Sharing an ongoing passion for wine and winemaking heritage

Jean-Charles Boisset serves as president of Boisset Family Estates, one of the world's leading family-owned wine companies, with wineries in Burgundy, Beaujolais, the Rhone Valley, the South of France, with expertise in French sparkling wines, as well as wineries, tasting rooms and other gastronomic destinations in Napa Valley and Sonoma.

Cassandra serves as the Director of Boisset Collection’s innovative Wine Society Advisor program, a unique sales channel for our wineries which combines key elements of word-of-mouth marketing, network marketing and direct-to-consumer sales to build direct relationships between our winemakers and American wine drinkers. Boisset’s nationwide network of Advisors act as social media influencers and wine advisers in their social circles, organizing tastings and earning commissions for promoting our wines. Cassandra rose to her current leadership position from within the ranks, having been a successful founding Advisor for over 10 years before coming aboard. She brings a firm set of leadership skills to Boisset from her background in corporate finance and business operations. Her project management experience, technology background and experience managing diverse business streams are also valuable assets, as is her extensive history in the world of philanthropy and fundraising.

Ellen Springwater is the Wine Society's Head of Operations & Customer Success Manager. If Ellen looks familiar it’s because she has been with Boisset Family Estates for over twelve years as their Retail Operations Manager, overseeing some of the company tasting rooms! 

Born and raised in the beautiful Napa Valley, Adriana has always had a deep connection with this unique region. Her journey with the Boisset family began right after high school, when she worked as a barista at Oakville Grocery. This early experience ignited her passion for hospitality, wine, and providing exceptional experiences for guests. After graduating from Sacramento State, Adriana returned to Napa to further pursue her love for wine and hospitality and joined the Wine Society Customer Care team. Outside of work, you’ll likely find Adriana watching sports, making coffee, or enjoying quality time with family and friends.

Megan was born and raised in Napa and she loves living and working in Napa Valley. She joins Boisset with extensive experience working in the wine industry and running events. The guest experience is her top priority and she takes pride in providing solutions in a timely and courteous manner. When she is not helping guests, Megan likes to garden, read, camp and bake. She loves animals, rounding out her household with a dog, cat, fish, and chickens. She looks forward and is excited working with the Wine Society Team and meeting our Advisors in the near future!

Clare is the Boisset Collection VP of Guest Experience. She began her wine life in London with John Armit Wines after completing a French and Spanish degree and choral scholarship at Clare College, Cambridge University. Joining Direct Wines Ltd as a buyer in 2000, she moved to France in 2006. She lived near Bordeaux for eight years, managing the group’s winery and traveling extensively in North America, Europe, and Asia. She moved to California in 2014 to become the Director of wine development for Lionstone International sourcing for national wine clubs, including the Wall Street Journal, Laithwaites, Virgin, TCM, NPR and National Geographic. In 2022 she joined the team at Boisset and now and oversees all aspects of his family's Direct to Guest wineries and retail operations in the US. Clare is a Champagne Academician (class of 2004) and has been inducted as a Chevalier of Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Champagne.

Stephanie Putnam is the Vice President of Winemaking, Napa, where she leads all aspects of winemaking. A Northern California native and U.C. Davis graduate in Fermentation Science, Stephanie began her career at Hess Collection and went on to modernize the house style at Far Niente Winery during her eight-year tenure. With a focus on crafting exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, her wines have received prestigious accolades, including placements in Wine Spectator’s and Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 and recognition as The Wine News Cabernet of the Year. Stephanie’s early passion for wine was inspired by family trips to Napa, and she now resides there with her two beloved Labradors.

Born on his family’s historic ranch in the Petaluma Gap, straddling the Marin and Sonoma County border, Brian Maloney grew up surrounded by the legacy of Northern California winegrowing. Inspired by his grandmother’s stories of her father’s perseverance as a winemaker in Calistoga before, during, and after Prohibition, Brian pursued a degree in Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis. There, he developed a deep appreciation for the complexity of winemaking and completed a series of internships across Sonoma, Marin, and the Sierra Foothills.

Brian joined DeLoach Vineyards for the 2003 harvest and has been a driving force behind its evolution ever since. He has been instrumental in elevating DeLoach’s Pinot Noir program, expanding its vineyard designate offerings, and establishing the winery’s Biodynamic® estate vineyard. In 2011, he played a central role in the revitalization of the iconic Buena Vista Winery, and in 2012, led the historic return to winemaking in its original Champagne cellars—unused for over 30 years.

With deep roots in farming and a philosophy centered on expressing terroir, Brian believes great wine begins in the vineyard. Whether working with cool-climate Pinot Noir or old vine Zinfandel, his approach emphasizes the harmony between site, vine, and grower. His dedication to this vision has earned widespread recognition, including numerous 90+ scores from top wine publications.

Thane Knutson is the winemaker for Raymond Vineyards and 1881, bringing a thoughtful and compassionate approach shaped by his Midwestern roots. He honed his craft at some of Napa Valley’s most respected wineries, including Cakebread Cellars, Hess Collection, and Raymond Vineyards. Now firmly rooted in Napa, Thane is known for his nuanced understanding of the region’s terroir, particularly through his work on the AVA series, which showcases the distinct character of each Napa Valley subdistrict.

A Sonoma County native and UC Berkeley graduate, Katie Carter brings deep regional knowledge and a passion for winemaking, sustainability, and the outdoors to her role at DeLoach Vineyards. After gaining international experience with a harvest at Mulderbosch Vineyards in South Africa and working with diverse winemaking styles at Tandem Winery and Greg & Greg Custom Crush in Sebastopol, Katie joined DeLoach in 2006 as an enologist. Her talent and dedication quickly earned her promotions to assistant winemaker and eventually winemaker. Collaborating closely with VP of Winemaking Brian Maloney, Katie crafts exceptional, terroir-driven wines that reflect her positive energy, technical expertise, and commitment to excellence.

Winemaker Sarah Vandendriessche joined Elizabeth Spencer in 2010 as Winemaker. While her career began in restaurant roles, her viticulture roots were planted in college where she studied biology and anthropology before embracing a career in wine. Now she is one of Napa Valley's most esteemed female winemakers working with renowned vineyards in the most prestigious appellations of Northern California. Balanced, elegant, and approachable, her wines are quite enchanting.

Born in 1973 in the French region of Champagne, Sylvain has always been deeply interested in wine. In 1997 he obtained the National Oenology diploma in Montpellier. For 4 years, he built up his professional experience in France and around the world while perfecting a wide range of practical skills, first in Languedoc, in Alsace, then South Africa and finally in Australia.

Armed with his know-how acquired in both hemispheres, Sylvain decided settle down at GMDF in 2000. He took charge of the Louis Bernard wines and is the guarantor of the ‘Louis Bernard’ style which is very much focused on Grenache, the king of grape varieties in the southern Rhone Valley. His technical expertise has allowed him to become a jury expert for the Inter Rhone and a member of the approval commissions for the Gigondas and Cotes du Rhone.