A French native, Laure has been fortunate enough to grow up in a family strongly connected to wine, with vineyards in several wine regions in France, and for whom wine truly defines a way of life.

After a 20-year career in the corporate world as an International Marketing Executive, at Procter and Gamble/Nivea/Coty/L’Oréal, Laure decided to create Queen of Wines LLC out of passion. Her company’s mission is to connect wine lovers in the US with smaller family-owned estates who have been producing highly sustainable, authentic wines for generations.

She sources, imports, and distributes a curated selection of Gem Wines from a variety of terroirs and appellations, in France, Italy, Germany, South Africa, Argentina, and the USA. Laure and her team are dedicated to expanding wine lovers’ palates, and helping them create fond memories on their journey experiencing the fruit of these vineyards.

A child of two Military parents, Alley spent her childhood relocating, where she got her love for sharing different cultures, especially over a good meal. Alley has always been in the food industry, through family owned restaurants & her grandmother’s published cookbook.

Alley has held every position in restaurants, from dishwasher, to bartender, to General Manager, and even Pastry Chef. She has a history of corporate sales, and uses that knowledge to build relationships in what ever role she pursues. She relocated in 2021 from Upstate New York to Charlotte with her spouse and two children.

Alley is excited to be a Wine Ambassador for Queen of Wines, growing the awareness of their amazing portfolio, bringing each producer and their story to Charlotte Metro area for all to enjoy.

To schedule a tasting with Alley, email alley@queenofwines.com.

An Asheville native, Shawn Crowley discovered his passion for wine working in the fine dining industry, where he has spent the past 15 years.  He has specialized in helping to build bar programs from the ground-up all across Buncombe county.

Shawn strives to continually expand his wine know-how, and has recently graduated from the National Wine School as a Level Three Sommelier.  As a Queen of Wines Ambassador, he is enthusiastic about bringing his skills in menu building, sales, and technical wine knowledge to as many clients as possible throughout the Asheville area.

In addition to fine wine, Shawn also enjoys fitness, boardgames, reading, and all things related to travelling and being outdoors.

To arrange your first meeting with Shawn, email shawn@queenofwines.com.

A native of North Carolina, Arwen has spent two decades in operations management, and program design and implementation in public and private companies. Arwen’s expertise lies in communications, customer service, sales, inventory control, workflow and office management, data collection, research, and staff management.

As Operations Manager for Queen of Wines her responsibilities are multi-faceted and involve all parts of the company.  One of her most exciting roles is to ensure efficiency in importing and distribution of our wines, to bring the best value possible to our customers.

Arwen holds a master’s degree in Building Science and Environmental Technology from Appalachian State University, where she first learned to manage multi-layered projects.

For general Queen of Wines inquiries, contact Arwen at arwen@queenofwines.com.

Aaron, new to the Raleigh Durham area, grew up all over Florida. He has spent his whole career in the Hospitality Industry, working 10 years with Sysco Foods, before transitioning to the Food and Beverage Director at Country Clubs. This is where he found his passion for wine, hosting wine dinners, tastings, and private events for members.

Aaron loves to help educate customers and expand their horizons, and so joined the team here at Queen of Wines.  He enjoys building new relationships, and continuing to grow his knowledge to better assist his customers.

Aaron graduated from Florida State University. In his free time, Aaron likes to explore his new home, try new experiences from restaurants to hiking, and loves being in the kitchen cooking for family and friends.

To set up a tasting with Aaron, email aaron@queenofwines.com.

Brianna is the administrative, marketing, and what-ever-needs-doing assistant at Queen of Wines.  She has a degree in photography, and so not surprisingly spent almost fifteen years in the hospitality industry.  She has helped develop and manage restaurants in Chicago, Charleston, and Durham, NC, serving a range of fine cuisine from the old world and the new.

A lover of wine, Brianna has had the pleasure of working with some true wine experts, including her teammates here at Queen of Wines.  When not hard at work, Brianna enjoys camping, fishing, and spending time with her fiancé and three stepsons.

For administrative and marketing inquiries, contact Brianna at brianna@queenofwines.com.

Based in Winston-Salem, Thad has served as a Regional Wine Ambassador for Queen of Wines in the Triad and Blue Ridge Mountains since 2021. With 5+ years of experience working in restaurants, he loves customer service and understands the importance of communication with his clients and their customers.

Thad takes a listen-first sales approach, recognizing the individuality of each client and tailoring his work to them. He designs and implements staff training sessions, which are as engaging as educational, to help service staff understand what they are selling, and how to sell it with confidence.

Thad graduated from Duke University with a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology, and certificate in Markets & Management. His hobbies include travel, playing soccer, and watching college basketball.

To contact Thad and arrange a tasting, please email thad@queenofwines.com.

Following an early retirement as a Postmaster in the US Postal Service, Jane followed her love of wine into her present career.

She first worked with Beaufort Wine and Food Inc, bringing her organizational and customer service skills to help expand the non-profit organization, establishing their retail wine store, which hosts weekly tastings and monthly wine seminars.

Jane is the most senior Wine Ambassador, using her skills to help grow Queen of Wines. A Beaufort resident, she allows us to maintain close contact with our coastal partners and grow our business in that region.

To arrange your tasting with Jane, please email jane@queenofwines.com.

Just as our Wine Ambassadors strive to bring you the perfect Gem Wines for your establishment and your customers, our dedicated team of Deliver Professionals are hard at work to literally bring you your selections every week.

Meet Donovan & Reggie, who deliver all across the Piedmont and Western NC, and Kevin, who you will see in our Coastal regions.

These gentlemen are dedicated to our customer’s satisfaction and success, using all the tools at their disposal to ensure you receive consistently prompt and accurate deliveries.

Growing up in New York, Lorraine started working in fine dining restaurants at 16, where she gained a love of food and wine.  After moving to Southern Pines, NC, Lorraine received her culinary and hospitality degrees.  She has had the pleasure of working in some of the finest restaurants in Moore County, both as a chef and front of the house manager.

Before joining Queen of Wines, Lorraine first expanded her knowledge of wine working for Empire Distributors as an on-premise sales representative.

Lorraine is thrilled to be a member of the Queen of Wines Ambassador team, and to bring the portfolio of Gem Wines to Moore County and the surrounding areas.

To set up your tasting with Lorraine, email lorraine@queenofwines.com.

The son of a naval officer, Jack grew up on both coasts of the US, Ecuador, and Italy, developing deep connections with regional cuisines and cultures. Life led Jack into the restaurant industry, working in California and Virginia before settling in NC in 2014.  Wine has played an integral role in the success Jack has seen during his 15 years in the industry.

As a member of the Queen of Wines team, Jack is thrilled to work for a company where he can continue to develop and expand his understanding of the global wine industry.  He loves the challenges he faces, and the relationships he has built in the community he calls home.

In his free time, Jack enjoys all things outdoors. From fishing at Wrightsville Beach, to hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains, Jack takes full advantage of the natural beauty of NC.

To set up a tasting with Jack, email jack@queenofwines.com.