Wine Hosts

Paul Wagner, Wine Instructor, Napa Valley College Renowned Wine Expert and Author Paul Wagner, wine expert extraordinaire, has been an instructor for Napa Valley College’s Viticulture & Enology department for the past 17 years, is a regular columnist for Vineyards & Winery Management Magazine and is the president of Balzac Communications & Marketing.

Mike & Mary Ward own WOW Productions as well as Ward on Wine, a wine education and consulting company. Mike Ward is a Certified Sommelier, Certified Specialist of Spirits, Certified Wine Educator and has successfully completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust Level 2 Intermediate exam. Mike completed certification at the Napa Valley Wine Educators Academy. His passion and expertise have led him to become a member of the Society of Wine Educators. He is also a member in the Chaine des Rotisseurs.

Ward on Wine can be a great friend, learning tool, or reference as you explore on this amazing wine cruise.

Alejandro Lopez, Owner & Winemaker of PIENSA Wines, is not only passionate about his craft but is always looking for new perspectives in the world of wine. He began his wine journey in Argentina over 19 years ago working for one of the most prestigious wineries in the country, and after five years of mainly learning what's "outside" of the bottle: the design, the image and how to communicate it, he decided to move to France and learn the other half: the wine itself and how to produce it. He arrived at the internationally renowned Château Léoville Las Cases, a Second Growth winery, where he started winemaking, understanding the vineyard and the optimal grape maturity. Tireless traveller, Alejandro flew back to Argentina and then lived in the USA for a couple years for his final wrap up: improving sales skills and having a 360 degree understanding of the wine industry before jumping into his own project.

Alejandro is now living in France with his family, runs and directs PIENSA Wines and has been chosen among the 20 most influential wine personalities in 2021 by the prestigious french magazine, Vitisphere. Alejandro has a Master Degree in Biology and did a Solo Moto trip from Miami to Buenos Aires. Alejandro is looking forward to sharing his wines, his passion and knowledge on this fantastic cruise.

Boich Family Cellar is a boutique Napa Valley winery with a keen focus on extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon. At the Boich Wall Road Estate, the family offers a unique tasting experience high on a mountainside, providing a breathtaking view of a “hidden valley” in the Mount Veeder AVA. The winery was founded by John Boich, a visionary and renaissance-style innovator who discovered the winery’s secluded site and assembled a talented team including Winemaker Jeff Ames.

Under his grandmother’s influence, John Aver developed a passion for wine at an early age. John ventured into planting vineyards and making wine which evolved into a professional venture for both John and Carolyn. The highly-rated wines from Aver Family Vineyards feature Rhône varietals crafted from grapes that John grew on their estate using holistic farming practices. The Rhône region, especially Châteauneuf-du-Pape, produces his favorite wines.

Jean-Noel Fourmeaux

Sent to the Napa Valley by the French government “to spy” for six months, Jean-Noel Fourmeaux reported back home “Looks good, I stay”. This son of Bordeaux created VGS Chateau Potelle 39 years ago on Mount Veeder in Napa Valley. Originally seduced by the exuberance and generosity of the Napa Valley fruit, Jean-Noel makes wines that have dimension, subtlety and definitive character. A true French-American blend, he travels the world sharing the culture of wine with his customers and friends, from Bordeaux where he is from, to South Africa, Europe, and beyond.

Matthew Regan

With 22 years experience at Chateau Potelle, Matthew has become the right hand to Jean-Noel’s left. Born and raised in New England, educated at the CIA in Hyde Park, New York, seasoned at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee and maturing (at least trying) in the Napa Valley with his amazing wife Lindsay and twin daughters, Aubrey James & Madison Anne Marie. When not working at or drinking VGS, Matthew can be found in the hot tub or sleeping!

Join Liz Barrett and Elizabeth Filippi, Certified Specialists of Wine awarded through the Society of Wine Educators, on an insider’s journey through the rich history and culture of wine, beer and cuisine of 5 countries along the beautiful Rhine river.

For more than 7 years Liz managed AmaWaterways’ Wine Cruises and helped build it to the award-winning level and experience it offers today. Elizabeth holds the degrees of Advanced Certified Sommelier with the International Sommelier Guild, French Wine Scholar with the Wine Scholar Guild, and is also pursuing her Italian Wine Scholar advanced certification.

They will be your co-hosts on the ship to combine their incredible passion and expertise for shining a light into the world of European wine culture with their fellow adventurers on board the elegant AmaSerena. This unique sailing is sure to dazzle all the senses and create extraordinary travel memories that will last a lifetime.

Jeff Branco is the third American to graduate from the University of Bordeaux’s prestigious Master of Science in Viticulture and Enology program since its founding by Louis Pasteur over 140 years ago. He translated the university’s Handbook of Enology, a worldwide winemaker’s reference.

Jeff has helped shape quality grape growing and winemaking in Paso Robles. He is the first winemaker in the Paso Robles region to make the Wine Spectator Top 10 list out of over 15,000 wines and the only Justin winemaker to have every received a 95 Robert Parker score. He has garnered over thirty scores in the 90’s in the Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast. Jeff fuses his French training with his Californian winemaking experience to create Bordeaux style wines with a California twist.