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Sarah was born in Pennsylvania; she and her family moved to Lyndhurst when she was five and has lived in the Shenandoah Valley ever since. After completing her undergraduate degree in Health Service Administration at James Madison University, she worked at Augusta Health in Provider Recruitment and Credentialing. She developed a passion and connection to the area's wine and craft beer industry. After completing her MBA program, Sarah joined the Hazy Mountain team as the General Manager and has been working passionately to ensure that Hazy is operating at the highest possible level and continuing to grow to be better every day. When she’s not at Hazy Mountain, Sarah enjoys exploring new breweries, wineries and local hiking trails with her golden retriever, Dakota. Sarah’s favorite pairing is a glass (or two) of malbec with smoked gouda and bacon stuffed pork loin.
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Jason moved to Virginia from his home state of Louisiana in 2003 to study Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech.
While on break in 2008, a lifelong love of plants and the outdoors led him to seize an opportunity as vineyard manager at First Colony Winery. He took great interest in the vine to wine concept and furthered his knowledge with winemakers Benoit Pineau and Brad McCarthy. During his 14 year tenure, he learned nearly every winery role including, winemaker, director of operations and general manager.
Jason started with Hazy Mountain in the spring of 2022 as the Vineyard & Estate Manager of the Afton Campus. He is enjoying the challenge of the site and looks forward to many vintages on the mountain. He currently lives in Waynesboro with his wife, Martha, and a border collie mix named Cleo. He has a love of trains, Lego, and taking things apart, but not necessarily putting them back together.
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Bryan Fernandez is Hazy Mountain’s Assistant Wine Maker. Bryan‘s journey with Hazy Mountain started in 2019. Since coming onboard, Bryan has been a versatile member of the team in every facet of production and operations. Over the years, Bryan has been involved in all stages of production; planting, vineyard maintenance, harvest, wine making and bottling. Bryan’s experience with both vineyards -- the Swoope vineyard, Little North Mountain Vineyard, in the Shenandoah Valley AVA and the Afton vineyard, Hazy Mountain’s Estate Vineyard in the Monticello AVA has given him perspective to the varying terroir between the AVAs. His passion and primary role with Hazy is in our winery, as the right-hand man to our winemaker, where he has the satisfying experience of seeing the harvest all the way through its final stages of production. Outside of work, Bryan enjoys spending time with family, the outdoors, trying new foods and cooking. Bryan’s favorite pairing is a nice steak or pork chop with a great bottle of Cabernet Franc.
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Gavin found his way to the wine industry the way many often do: by proving conclusively to himself and everyone around him that he was obviously not cut out for an office job. His first gig in the wine world was a summer internship during college at Sugarleaf Winery in North Garden, VA as a vineyard assistant. After a couple years in the non-profit world after undergrad, slowly losing his mind behind a desk, fond memories of workdays spent amongst the vines pulling leaves and hanging nets brought him back to the Charlottesville area. He was hired as the Assistant Winemaker (and later Winemaker) at Thatch winery in 2024 where he worked for 8 years honing his skills in the cellar. In 2022 he was hired as the Vineyard Manager at Michael Shaps Virginia Wineworks, shepherding their three estate vineyards and numerous client vineyards through 3 incredible harvests, before joining the team at Hazy Mountain in 2025.
When he's not fretting obsessively over the most recent run of the GFS forecast model or agonizing about whether a strategic 1.5% addition of Petit Verdot will finally pull a Bordeaux blend together, Gavin can likely be found cooking elaborate meals with his wife, hiking in the Blue Ridge mountains, or traveling far and wide in search of the perfect glass of Chenin Blanc.
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Scott enjoyed a twenty plus year career in Las Vegas’s ever changing hospitality scene. Starting as a Chef at Commander’s Palace, learning Creole cuisine and Southern hospitality from the Brennan family, before moving into food and beverage director roles that saw him successfully executing thousands of weddings, conventions, and events.
Before moving to Virginia to join the Hazy team, Scott spent about five years traveling the US in regional restaurant and casino management roles. Plus, a couple years of low country living in Charleston, South Carolina.
His favorite pairing is Kentucky bourbon with fried chicken, but since we are all here for the wine, he also loves pinot noir with Spanish goat cheese. While you can often catch Scott daydreaming about his next European wine country vacation his favorite thing to do is hang out at home having wine and cheese with his wife Jessica and kitten Tipsy.
