Tips From a Sommelier

Andrew Stover, a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, moved to Washington, DC to attend The George Washington University with a focus in Marketing/Tourism & Hospitality Management. Stover also holds a Sommelier Diploma from the International Sommelier Guild and a Certified Specialist of Wine Certification from the Society of Wine Educators.

Stover began his foray into wine by visiting local Virginia vineyards. Over the last 8 years, his love of wine has become an obsession and he has combined his love for travel and food by visiting wine regions in Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, France, Canada and all over the US.

Stover worked 2 years in the tasting room at Breaux Vineyards in Hillsboro, Virginia conducting wine tastings and tours in 2000-2002. He has consulted with Pintail Yachts in Annapolis on wine dinner cruises and conducts staff wine trainings with La Tasca Spanish Tapas Restaurant. In March of 2006, Stover was hired on as Wine Director and Sommelier for OYA Restaurant & Lounge, where he has revamped the entire wine program making it more food friendly and consumer driven.

Stover has served 4 years on the Board of Directors for the Washington Area Concierge Association and 3 years as Chair of their annual Charity Gala: Bubbles on the Potomac, which is a sparkling wine tasting event aboard the Odyssey.

Stover is also an accomplished writer and has published wine articles for Where Magazine, the Howard County Business Monthly and the Complete Event and Meeting Planner, a guide for local event and meeting planners, with tips on wine and food pairings for events. He also publishes a wine blog, www.chiefwino.com.

Most recently, Stover has been hired to teach a food and wine pairing seminar at The George Washington University as part of the Event Management Certificate Program in the GW School of Business.