Bill Knight, Owner

Bill Knight, the President and owner, has spent the last 20 years making sure that The Wine House lives up to its motto "The Only Wine Shop You Need". His tireless commitment to staffing the store with knowledgeable, professional wine consultants allows The Wine House to provide great service, selection and value to a broad range of wine consumers. Customers have recognized these efforts by bestowing the coveted 3-star rating from Wine & Spirits magazine's consumer poll for the past three years. He has also been chosen a Wine Spectator Market Watch Leader.

Glen Knight, Sales/ Domestic Wine Buyer

Glen Knight, Senior Salesman/Domestic Wine Buyer, has spent the last 15 years working the aisles of The Wine House. While attending college in Oregon, he labored as a "Cellar Rat" for a notable winery and as an assistant tasting room manager for another. Since starting at The Wine House, he has progressed from the stock crew, to the order desk, and then to salesman. Currently he is one of the Wine Buyers. He is passionate about his daughter, his son, his wife, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Aussie Shiraz, Rioja and Nebbiolo based wines.

Jim Knight, Sales/ Import Wine Buyer

Jim Knight has been in the wine business for ten years. Jim inherited the "Wine Bug" from his father but he really discovered his passion by doing cellar and vineyard work in Santa Barbara. In addition to his sales responsibilities, Jim is now one of the Wine Buyers. His area of expertise is the Central Coast (Pinot Noir, Syrah and Chard.). He is also very enthusiastic about Spanish wine, the new "vin" from Southern France and anything made with Syrah/Shiraz.

JB Severin, General Manager

JB Severin is the General Manager of the Wine House and the Dean of The Wine House Education Program. His motto "The more you know, the more you enjoy, the more you spend" (now you know how he got to be the Manager), is supported by his unswerving dedication to a strong consumer wine education program. With a NASA program director's sang froid (French for "cool") he launches and coordinates hundreds of wine events per year with nary a glitch. Well, okay, maybe a glitch or two. And as a 15-year veteran of the Wine House staff, he has the unique ability to assist and direct you in all of your wine buying needs. (He also knows where all the bodies are buried.)

Michelle Davis, Wine Sales

Michelle Davis discovered the world of wine six years ago when her passion for the culinary arts led her to the Robert Mondavi Food and Wine Center here in Southern California. After spending a year there learning about California wines, Michelle moved to the Wine House in order to expand her knowledge to wine from all over the world. She currently helms the old & rare/consignment program here at the Wine House, but her favorite part of the job is helping those new to wine navigate the diverse array of selections here at the store in order to find something new and interesting. Michelle loves both the Old and New World with favorites including Champagne, Spain and CaliforniaÂ’s own Zinfandel.

Mark Schwarz, Spirits Buyer / Wine Sales

Mark, the Wine House’s Spirits and Gourmet Food Buyer, lives true to the axiom, “it’s better to eat and drink the good stuff”, figuring somebody must have axed those words before him. Straight out of college and living in Northern California, Mark fell in love with fine wine, spirits and food. Although he made his living in other fields, his zeal remained constant. So when the opportunity came along to join the Wine House team, it was the start of a beautiful relationship. WSET Certified, Mark has been incredibly fortunate to meet and work with many of the talented wine makers, artisanal food purveyors and spirit hounds fashioning the business. His creative roots and enthusiasm fit perfectly with the small craft industry burgeoning today.

Coffield Appiah, Wine Sales

Coffield Appiah, like many others, ended up in the wine business on accident. Originally he planed to move to Japan to work and live, so it's not surprising that he has become the sake buyer. He first became interested in wine and scotch in his early 20's,and has a considerable collection of both. He also loves to travel to the various wine regions in order to barrel taste wine before and after it's blended to get a true understanding of a wine. His favorite wine regions are France and Spain.

Jamie Koren, German Buyer/Wine Sales

Jamie has worked at the Wine House (off and on) since the early 1980's. During that time he has done almost everything you can at a wine store: delivered wine, stocked wine, bought domestic and import wines, as well as spirits and taught countless wine seminars. Currently Jamie is a sales person, teacher, buyer (Germany, Austria, and Kosher), and manager. His favorite wines tend to be whites (Germany, Austria, Northern Italy, Alsace, Burgundy), bubbly (Prosecco or Bugey to Mags of Krug!) lighter reds (Pinot Noir, oddball northern Italian, or Austrian), and for special occasions Burgundy, Lagrein, or southern Rhône. Jamie's deepest loyalties are to the many small scale artisanal family producers he has had the privilege of meeting on his numerous travels.

Lance Montalto, Italian Buyer/Wine Sales

Like so many others in the world of wine sales, Lance Montalto went to school, majored in something that had very little practical use in the real world, and then he found wine. As an Art Historian, he saw no difference in realm of aesthetics as it related to the visual or on the palate. His two passions for wine are Spain and Italy.

