Pete Bothwell first developed a taste for wine over Sunday dinners at Grandma’s house.  In college, Pete waited tables at a local Italian restaurant where he nurtured a palate for his first loves: Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Burgundy and Champagne. When Pete graduated from college with a degree in Marketing and Communications, he spent five years tackling the world of New York City advertising, but it only took a two-week trek through Rioja for Pete to ditch the cubicle and jump into the vineyards.

Pete first picked up night and weekend shifts at Italian Wine Merchants in Manhattan’s Union Square. Next, he joined Balthazar restaurant as an Assistant Cellar Master working alongside Wine Director Rebecca Banks. Then in March 2010, Pete was hired full-time as the Assistant Sommelier for the 1,000 bottle count wine program at the Mandarin Oriental, New York hotel under the tutelage of Wine Director Annie Turso. Pete was quickly promoted to Sommelier & Beverage Manager and became an integral member of the Mandarin’s wine and beverage program. During his four and a half year tenure, Pete was a staple on the floor at the Mandarin’s signature restaurant, Asiate, and assisted in shaping the extensive wine list. Following the Mandarin Oriental, Pete joined renowned American Chef Charlie Palmer in the opening of Charlie Palmer Steak New York as the Wine Director. There, Pete put together their global selection wine list from bottle one to 500. Pete’s unique take on the traditional steakhouse wine list earned Charlie Palmer Steak the Wine Spectator “Best of” Award of Excellence.

A desire to work directly with winemakers led Pete to hit the streets of NYC as the On-Premise Manager for VINTUS Wines, a National Fine Wine Importer, and to his current (dream) role as Eastern Region Sales Manager for Continuum Estate, Tim Mondavi’s property on Pritchard Hill in Napa Valley.