Simi’s career with food & wine traces back to her freshman year at NYU when she fully began to realize how much joy she took in cooking. Since then Simi has been immersed in positions from New York City, London, and San Francisco that allowed her to gain a holistic understanding of the hospitality and restaurant industries with a specialization in wine and beverage. Simi holds a Certified Sommelier credential from The Court of Master Sommeliers, as well as a Certified Wine Professional (CWP) and Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) through the Culinary Institute of America and Society of Wine Educators, respectively.

Simi is now the main broad running DECANT SF, and filling your shopping bags with all the Barolo and Brunello you can handle. When she's not immersed in the wine world, she also loves watching European football and hanging with golden retrievers. (she/her)

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An avid traveler and foodie, Karen Smith didn't start drinking truly great wine until she moved to San Francisco in 2016. An Illinois native and former corporate legal professional, Karen's wine career began in 2022, when she needed something to do and landed a role as a bartender at a boutique wine bar in Hayes Valley. Wishing to build upon her wine bar experience, Karen joined DECANTsf in early 2023, where she helps with administrative shop tasks, bartends, and fills her shopping cart with one of everything. Karen is excited to soon begin her WSET certification journey and continue expanding her wine expertise! You'll find her at DECANTsf, where she makes sure you always get your wine shipments and club orders! (she/her)
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Riley Shea is a young wine professional that has experiences spanning much of the industry and world. They have worked many harvests focused in winemaking and in vineyard management at renowned wineries in Chile, New Zealand and Northern California. She has also followed her passion and drive to self-educate, leading to her WSET Level 3 completion with merit. They also have a strong track record in retail and food and wine service with an affinity for coffee and food as well as wine. They aspire to have a future in wine as diverse as their background, as well as to develop herself in academia as a researcher and advocate for Trans Community health. Riley is at DECANTsf, and don't be shy to ask her for wine recommendations— she knows so much and has great taste! (they/she)

A proud Puerto Rican sommelier who transitioned from a career in IT to pursue his passion for food & wine. After studying at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy—where he immersed himself in global culinary and wine traditions from the Slow Food philosophy—he moved to California, completed WSET Level 3 through Wine Unify, and gained experience at Scribe Winery, Under-Study, and now DECANT Napa. With a background in hospitality, leadership, and data-driven problem-solving, Elí is dedicated to creating meaningful connections through food and wine and believes that every product tells a story about culture, craft, and our relationship with the environment. (he/him)
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