Scott Ripton, Wine Sales

Scott was first bitten by the wine bug while working as Maitre’d at the Manhattan Country Club where he had an opportunity to taste great wines from all over the world. Continuing as a wine hobbyist, while working to receive his degree in guitar performance, Scott had the good fortune of being able to study in some of the great wine regions in the world. He traveled through Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhone Valley and Tuscany, as well as parts of Germany and Spain, but one day realized the French make the greatest wines in the world. Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne and Chateauneuf-du-Pape (not to mention the Northern Rhone and Loire Valley)—what else could you want? While still teaching and performing guitar, heading up our Bordeaux department and becoming one of our French Wine Specialists, he still prides himself on finding great values in wines of all price ranges from all parts of the world.

Therese Peters, Wine Sales

A Los Angeles native and a U.S.C. Graduate, Therese spent many years in the financial arena before deciding to retire from Morgan Stanley to pursue an encore career in the wine business. Throughout the years Therese developed a passion for wine, travel and fine dining which have all been easy to incorporate at The Wine House. She began studying wine at U.C.L.A. and now also holds the WSET Advanced Certification and the FWS French Wine Scholar Certification. She has traveled to all the major wine regions in California and France. During a recent safari trip to Africa she was able to learn about many wonderful South African wines as well. Therese is glad to share her knowledge and help you in selecting some of the most intriguing and satisfying wines you will ever taste!!

Monica Marin, Wine Sales

Monica was born and raised in Madrid, Spain. She attended the Complutense University of Madrid, where she graduated with a B.A. in communications, advertising and public relations. She then moved to London where she held several executive positions at marketing and hospitality companies. Monica enrolled in the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) where she successfully completed all of the wine certification levels and earned the WSET Diploma. She currently is a Master of Wine candidate. Throughout her career, Monica has visited the best wine regions of Italy and Spain, falling in love with the culture, wine and gastronomy in Piedmont, Tuscany, Rioja and Ribera del Duero. She has also traveled extensively in Germany, Austria, France, California, Chile and Argentina. Monica is a certified instructor for the WSET at the intermediate, advanced and Diploma levels in California, Mexico, Colombia and Chile. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and has a good knowledge of Italian and French.

Mike Greene, Wine Sales

After a 30 year career in the music business holding senior executive positions at CBS/Sony, Chrysalis, EMI, MCA, and Universal Mike was ready for a new challenge. He prepared for his new career by obtaining the WSET diploma and accreditation from the Society of Wine Educators as a Certified Wine Specialist. He has extensively traveled the wine regions of the world, and has spent the last six years selling wine wholesale and working at a fine wine shop. He is most fluent in the wines of the old world but is most happy recommending any wine as long as it represents great value.

Adam Dromi, Wine Sales

Adam first discovered the Wine House as a customer while working for a major coffee company. His passion for wine sent him to Adelaide, Australia where he studied wine marketing and wine making. After university, he spent a few more years working for some great Australian wineries and traveling extensively in Australia and New Zealand. Upon his return to the U.S, Adam joined the Wine House team where his passion is, of course, all things (especially wine) Australia and New Zealand as well as the wines of Spain, Portugal, Israel and South Africa. When he is not working, Adam is planning his next trip, looking for new and interesting wines and always enjoying a good cup of coffee.

Don Knott, Beer Buyer

Don first began to drink beer (legally) in 1974 in El Paso, TX at La Cantina, a tavern frequented by local artists and bohemians. The choices were Miller Tavern Draft and Miller Tavern Draft Dark at $2.00 the large pitcher, or Guinness Extra Stout at a buck a bottle. The bottles were of uncertain age and provenance. In 1976 he successfully completed coursework at the Missouri Auction School in Kansas City, earning the honorary title of "Colonel" with all the rights and privileges thereunto pertaining. Shortly thereafter he tasted his first bottle of home brewed beer. In 1995 he graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Music, with emphasis on Theory and Composition. This naturally led to the brewing of his first batch of beer. He soon departed El Paso for LA where he quickly became affiliated with the Maltose Falcons, America’s oldest organized home brewing society. 2004 marked the end of his romance with the San Fernando Valley, leaving for the cooler climate of West Los Angeles where he became a member of Pacific Gravity, the West side’s oldest home brewing club. He joined the Wine House staff in June of 2007 and rose to the position of Beer Buyer in 2008. Don welcomes all aficionados of Artisanal and Craft Brewed beers from around the world to the Wine House.

James Blake, Wine Sales

James is a native Southern Californian who grew up in a family of wine lovers and collectors, so it was natural that he would land in the wine industry. After owning a sports memorabilia company and working in various business management positions since graduating from Pepperdine University, he realized that it was time to turn his passion for wine into a career. James first came to the Wine House as a customer and then successfully completed the WSET Advanced Certification course. He loves talking about and tasting wines from all over the world, but has a particular interest in wines from his home state of California.

Daniel Guajardo, Wine Sales

Daniel, a Los Angeles native, first caught the wine bug back in 1997, while working as a bartender for a Manhattan Beach restaurant that featured a By-The-Glass list of over 50 selections. With so much to choose from and sample, who wouldn't get hooked? Dan was shortly named the bar manager, where he oversaw the creation of the liquor program, as well as the ongoing maintenance of the wine and beer list. Dan's next stop was with a national retail fine-wine chain, where he served as the National Director of Wine, before settling in as the Northwest regional Director, based just outside of the Livermore Valley AVA in the East Bay. Homesickness eventually brought Dan back to L. A., where he is thrilled to be a member of the Winehouse team.