Meet Gary Russell

Two men in tuxedos standing in a bar, smiling at the camera, holding a bottle of Krug champagne.

Olivier Krug

A Certified Sommelier, world traveler, and dedicated wine storyteller.

I grew up on Florida’s Space Coast in Merritt Island — where rockets lit the sky and reminded me that some things are simply destined to soar. Mine did the moment I stepped into Chef Kevin Fonzo’s K Restaurant in College Park and discovered the world of wine.

That first spark quickly became a calling. Within just four years of passing the Introductory Sommelier Exam, I began leading the wine program at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes.

For more than a decade since, I’ve directed Wine Spectator Award-winning wine programs for some of the world’s most celebrated luxury hotels and restaurants — from Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Puerto Rico, to Annabelle here in the heart of Washington, D.C. Along the way, my work has taken me deep into iconic wine regions across Europe and North America, where I’ve tasted alongside legendary winemakers, studied at the source, and built lasting connections with extraordinary people and places.

Welcome to Wine School is the culmination of that journey — a place where my passion for wine meets my love of connecting with people. Through private tastings, corporate events, and custom experiences, I bring the richness of the wine world directly to you.

Every event is designed to be immersive, engaging, and approachable — blending education with enjoyment so you can explore, discover, and, most of all, have fun.

My mission is simple: make wine feel exciting, not intimidating — and help you taste what’s possible.

Two people smiling at an outdoor event, one man with a beard, wearing sunglasses, a black cap, and a bright green T-shirt featuring a graphic, holding a wine bottle, and a woman with shoulder-length brunette hair, wearing a dark shirt and an event badge.
Two smiling men wearing name tags, standing outside on a sunny day with apartment buildings in the background.

David Adelsheim

Two men standing outdoors at a golf course, smiling, with a cloudy sky in the background, dressed in casual and semi-formal attire, with green grass and trees behind them.
Two men standing close together smiling in front of colorful pop art portraits on a brick wall. The man on the left has dark hair, wearing a light blue button-up shirt. The man on the right has light brown hair, wearing a dark blazer, blue striped shirt, and a yellow bow tie, holding a bottle of wine.

Véronique Drouhin

A woman and a man pose together, smiling. The man holds a bottle of wine, and they are in front of a wine rack in a restaurant.

Merry Edwards

Paul Hobbs

Ted Lemon, Founder of Littorai
Three people standing inside a restaurant, dressed in semi-formal attire, smiling at the camera. The person on the left holds a bottle of wine, the person in the middle wears a light-colored hat, and the person on the right has an arm around the person in the middle.
Two men smiling and posing together indoors, one holding a wine bottle, near wine bottles on a table and shelves, with a large window in the background.

Chris Carpenter

Sebastian Roux

Ted Lemon

Anthony Hamilton & Olive Russell

Three men smiling and posing together with their arms around each other at an event, standing in front of stacked boxes of Alberti 154 wine and a bouquet of yellow and pink flowers on a table.
Two men standing together in front of a wine display case, one holding a bottle of wine and smiling.

Dave Phinney

Rod Berglund & Matthew Deller

Two men smiling, one holding a wine bottle, standing indoors in front of a pink fabric backdrop.


Kashy Khaledi

Two smiling people, a woman and a man, standing outdoors on a sunny day, embracing each other. The woman has long dark hair and is wearing a sleeveless lace dress. The man has short hair, a beard, and is wearing a light-colored shirt with a black vest. Both are wearing conference badges around their necks. In the background, there are green trees, shrubs, grassy areas, and distant hills under a blue sky.

Theresa Heredia

Two men smiling and holding glasses of red wine in front of a display of liquor bottles at a bar or tasting room.
Two men smiling and posing arm-in-arm on a wooden balcony with vineyard rows in the background under a clear blue sky.
Two men smiling and holding bottles of wine in a restaurant or cafe setting.

Brian Talley

Austin Hope

Two men smiling at a bar, one in a dark suit and the other in a white polo shirt, with shelves of glassware and liquor behind them.

Nils Venge

Two men standing in front of a winery entrance, smiling. One holds a wine bottle, and the other holds a water bottle. The entrance has a sign saying 'Old Vines Young Love.'

Robert Biale

Two smiling men taking a selfie indoors. The man on the left has long gray hair and a beard, wearing a black T-shirt with white text and a round logo. The man on the right has short gray hair, glasses, and a beard, dressed in a checked shirt, tie, and a dark jacket.

Gary Eberle

Two men in suits holding bottles of wine smiling for the camera indoors, with wooden paneling and audio equipment in the background.

Marquis Sauvage

Two men smiling indoors, one in a dark suit with a light-colored tie holding a bottle of wine, the other in a black shirt and jeans. They are in a restaurant or bar with warm lighting and wooden decor.

Eduardo Muga

Two men smiling, one holding a wine bottle, standing indoors with a window revealing greenery outside.

John Bookwalter

Kevin Sass