Emily Wines, Master Sommelier and Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants Vice President of Wine & Beverage Experience Nominated for Wine Enthusiast's Wine Star Award

CHICAGO, Sept. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants, a lifestyle brand centered around food and wine, is pleased to announce that Wine Enthusiast has named Emily Wines, the company's Vice President of Wine & Beverage Experience, as one of five global finalists for their 20th Annual Wine Star Awards. Emily is a candidate for the 2019 Sommelier/Beverage Director of the Year award.    

As the liaison between the company and its restaurants, Emily engages with guests and its nearly 400,000 - member Wine Club to create enriching experiences with wine and spirits as the backdrop. She leads initiatives that enhance the journey for wine enthusiasts through education, immersive events, collaborative partnerships and curated lifestyle adventures. This all works together to create a more accessible wine-friendly experience for guests; deepening their knowledge and strengthening their excitement about the world of wine.

Wines' nomination is a significant milestone in an inspiring career. She is an internationally qualified sommelier. There are 171 professionals who have earned the title of Master Sommelier as part of the Americas Chapter since the organization's inception. Of those, 143 are men and 28 are women. 262 professionals worldwide have received the title of Master Sommelier since the first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam. Additionally, Emily is one of 15 professionals who have been awarded the prestigious Remi Krug Cup for exceptional performance on the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination. Yet, Emily's greatest assets are her passion for her profession, her commitment to service and her ability to speak conversationally on the sometimes complicated topic of wine. She travels the world and mentors aspiring sommeliers from geographies and cultural backgrounds not typically found with the world of wine. She is strong believer in diversity and is anxious to bring a new generation of voices to the table.

Most recently, Emily launched Camille, her own line of wine from Cooper's Hawk. The line celebrates bold women and courageous trailblazers who continually search for ways to innovate and advance positive change.

"I am extremely honored to be nominated for this prestigious award," says Wines. "While I'm proud of my personal accomplishments, what excites me most is making wine accessible to everyone…I love sharing first-hand stories about the cultural and historic aspects of the wine regions of the world. And while I am enthralled by the past, I am equally excited to see what's on the horizon as new regions and styles of wine emerge, and as innovations in the both wine and spirits change the way we think, drink and gather."

The Wine Star Awards are regarded as some of the most important in the wine industry. Each year, the editors of Wine Enthusiast honor the exceptional individuals and companies that have made outstanding achievements and contributions in the wine and spirits world. The magazine will announce the winner on October 31, 2019 at the Wine Star Awards gala on January 27, 2020 in San Francisco's legendary Palace of Fine Arts.

The other nominees for Sommelier/Beverage Director of the Year are Chappy Cottrell, Lauren Friel, Laura Maniec and Ferdinando Mucerino.

About Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants
Founded in 2005 by CEO Tim McEnery, Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants is built upon the belief that food and wine hold the power to forge lasting connections. A lifestyle brand focused on creating memorable moments that enrich lives, home to nearly 400,000 Wine Club members and will operate 41 locations by end of 2019. The concept is a fusion of familiar elements –modern casual restaurant, Napa-style tasting room and artisanal retail market combined to create an entirely new hospitality experience. Cooper's Hawk has won over 500 awards for its wine and has been named the Official Wine of the Screen Actors Guild® Awards.

SOURCE Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants