Besides a love of food, and therefore agriculture, Martha Stoumen was drawn to wine for two reasons: she relishes a tradition in which the master-apprentice relationship is still very much alive and well, and because wine is a product that sets the pace and rhythm of the winemaker’s life, rather than vice-versa. Grape growing and winemaking aligns a vigneronne’s actions with the seasons; she can neither rush the process nor slow it down. After her initial exposure to grape farming and winemaking in Tuscany, Martha began a series of apprenticeships, sandwiched around a Master's at UC Davis. Martha has had the pleasure of apprenticing under Reinhard Löwenstein (Heymann-Löwenstein, Mosel), Jordan Fiorentini (Chalk Hill, California) Chris Brockway (Broc Cellars, California), Clive Dougall (Seresin, Marlborough), Didier Barral (Léon Barral, Faugères, France), and Giusto Occhipinti (COS, Sicily). Many of these teachers have remained a part of her life since moving toward her own vision of making responsibly farmed, terroir-driven wines in the land that she holds so dear in her heart, California.

Julia Sherman is the creator of Salad for President, and @saladforpresident, an evolving publishing project that draws a meaningful connection between food, art and everyday obsessions. This online platform serves as a springboard for events, collaborations and public programming at the intersection of food and art (including salad gardens at MoMA PS1 and the Los Angeles Getty Museum). In addition to writing, photography and recipe development, Sherman is the creator of Jus Jus, a low-alcohol, all-natural sparkling verjus wine. Sherman’s writing has been featured in Vogue, The New York Times, T Mag, and Bon Appétit, amongst others, and she has exhibited her artwork at such institutions as The Jewish Museum in New York, and The Museum of Modern Art. She recently remodeled her mid-century home in Pasadena, an architectural landmark where she lives with her husband Adam, her 2-year-old Red, and her latest addition, baby.