The “Magic of Wine" is many things–farming, art & science, poetry, toasts, tastes, friendship, and much else—but first and foremost, it’s the people behind all those things and the passion they bring. “The product is a pleasure, but the people are the treasure.”

We at WineAmerica are proud that the 2024 Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards nominees include three people or wineries on our Board of Directors.

Jason Haas, nominated for Person of the Year, is a Partner and General Manager at Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, CA. He is well-known and widely respected for combatting inequity and implementing sustainability both in and beyond the vineyard. WineAmerica’s annual fall meeting in November will be held in Paso Robles and will include a special tour of the vineyard as an example of regenerative viticulture. Jason has been an active member of our Board for the past two years.

The Vineyards at Dodon in Davidsonville, MD, is co-owned by Dr. Tom Croghan,, the newest member of our Board, and his wife Polly Pittman. Their farm is famous for its commitment to sustainability: enhancing the environment, restoring ecosystems, regenerating soil, removing atmospheric carbon dioxide, and reducing chemical, plastic, and nutrient pollution. The operation includes a 17-acre vineyard and vertically integrated winery on a 555-acre farm on the western shore of the uplands of the Chesapeake Bay.

Early Mountain Winery in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains is also represented on our Board by General Manager Dave Kostelnik, another relatively new member. Winemaker and Viticulturist Maya Hood White, a 10-year veteran at Early Mountain, is one of the nominees for Winemaker of the Year due to her minimal intervention techniques and other innovative measures. Her single-varietal Chardonnay, Tannat, and Petit Manseng are particularly popular.

Congratulations to the nominees; fingers crossed, they’ll be the ultimate winners.

For more things that make wine special, visit The Magic of Wine section of our website.