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Kellie Rowland has been shaking up and serving drinks for nearly nine years, over four of them at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids. She can be found at Mixology Bar and Lounge inside the JW Marriott, creating signature cocktails with a smile. Rowland recently won the 2012 Wave award for Nightlife at the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival in November.

Ribera del Duero is no place for the timid. The climate is extreme. The conditions difficult. The growing season short. But in the hands of Spain’s most passionate winemakers, the fruit of these vines becomes full-bodied red wines bold enough to claim the name Ribera del Duero.

Did you know that May is national barbecue month? In case you weren't aware, Southern California's Beachwood BBQ has it covered. 

The Society of Wine Educators (SWE) will present an impressive lineup of in-depth classes for wine devotees at its 37th annual conference, to be held July 31 through August 2, 2013 at the Renaissance Hotel at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida.

Under the direction of General Manager Dusty Frierson, the wine programs at Purple Parrot Cafe and Crescent City Grill in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, have received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since 2005. When asked to recommend some Chardonnay for spring, these two names were at the tip of his tongue:

Wine auctions afford a glance beyond the glossy ads and fancy labels to dig into what makes great wine. You can comparatively taste while watching major players battle over the barrels.

Forget harvest for Napa Valley excitement. To uncover who and what makes the place tick, consider the trade event called Première Napa.

During the four-day event in February, you can sample the finest Napa Valley wines and buy unique wine to resell later.

Even for someone who loves authenticity in food, Italian-born New York restaurateur Tony May is the first to tell you that what’s traditional is a changing target.

Sommeliers show off their hand-picked, iPad-based wine lists. Servers jockey to increase the beverage tab. Who cares what the diner really wants to drink?

Recently I met two pros who leave their superior attitude behind the bar and approach food and beverage pairing from the guest’s viewpoint. They instinctively know that “guest” is the Latin root word for hospitality.

Recruiting your restaurant’s best and brightest staff as beverage apprentices can be a win-win situation for everyone. Restaurant owners can preempt hiring problems and build morale by underwriting the training of the next generation. Overloaded beverage managers can boost their productivity by taking the time to share their knowledge.

High in the Vaca Range along the eastern border of Napa County sits one of the most remarkable vineyards in all of California. And yet, as unique and special as this place is, the odds are you’ve never heard of it or the AVA it calls home.

Carrie Allen, Bartender, Urban Farmer, Portland, Oregon