5 Powerful Women in Wine Presenting at the 2011 Food & Wine Classic

Belinda Chang

Chicago native Belinda Chang has quite a reputation in the world of wine. She has ruled the wine cellars of Chicago and San Francisco's top restaurants. She is leading the charge for women in the wine industry with honors like 2005 and 2007 Wine Spectator Restaurant Award of Excellence,  "Best New Wine List" in 2007 from Food & Wine Magazine, and more recently, the 2011 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Wine Service.

Chang is one of an increasing number of women sommeliers behind the wine lists at America’s top restaurants. She joined restaurateur Danny Meyer in 2007 as the Wine Director of The Modern in New York's Museum of Modern Art and has since made big changes to the restaurant's wine list. Chang looks to share her vino expertise with two wine seminars at the 2011 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado: Bling vs. Bargain: Guess the Wine Price and Classic and Modern Bordeaux.

Marnie Old

Sommelier and author Marnie Old is one of the country’s leading wine personalities and there is not much she hasn't touched in the world of wine.

She hosts Philly.com’s weekly wine webisode series, writes a humorous wine column for the Philadelphia Daily News, teaches for New York's Astor Center and is the founding education chairperson for the American Sommelier Association. What a gal!

Much like her fellow wine women, Marnie has contributed to and reinvented wine programs, achieved through her independent consulting venture, Old Wines LLC. She has been twice honored for her innovative wine lists as among the country’s “Ten Best New Wine Lists". Marnie will partake in Spanish Grapes: Hot Red & Cool White and Sommelier Secrets, two exciting wine seminars at this year's Food & Wine Classic.

Lynn Penner-Ash

Lynn Penner-Ash's love of winemaking was born young, in her senior year at the University of California Davis. After UC Davis, Lynn worked at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars for four years. She joined the Oregon wine industry in 1988 as winemaker for Rex Hill Winery. Consistently producing award-winning wines, she became Rex Hill’s President and Chief Operating Officer in 1993.

In 1998, Lynn started Penner-Ash Wine Cellars. The business' early success established Penner-Ash wines as among the finest in Oregon. With a nearly unmatched winemaking expertise Penner-Ash has achieved impressive growth. She will join other restaurant experts for a cooking demo titled Lexus Presents "It's Willamette, Dammit!" at the 29th Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, CO.

Andrea Robinson

As one of only 17 women in the world to hold the title of Master Sommelier and the first woman to be awarded Best Sommelier in America, Andrea Robinson is shining the spotlight on women in wine.

But that's just the beginning. She is a 3-time James Beard Foundation Award winner, 2005 Wine Literary Award winner, 2005 International Association of Culinary Professionals cookbook award winner, consultant to Brinker International restaurants, Hyatt Hotels, Hilton and Olive Garden on their beverage and training programs, and regular speaker for the National Restaurant Association.

With 5 top-selling books on wine and a DVD wine course series to her name, it's easy to see why she is a inspiration to wine women everywhere. Andrea will lead wine seminars The Age of Argentina and  Wine Pairing Tricks of the Trade on June 17 and 18 at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.

Leslie Sbrocco

“Life . . . drink it up!” That is the motto of Leslie's ThirstyGirl.com, a multi-media company dedicated to all things wine.

The motto is fitting, as Leslie Sbrocco is known for her entertaining and enthusiastic approach to wine and food. Author of three wine guides and host of PBS shows Check Please! and The Winemakers. Leslie is also a well-renowned wine consultant, having created wine programs for companies like Kimpton Hotels and Virgin America Airlines.

She will be putting her talents to work as the host of  Wine Jeopardy and Australian All-Stars, just a few of several wine seminars at this year's Food & Wine Classic on June 17-19 in Aspen, Colorado.