Sat, March 21, 2026
Begin: 3:00pm
End: 4:30pm
The Reynolds Ballroom
Brian Ball
Age 21 and Over Only!
$85.00/ea. Get Tickets »
Sponsored By: The Oconee Cellar
The Oconee Cellar will guide guests through the flavors and nuance behind an astounding collection of highly rated wines. With nearly 30 years of service providing fine wines and spirits, Matt Garofalo and The Oconee Cellar's team has a earned significant degree of knowledge which their clientele have learned to trust.
The Private Wine Tasting will feature select wines from Skipstone Wines and Sphaerics Winery.
Fri.
The Bourbon & Bites Dinner
A five-course dinner featuring five distinct expressions of bourbon.
Wine Presenter
Skipstone Wines & Sphaerics WInery
Geyserville, CA & Napa, CA
Winemaker, Skipstone Wines and Sphaerics Winery
As winemaker at Skipstone, Laura oversees farming and production at the estate vineyard and winery. Laura is guided by her winemaking philosophy that great wines are made using detailed viticulture practices and precise winemaking techniques to extract and express the essence of the vineyard’s site.
Prior to joining Skipstone she spent over a decade honing her craft at prestigious estates in California, New Zealand, and France, including positions at Aubert Wines, Cliff Lede Vineyards, and Domaine Armand Rousseau. She received a BS in biology from Pepperdine University and went on to earn a master’s degree in viticulture and enology from University of California Davis. For years Laura has followed the evolution of Skipstone and is honored to play a leading role in shaping its future.
Wine Presenter
Skipstone Wine and Sphaerics Winery
Geyserville, CA & Napa, CA
General Manager: Skipstone Wines
Owner: Sphaerics Winery
Brian’s passion for wine began during college, working in fine dining restaurants. After a brief stint on Wall Street, Brian pursued his dream of working in the wine industry. He is thrilled to be working at Skipstone after first falling in love with the wines years ago.
Brian’s experience in the wine industry began in 2010, and for two years he travelled the world working with winemakers in Napa, Sonoma, Australia, and New Zealand to learn the craft of winemaking. To further his education, Brian studied at UC Davis, where he earned a second degree in Viticulture and Enology and attended the Wine Executive Program. After UC Davis, Brian ran the wine program at Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley, where he first discovered Skipstone and was struck by the extraordinary character of the wines, vineyard, and brand.