Founder, Creator, & Educator

Specialty: Social media management for small wineries, wine education, & events

For more than two decades, Erin has been an important voice in the Oregon wine scene. She started a small wine shop called The Portland Wine Cellar in the back of a mall in Cedar Mill that eventually grew into a large and successful retail wine shop and wine bar. In 2005, she opened a second location on the Portland East Side, Vino Vixens. Vixens was a vibrant wine shop and bar that hosted live music several nights a week. She sold Vixens in 2008. In 2023, she sold The Wine Cellar, allowing her to focus on the next phase of her career.

She has been teaching wine classes privately and through Portland Community College since 2002. She has taught more than 2,000 classes with over 30,000 student registrations. Additionally, she has poured at more than 1,000 wine tastings and events.

She also loves connecting with end consumers with high-energy social media engagement. She has built social pages from the ground up for wineries and wine festivals.

Her knowledge of the history of the PNW wine scene, including an understanding of the varieties we work with, the traditions that influence our regional choices, and the growing conditions that impact flavors, makes her classes engaging and enjoyable. Combined with her deep appreciation and adoration of the Oregon & Washington wine industries, she is a great advocate for local wines.

Additionally, she serves on the Mentorship Committee of the organization Women in Wine Oregon. Advocating for the personal and professional success of women in the wine industry is a core mission of Erin’s.

Wine Educator

Specialty: Oregon wines, fermentation science, and sustainability in wine

Meet our fermentation scientist and sustainability champion, Andy! Andy holds a degree in Fermentation Science from Oregon State University and has a deep passion for all things fermented, including wine, beer, cider, and sake. With nearly 20 years of experience in wine production, Andy felt a calling to transition from the cellar to the classroom, both as a student and an instructor. In 2024 Andy received his WSET Diploma, the highest level of wine education offered by the Wine & Spirits Education Trust.

In 2021, he teamed up with Erin Palmer to further develop his skills as a wine educator. Since then, Andy has taught through Portland Community College and The Portland Wine Cellar, in addition to working with numerous private clients, including Nike and Intel. Guests consistently appreciate Andy's approachable and clear teaching style, finding his instruction not only enjoyable but also exceptionally informative.

Andy has a strong commitment to promoting sustainability in the wine industry. He is dedicated to educating others on how small changes can lead to significant impacts. His dream is to see sustainable practices become the norm in the wine industry, and he is actively contributing to this vision, one class at a time!

We highly recommend Andy for groups who wish to dig into the nitty gritty of wine.

Wine Buyer

Specialty: Searching out hard to find wines and super deals

Rob has been an icon in the wine industry for more than three decades! Starting in the Castro District Rob was part of a cult wine shop that housed libraries of Ports and Champagnes. When he relocated to Portland in 2011 he joined Erin Palmer at The Portland Wine Cellar. There he not only built his own loyal client base, but he became an exceptional wine buyer.

Rob holds his WSET 2 and a lifetime of knowledge. With a passion for all things French coupled with decades in California, he has the most well-rounded love of chardonnay in all styles. And he’s by far the most skilled food and wine pairing expert we know.

Now he’s taking those decade of experience to work with PDX Wine Events. Rob mostly works behind the scenes, but you’ll spy him regularly at wine festivals, auctions, and tastings.

Of course, if you can’t find him locally, he’s likely wandering the streets of Paris… his home away from home.