If diversity is our strength, then unity in telling the New York wine story must be our power. NY produces wine with regional and varietal specificity, immense drinkability, and in many cases, suspenseful longevity. We produce over 60 varieties and export to over 30 countries, showcasing multiple styles to delight both local and international palates. How does a wine region establish a brand for consistent quality, all the while helping consumers understand that ‘expecting the unexpected’ is part of the wine journey? Our panel of wine writers, and wine makers will speak from a breadth of international experience and provide lessons learned from other regions.

Moderated by: Dan Belmont, AWE, Director/Wine Buyer, Good Wine Good People

  • Christina Pickard, Writer at Large, covering and reviewing New York State wines, Wine Enthusiast

  • Jamie Goode, Journalist, wineanorak.com 

  • Russell Moss, General Manager, Milea Family Wines

Dan Belmont, AWE, Director/Wine Buyer, Good Wine Good People

Dan is a London-based certified American Wine Expert and holds a Level-3 certification in Wines & Spirits from the WSET. He led the education departments of NYC’s famed Murray’s Cheese, the largest artisan cheese retailer in the US, and Bedales of Borough, a trio of wine bars based in London’s historic markets. Dan is the Wine Ambassador for Liebherr UK and proudly supports the New York Wine & Grape Foundation along with a variety of international trade associations and producers as a presenter, educator & judge. In 2022 he authored the latest edition of the New York State Wine Reference Guide.

Dan operates in constant awe of the good people who dedicate themselves to the odyssey that is producing good wine. It is in that spirit that he created Good Wine Good People – a unique e-commerce wine retail platform serving the UK market.

Christina Pickard, Writer at Large, covering and reviewing New York State wines, Wine Enthusiast

Christina Pickard is a professional wine writer and reviewer. In her current role as Writer for Large at Wine Enthusiast magazine, Christina covers and reviews wines (nearly 1500 annually) from New York, Australia, New Zealand and England.  

A native central New Yorker—and Ithaca College alum—Christina has been telling wine tales for the past 15 years, first from her former home in London, England where she lived for over a decade, then from her second former home in Perth, Australia, and now from her current home in New York's Hudson Valley. Christina was an active television and live presenter in the UK; She owned and operated her own wine school in Australia; She co-hosted one of the wine world’s earliest wine podcasts; And she has written for publications around the globe including Decanter, Gourmet Traveller Wine, James Halliday's Wine Companion, Afar and Food & Wine, to name a few. 

While Christina has waded waist deep in Aussie and Kiwi wines for Wine Enthusiast for the past 6 years, she is overjoyed to now be covering her home state, and the many wonderful cool climate wines on her doorstep. 

Jamie Goode, Journalist, wineanorak.com 

Jamie began his career by obtaining a PhD in plant biology and ended up becoming an internationally acknowledged wine writer, speaker and lecturer. He has been wine columnist for UK national newspaper The Sunday Express since 2005 and has published award winning books including Wine Science, Authentic Wine, I Taste Red and Flawless. He’s also a co-chair of the International Wine Challenge. He can be found on Instagram (@drjamiegoode) and Twitter (@jamiegoode) and since 1999 has been publishing wineanorak.com. 

Russell Moss, General Manager, Milea Family Wines

Russell holds bachelors and masters degrees in both viticulture and enology. He has authored numerous technical articles and was a lecturer in viticulture at Cornell University. He has worked extensively in the New Zealand wine industry and was previously chief viticulturist for Domaine Serene in Oregon and Château de la Crée in Burgundy. Today, in addition to his duties at Milea Family Wines, Russell is a global vineyard and winery consultant for entities such as the Kingdom of Bhutan. In a previous life, he was a professional musician.