New York, NY – June 27th, 2018 – The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of Paul Brady, Sommelier, to the staff as the first official “New York Wines Brand Ambassador” in Foundation history. Brady will be responsible for leading and growing the NY Drinks NY program, coordinated by the Foundation and funded in part by a grant from the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority (GVRMA.)
Paul Brady was most recently a sommelier at Tom Colicchio’s restaurant, Temple Court, located in Manhattan and began his career in hospitality by working at Brooklyn Winery. He then moved on to become a server and later manager for Paul Grieco at Terroir Wine Bar and Hearth Restaurant. Brady also worked with Juliette Pope, as a server at Gramercy Tavern, and opened Rouge Tomate Chelsea as a sommelier working under Pascaline Lepeltier, M.S. Growing up in Michigan and Ontario gave him a taste and appreciation for the wines of those regions, and he has been an advocate for, and prolific columnist on, the best wines produced in northeastern North America in New York City since moving here in 2008.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Paul join our team,” said Sam Filler, Executive Director. “The unique combination of his wine knowledge and expertise coupled with a longstanding passion for the entire breadth and depth of New York wines is truly unmatched.” Filler continues, “I consider the NY Drinks NY program to be the flagship initiative of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. We have connected with over 2,800 members of the trade and media over the past 7 years through NY Drinks NY. We realize how valuable these relationships are to both our program participants and to the Foundation. Paul will be responsible for keeping our trade and media partners informed, engaged and excited about the NY Drinks NY program throughout the year. He will be the face of New York wines in the New York City market and, in the future, in key cities in the Eastern United States, and abroad.”
As a longtime supporter of New York wine, Paul Brady called the new position as Brand Ambassador a “dream job,” stating “I’ve always thought my ideal job would be one that allowed me to spend time working in both New York City and the viticulture regions throughout the state. To do that, I imagined having to beg a winery to create a position for me. When the opportunity with the New York Wine & Grape Foundation and the NY Drinks NY initiative came up, I jumped at the chance. I’m looking forward to growing and promoting a regional wine drinking culture in the northeast and am excited about what the future holds for New York wines both here and abroad.”
About the NY Drinks NY Program
Now in its 8th year, NY Drinks NY celebrates the exciting world of New York wines in the New York City restaurant and retail markets. NY Drinks NY kicks off with a campaign of educational events and classes and continues throughout the year with a multi-channel marketing initiative. NY Drinks NY culminates in a Grand Tasting event in New York City in March 2019. The Grand Tasting features over 40 wineries from Long Island, Niagara Escarpment, the Hudson River Region, the Finger Lakes and Brooklyn. The event draws nearly 300 trade and media and 250 consumer attendees. Learn more at http://www.nydrinksny.com
About the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF)
The New York Wine & Grape Foundation promotes the world-class image of New York grapes and wines from the state’s diverse regions to responsibly benefit farmers, producers and consumers through innovative marketing, research, communication, and advocacy. Learn more at www.newyorkwines.org
