Born and raised in Colorado, Brett Zimmerman took a position with Domaine Select in the fall of 2007 as their regional manager for the mountains and desert. Brett spent sixteen years working in some of the finest restaurants in the country as well as time in the wine distribution business. After completing college with a degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado, Brett moved to Chicago where he accepted a position as a sommelier at the world acclaimed restaurant, Charlie Trotter's. Following his time in Chicago, Brett moved to San Francisco where he was the sommelier at the renowned restaurant Aqua.
Brett's experience in Chicago and San Francisco provided him with the skills and desire to return to Colorado to open his own restaurant with a business partner from Aqua. Mateo, a popular Provençal style restaurant in Boulder, opened in the fall of 2000. After dedicating three years to Mateo, Brett took a position with Southern Wine and Spirits in order to focus his energy on his passion for wine. Brett spent four years of working with Southern Wine and Spirits as their General Manager of the American Fine Wine Division in Colorado.
In the spring of 2007, Brett achieved his Master Sommelier Diploma with the Court of Master Sommeliers program and now holds the distinction of Master Sommelier. There are currently fewer than one hundred Americans who have passed this difficult exam.
Sean Razee currently serves as the Beverage Director and Sommelier for Spago, Bachelor Gulch – the flagship restaurant of master chef Wolfgang Puck and the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group. Originally from Southern California, Sean began exploring the wine country in the early 1980's through frequent weekend trips to Santa Barbara County.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Nutrition from California State University Long Beach, the outdoor enthusiast soon moved to Colorado in pursuit of excellent mountain biking and to begin a career in the wine business. Sean worked in several of the finest restaurants in the Vail Valley prior to joining the opening food and beverage team for The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch in 2002. His extensive experience has allowed him to share his expertise in a quarterly wine column in Luxe Magazine, a monthly article in the Vail Daily newspaper, as well as a seat on Ritz-Carlton brand's Corporate Beverage Committee – offering his voice to 72 hotels and resorts, globally.
Having completed his goal of becoming one of less then 100 Master Sommeliers in the United States, Sean has now set his goal on obtaining a degree with the Institute of Masters of Wine. In a continuing focus to expand his palette and knowledge of wine, he continuously travels worldwide in an attempt to visit all the major wine-producing regions of the world.
When not reading, traveling or learning about wine, Sean is an avid mountain biker and telemark skier, and enjoys an outdoor lifestyle. He lives in the Vail Valley with his wife, Jennifer, their daughter Noelle and their dog, Sadie.
Damon Ornowski has more than 20 years of experience as a Sommelier. He began his career in wine at Pinons Restaurant is Aspen, Colorado where he worked as the Sommelier. In 1997, Ornowski became the 28th Master Sommelier in the United States. Since becoming a Master Sommelier, he has studied Vineyard Management at Napa Valley and has lent his expertise to a number of well-known wineries. His repertoire includes Specialist in Viticulture, Wine Production and Sales for Rudd Winery and Vineyard, Western United States Account Specialist for Terlato Wines International. and National Sales and Marekting for Yabby Lake Vinyards in Victoria Australia. Since 2009, Ornowski has worked for Vin Divino overseeing national key accounts and working in wholesaler educations and with portfolio producers.
The wine path started at an early age for Daniel while sipping on simple wines with his Italian grandfather. Through a diverse restaurant career wine has always given focus.
His first winery travel was directly to the Piedmont in Northern Italy and there learning the intensity of the King of Wines: Barolo.
Holding sommelier positions with all Italian wine list selections in Colorado restaurants for a number of years, the natural progression was to live in Italy to further his knowledge of Italian wines as well as the culture of this magic country. Finding a position as the sommelier aboard the Orient Express Train allowed him the total submersion of study to Old World wines in the heart of Europe. After recent 10 years in Boston and New York consulting to the top Italian wine lists; Kratzer is now back home in his native Denver with Southern Wines and Spirits of Colorado. As the company wide Italian wine specialist, he is here to share the passions for the wines of Italy with colleuges, professionals and all of us; the consumer.
Shelley has been on the Western Slope for 16 years. Her love affair with wine began in the late 1970s when she was an investment banker in San Francisco and regularly found herself in Napa and Sonoma with clients. Each time she went, she would scout out a new winery as she loved learning something new with each visit. "Every bottle of wine has its own journey." Some of you may remember her from the Bubble Seminar from a previous Crested Butte Wine Festival. Her current job is District Manager – On Premise - western slope, traveling around the most beautiful part of the state and working with 4 great sales people. Her passion for knowledge has led her to study many areas: She received her CSW in 2009, and First Level sommelier in 2002, and First Level Sake Master in 2004. When she is not working she has her dog Sadie and loves to hit the hills, travel to new places and spend time with friends.