Owners Dave Stearns and Simon Roberts have taken their philosophy of providing the best wines in the world to an exclusive client base. Relationships are the backbone of our business and building and keeping them is just one of the many attributes of our people.
Simon Roberts has been a successful wine consultant offering exceptional service to his clients for 18 years. An Englishman living abroad, Simon has followed his passion for people and wine and consults daily with the clients countrywide. Graileys provided the perfect fit for his vision and innovative ideas and has provided a location that suits all aspects of his business. As one of the best wine brokers in the business, Simon will do everything possible to keep your cellar in perfect balance.
Simon can be contacted by email at simon@graileys.com.
Dave Stearns has always had a strong desire to be in the wine business. After running several successful companies, he brings a strategic approach to Graileys on both the sales and operational sides. Having spent the last several years acquiring wines for his own cellar, Dave and Simon have spent countless hours tasting and examining wines from all over the world. It was a natural progression to combine their talents and vision to recreate Graileys.
Dave can be contacted via email at dave@graileys.com.
AJ McClellan is a Certified Sommelier, passing the level two exam from the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2009 and now holds the title of professional Sommelier. With a rich history in wines AJ has been a professional wine broker for over six years and comes from an extensive background in restaurants. AJ was the Sommelier at the Mansion on Turtle Creek for two and a half years, helping to run one of the most wide-ranging wine programs in Dallas. Before that he was the wine director for the Italian restaurant Nove Italiano, giving him extensive knowledge of Italian terroir and the wines it produces. AJ is one of the upcoming stars in the wine world and Graileys is happy to have him as part of our team.
AJ can be contacted via email at aj@graileys.com.
L.A. Perkel comes to Graileys with a passion for wine and client service that mirrors her impressive credentials and experience in the wine industry. L.A. is one of the few “4th level” sommeliers in Dallas, having most recently earned her Diploma in Wines and Spirits, with merit, in 2010 from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). L.A. also earned an Advanced Certificate from WSET in 2004 and a Sommelier’s Certificate from the Sommelier Society of America in 2002. Prior to joining Graileys, L.A. was a Fine Wine Specialist for Republic National, the second largest distributor of premium wine and spirits in the United States. Previously, as wine director and sommelier for Bailey’s Prime Plus restaurant, L.A.’s wine program was rated #3 of the Top 20 Dallas steakhouses for service by D Magazine (98 out of 100 points). Prior to that L.A. was the wine director and sommelier for Michael’s Restaurant in midtown Manhattan, where she managed all aspects of the restaurant’s Wine Spectator award-winning (Best of Award of Excellence) wine program. We find L.A.’s love for all things wine infectious, and we know you will too.
LA can be contacted at LA@graileys.com.
Greg Laman has almost 10 years of expertise in the wine business and has been an important part of our team since 2009. Greg’s passion for wine started in the wine bar at Gleneagles Country Club, where for three years he ran their wine program and helped to build their excellent selection of California and French wines. From there he ventured into the wholesale side working in the acquisitions department for a large distributor in Dallas. All the while increasing his knowledge and continuing his studies. In 2012 he passed his level one Sommelier Certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers and is excited to further his Journey in wine. Greg is now an experienced wine broker with a wealth of knowledge form his work on both the wholesale and retail side of wine. In the 2014 Greg relocated to from Dallas to San Francisco to help oversee Graileys California based facility. Greg is a very easy going guy that loves to talk wine and on the weekends you can find Greg on the golf course or at the pub watching the English Premier League.
Greg can be contacted at greg@graileys.com.
Ryan Tedder comes to Graileys from the restaurant and hospitality world of wine. He was the sommelier at Dallas’ Stephan Pyles, Fort Worth’s Grace Restaurant, and most recently DFW’s Best Restaurant 2012 FT-33. During this journey he has been exposed to the highest level of dining and pairing possibilities having executed more than 50 wine dinners and 120 tasting menus. Tedder has earned praise from Wine Spectator receiving the “Best of Award of Excellence” in 2011-2012 – only one of nineteen awarded in Texas. Most recently, he received TexSom’s “Texas’ Best Sommelier 2012” award. Ryan is a Certified Specialist of Wine and a Advanced Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. He hopes to bring a personal, consultative touch to Graileys and pursue his Master Sommelier designation with wine lovers new and old.
Ryan can be contacted at ryan@graileys.com.
GaYoung Kim is the latest addition to the Graileys team. Her love for wine began in Germany as she traveled through the vineyards of Germany, Austria, parts of Switzerland, and into France’s wine regions of Alsace, Burgundy, Champagne, and the Loire Valley. Here she achieved her first Sommelier Certificate through the German Wine School in 2006. In 2009, she undertook and passed three professional wine credentials: Level 2 Certified Sommelier through the Court of Masters Sommelier, Level 3 Diploma level Sommelier through the International Sommelier Guild, and became a Certified Specialist of Wine through the Society of Wine Educators Trust. She is currently in pursuit of the Advanced Sommelier certificate; with her ultimate goal to achieve Master Sommelier. Graduate of Johnson and Wales University for Hospitality Management, Kim comes from both restaurant and wine retail experience in the hospitality industry. She has worked for nationally recognized restaurants from Providence, Rhode Island and Charlotte, NC to her latest position at FT33 here in Dallas, TX. Her passion for wine and service are one in the same: always growing to offer her upmost hospitality and wine knowledge to match every guest.
Kim can be contacted at kim@graileys.com.