Jane Lopes

Jane Lopes was born in Napa, California: wine was in her blood from day one. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in Renaissance literature and a love for food, wine, and spirits. While taking a year off after college to apply to grad school, Jane found a job in wine retail. Within a few months, she abandoned her dreams of academia and decided to pursue a career in beverage. Soon she began to pick up shifts at nationally acclaimed cocktail bar The Violet Hour, and in August of 2011, Jane moved to Nashville to be the opening beverage director at The Catbird Seat. Her unique style of beverage pairings and approach to her program were featured in the New York Times, Imbibe, and Wine Enthusiast. After moving to New York in 2013, Jane began working as a sommelier at Eleven Madison Park, where she was part of the team that got the restaurant to number one on the San Pellegrino World's 50 Best List. In 2017, Jane was recruited to run the beverage program at Attica, widely considered Australia's best restaurant. In September of 2018, Jane passed the prestigious Master Sommelier exam, becoming the only woman in Australia to do so, and one of only 34 women in the world (and 274 people total since the 1960s). Jane has finally put her literature degree to use in publishing her first book, Vignette: Stories of Life & Wine in 100 Bottles. In 2020, Jane returned to the United States to start her own wine imports company with her husband, Jonathan Ross.