The Sake Education Counsel, and USPAP. Melissa\'s work has been published in print and online, and she is often used as a trusted source for industry news and for expert testimony. DISC Assessment~Perceptiveness: Showing unusual sensitivity to subtle details; Sensitivity: Being aware of, and receptive to, the needs of other people; Efficiency: Working quickly and competently to achieve specific goals; Imagination: Finding creative solutions to problems, and considering issues in unusual ways; Practicality: Looking at matters in a realistic way, and finding workable solutions to problems.
Experience
Founder
Jan 2011 — Present
Specializing in elite educational corporate team building, and private wine, sake, and spirits events, cellar services, and restaurant consultation. Clients include Google, Peel, Coinbase, Facebook, Boston Private Bank, Well\'s Fargo, IBM, Yahoo, Steelcase, Gensler, earn, Linked, appbackr, tech VC\'s, and more.Cellar services include organization, inventory, appraisals, and consultation for personal, insurance, and legal purposes, as well as construction consultations. Procurement and brokering services may also be retained.Contracted by the Department of Justice as an expert witness in the \"Fat Leonard\" international bribery case against the US Navy, where values were determined for the fine dining, wine, and spirits that were at the center of the corruption after months of analysis and research spanning throughout Asia and Australia. Expert witness testimony has been used in several cases including bankruptcy proceedings and appraisals. Philanthropic work with SPCA, earn.org, Children\'s Health Guild, and the John Muir Land Trust.
Education
Appraisers Association of America
USPAP, Wine Appraisals
2019 — 2019
Regulatory Council of Jerez
Certified Sherry Wine Specialist
2017
Sake Education Council
Certified Sake Professional (CSP), Sake
2013
Court of Master Sommeliers
Certified Sommelier, Wine Steward/Sommelier
2016 — 2016
Appraisers Association of America
Collectible Champagne: Market Trends / Market Leaders
Appraisers Association of America
Advanced Issues in Appraising - On Demand
2020 — 2020
American Society of Appraisers
How To Write a Bulletproof Expert Witness Report
Appraisers Association of America
Collection Protection: Damage and Loss - Wine
Appraisers Association of America
Collectible Wine
2019 — 2019
Appraisers Association of America
Wine Assessment and Appraisal Practice
2020 — 2020
The Culinary Institute of America
AOS, Wine
2000 — 2002
Appraisers Association of America
Damage & Loss: Who and What You Need to Know
2020 — 2020
Skills
- Cooking
- Hospitality Industry
- Public Relations
- Cuisine
- Wine Tasting
- Social Media Marketing
- Chef
- Leadership
- Sales
- Marketing Strategy
- Restaurants
- Food & Beverage
- Culinary Skills
- Banquets
- Customer Service
- Wine
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Winemaking
- Corporate Events
- Event Management
- Bartending
- Strategic Planning
- Event Planning
- Beer
- Wineries
- Food Pairing
- Food
- Pastry
- Social Media
- Recipes
- Management
- Hospitality
- Catering
- Beverage Industry
- Hospitality Management
- Marketing
- Champagne
- Fine Dining
- Inventory Management
- Restaurant Management
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