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Ricky was born in New Jersey but spent most of his formative years growing up along the Southwest coast of Florida in Cape Coral. It is there he first had his taste of the food & beverage industry at the age of 15 & he has been doing it ever since. Rooted in Food & Beverage he further established his passion by managing a wine bar right outside of Disney’s Magic Kingdom while also working at the Four Seasons on Disney property. He held F&B Director roles while managing wine clubs in Northern Virginia before moving to Charlottesville in 2020 to lead The Clifton Inn as General Manager. Ricky continued to deepen his knowledge through courses by The Court of Master Sommeliers. He achieved his level 1 & continues to explore the grape & varietals of the region. Ricky was part of the opening team at The Forum Hotel most recently & through this experience has gained a deeper understanding of true hospitality at a luxury level.
Ricky was eager to bring his past expertise & knowledge to Hazy Mountain to showcase the magic found in these mountains. You can find Ricky traveling, hiking, riding his motorcycle, or finding an excuse to go to the beach in his spare time. He loves spending time outdoors equally as much as he enjoys true crime documentaries.
When he's not working in the tasting room, Ricky enjoys cooking for friends & family, buying too much wine, & binge-watching cheesy 80s & 90's action movies. According to Ricky, nothing pairs better than King Crab Legs & Chenin Blanc.
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A native of Southern California, Zach brings more than a decade of experience in the service industry to the Hazy Mountain team. While relatively new to the Virginia wine scene, his passion for craft food and beverages has shaped his approach to delivering exceptional service. Through his extensive travels and dining experiences at top restaurants and bars across the country, Zach has remained committed to staying informed about industry standards and the latest food trends. He’s excited to bring this wealth of knowledge and expertise to Hazy Mountain, where the commitment to quality mirrors his own.
Outside of work, Zach enjoys cooking for friends and family, hiking in the mountains, listening to live music, and exploring locally-owned wineries and restaurants. These passions for local culture and experiences deepen his appreciation for fine wine and elevate his understanding of the culinary world. As a wine enthusiast, Zach appreciates a wide range of wines but has developed a particular fondness for Hazy Mountain’s 2021 Dry Petit Manseng and 2021 Petit Verdot.
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Richard Smyth leads Hazy Mountain’s Wine Club and distribution partnerships, focusing on creating meaningful connections between the vineyard and the community it serves. A U.S. Air Force veteran with an MBA from the College of William & Mary, Richard brings a background in leadership, operations, and relationship-building to the winery.
Originally from Virginia, Richard is passionate about hospitality, storytelling, and the craft behind every bottle. At Hazy Mountain, he works to grow the wine club, expand partnerships with restaurants and retailers across the Commonwealth, and ensure that every guest feels welcomed into the Hazy Mountain family.
When he’s not working with members or sharing wines with new partners, Richard enjoys spending time with his wife and step-kids, writing, and exploring Virginia's exceptional wine culture.
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Wiley grew up in Richmond, Virginia and started working in restaurants shortly after graduating high school. He quickly became fascinated with the world of food and wine, and how the two are intertwined. Wiley moved to the area in 2012 to explore the wealth of wineries and restaurants here in central Virginia, visiting tasting rooms whenever he had the opportunity.
He jumped at the opportunity to join the Hazy Mountain tasting room team and is eager to show our guests the best of what this exciting winery has to offer. When he's not working in the tasting room, Wiley enjoys further developing his obsessions with cooking, houseplants, collecting vinyl records, and vintage Ralph Lauren. His current favorite food and wine pairing is a full bodied Chardonnay and an entire rotisserie chicken.
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With over a decade in the luxury wedding industry, Dani Sabbag brings expertise and passion to hr role as Director of Sales and Planning at Hazy Mountain Vineyards & Brewery. From Hawaii to Italy and beyond, she has curated unforgettable celebrations - including distinguished celebrity events - blending hospitality, design, and storytelling to craft experiences that are as seamless as they are spectacular.
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Paige, a graduate of James Madison University with a degree in Hospitality Management and a minor in Business, is a high-energy, organized wedding and event planner. She specializes in creating fun, stress-free, and personalized planning experiences. With a focus on clear communication and attention to detail, Paige ensures couples feel supported, excited, and fully present on their special day.
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With dual degrees in Event Planning and Professional & Creative Industries, Rylee is known for her attention to detail. With seven years in hospitality and three years specializing in weddings, she brings both expertise and passion to her work. Passionate and client-focused, Rylee is dedicated to ensuring every celebration runs seamlessly.
