SAM'S ACADEMY is
the wine education program for Sam’s Wines & Spirits
Teachers:
Before joining Sam's, Bill St. John spent 20 years writing on wine, food, restaurants for Colorado's two daily newspapers and for Denver's CBS News affiliate. Bill also ran St. John On Wine, a wine academy. “I’ve lost track of how many hundreds of wine classes I’ve taught,” he says, "but it’s my great passion – teaching about wine & food.”
Mike Tesarek has been absorbed with wine his entire adult life, always searching for those that are beyond the superficial. He spent many years in the restaurant trade and was also a personal wine consultant to a group of 500 clients for five years. He's conducted more than 500 tastings for clients, especially those that match food and wine. He has immersed himself in Sam's world for the past four years and has been the manager of the wine department at Sam's Highland Park for two years.
Jennifer Beckmann recently joined Sam’s after a long tenure in the restaurant industry. Working as a Sommelier, she enjoyed the frontlines of creative food & wine pairing with some of the most innovative chefs in Chicago. In 2007, she attained Sommelier Certification from the prestigious Court of Master Sommeliers and continues to pursue the elusive title of Master Sommelier. While she is an equal opportunity wine lover, her passion lies in American winemaking. If you visit Sam’s South Loop, ask her about her favorite American gems!
Sam's Wines and Spirits
