Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center Faculty

Bill Nesto, MW

Bill Nesto holds the prestigious Master of Wine certification awarded by the London-based Institute of Masters of Wine. He is a Master Lecturer at Boston University’s Metropolitan College. Bill and his wife, Frances Di Savino, authored The World of Sicilian Wine (University of California Press) which won the prestigious 2013 André Simon Book Award, and more recently Chianti Classico: The Search for Tuscany’s Noblest Wine (University of California Press, September 2016) which the Jury of the International Organization of Vine and Wine recognized with its Special Mention Award for a Monograph in 2017. He is a frequent guest lecturer and judge at international wine competitions. Bill’s prior experience in the wine world includes serving as an award-winning sommelier at the Ritz-Carlton in Boston, wine director of a food and wine festival, managing director of a wine-tour company, and wine journalist for several publications—including Massachusetts Beverage Business and Gastronomica.

Beth Ann Dahan, CSW

A Certified Specialist in Wine (CSW), Beth Ann Dahan has earned diplomas from the Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center and Le Cordon Bleu in London, as well as an MBA from Northeastern University. She previously owned a Boston-area café and catering business, and is now the director of Vela Wines, a company that produces and imports wines from the Central Otago region of New Zealand, where she owns a vineyard with her husband and business partner.

Jacquelyn Groeper, CSW

Jacquelyn Groeper, an alumna of Boston University, is the co-owner and winemaker of Artis Winery in Pembroke, Massachusetts. After completing the Boston University Wine Studies Program, she attained accreditation as a Certified Specialist in Wine (CSW) from the Society of Wine Educators. Jacquelyn furthered her education in enology at the University of California Davis, graduated from the Washington State University Enology Certificate Program, and is currently enrolled in Washington State’s Viticultural Program. Her travels allow her to explore various wine regions and expand her understanding of different grape varieties, terroirs, and winemaking techniques.

Ara Sarkissian, CWE

Ara Sarkissian is a Certified Wine Educator, holds the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits, and has earned the Boston University Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center’s Level-4 Diploma with Distinction. He currently works for Dion’s Wine focusing on consumer education and serves on the board of the Boston Sommelier Society. Ara also holds a graduate degree in music composition and continues to pursue his interests in music in parallel with his interest in the field of wine studies.