Introducing Lindsay

Lindsay grew up in an idyllic place in New Hampshire and has an identical twin, an adorable niece and a very lively family. She began her career trek towards wine when she lived in Italy and attempted to teach English to Italians. 

She made lasting friends with Italians who taught her the art of espresso-drinking and chocolate-tasting (her other loves), and helped her develop an addiction to salami, which she has reluctantly given up as a vegetarian.

She loved Italy, but her passion for wine started in San Diego, California where she currently still resides. 

Historically more of a beach-and-beer town than a wine-drinker’s mecca, Lindsay has helped foster a community of knowledge-thirsty wine drinkers in San Diego throughout her 20-year tenure as the Chief Wine Educator and founder of Wine Smarties. 

Founded in 2006, Wine Smarties is San Diego County’s first wine education company and Lindsay Pomeroy is the first and exclusive instructor for the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and French Wine Scholar (FWS) in San Diego and Temecula counties. She has recently expanded nationally adding satellite schools such as Frenchy's Sip and Shop in Charlotte NC with her prior student and Wine on Main in Concord, NH near her hometown.

Leading up to becoming an MW, Lindsay successfully earned her WSET Diploma, FWS certificate and Certified Wine Educator (CWE). 

Recently, Lindsay was brought on to open the wine program for a restaurant in La Jolla. She's very excited to share her skills  and knowledge outside of the classroom and in the real world.  

Outside of wine, she loves to spend time with her colorful family and friends, spend time in nature, travel to exotic locations, meditate and is a Shirdi Sai Baba devotee.

Introducing Hayes

Hayes’ relationship with wine began while he was a student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, when his parents joined a wine club during a weekend of wine tasting in Paso for his 21st birthday. His lovely mom added his name to the membership so he could take his friends wine tasting for free. What began as an "elevated" perk to drink for free in college, turned into a lasting curiosity for wine.

He has since earned his WSET Level 1, 2, and 3 certifications through evening classes with Lindsay. 

In his role as a Client Director for a technology company, Hayes travels the world, often dining solo abroad or hosting client dinners.

As his curiousity for food and wine grew, Hayes became a restaurant investor and has worked closely with operators and sommeliers, including Lindsay. 

His perspective is shaped by formal wine education and extensive dining across Europe, North America, and Asia.

Now based in San Diego, Hayes continues to explore Southern California’s dining scene, with frequent trips to Valle de Guadalupe. His favorite dining cities include Mexico City, Tokyo, and New York, along with Singapore’s hawker centers, where his appreciation for food extends beyond fine dining to tradition, culture, and everyday expression.

When Hayes isn’t in a restaurant or vineyard abroad, he loves to recreate dishes he’s tried during his travel, using cooking as a way to further explore new techniques and flavor. For him, wine and food are inseparable and among the best ways to tell the story of another culture. His cellar is built from bottles purchased abroad and carried home in luggage, each tied to a place, a meal, and a memory to share around the table.

Conoce a Romina