Marnie Old is one of the country’s top sommeliers and wine authors, and a breath of fresh air in the stuffy wine world. She teaches for New York’s Astor Center and hosts the webisode series Uncorked at Philly.com. Marnie has designed many of Philadelphia’s finest wine and cocktail programs, such as those at Parc and Continental Midtown.

Her first book, He Said Beer, She Said Wine, is an entertaining debate on food pairing with co-author Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. Formerly the director of wine studies for Manhattan’s renowned French Culinary Institute, Marnie also served as the founding education chair for the American Sommelier Association.