Meet Our Team
Laure Levesque

Laure Levesque

Founder, President, Chief Tasting Officer Wine Ambassador - Pinehurst, NC
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 & Gamble/Nivea/Coty/L’Oréal, Laure created Queen of Wines out of passion.

Her company’s mission is to connect wine lovers in the US with smaller family-owned estates, 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 US.  Laure and her team are dedicated to expanding wine lovers’ palates and helping them create fond memories while experiencing the fruit of these vineyards.

To arrange a tasting with Laure for the Southern Pines/Pinehurst area, please email sales@queenofwines.com.

Aaron Simmons

Aaron Simmons

Wine Ambassador - East Triangle, NC
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 Humphrey

Brianna Humphrey

Administrative & Marketing Director
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 husband and three stepsons.

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

Arwen Buchholz

Arwen Buchholz

Operations & Logistics Manager
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.

Sam Kirby

Sam Kirby

Wine Ambassador - West Triangle, NC
Sam was born in Maryland but proudly calls North Carolina home.  She has spent her career in hospitality, with experience in every position, from the back of the house to the front.

Sam’s career began with her love of baked goods and pastries, and has evolved over time into a passion for wine, working with some of the top chefs and most talented wine minds in the Triangle area.  Through those relationships, Sam has had the wonderful opportunity to build a fantastic foundational education, while gaining exposure to many unique corners of the wine world.  She feels every meal can he elevated by the perfect wine pairing, and in that pursuit of that belief attained her Level 1 Sommelier certification.

In her free time, Sam spends time with her husband, in her garden, and with her two bunnies Nation and Gus.

To arrange your tasting with Sam, please email contact@queenofwines.com.

Delivery Professionals

Delivery Professionals

Donovan, Reggie & Kevin
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.

Thaddeus Bowers

Thaddeus Bowers

Wine Ambassador - Western NC
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.

Socrates Gliarmis

Socrates Gliarmis

Wine Ambassador - North Coast, NC
To arrange your meeting with Socrates, email socrates@queenofwines.com.
Quincy Koepf

Quincy Koepf

Wine Ambassador - South Coast, NC
Quincy Koepf began her career in wine distribution in 2009 after a chance meeting with a boutique winery in Seattle.  From there she has continued on in her career maintaining a focus on small, sustainably farmed, and family-owned vineyards.

Prior to this, Quincy worked in corporate sales and project management, and taught at George Mason University and American University, where she respectively earned her MA and PhD in Sociology.  Quincy incorporates her teaching background into her work with wine, from educational trade presentations, staff training, and curating oenologically themed events with top chefs and wine professionals all along the coast.

A native of the DC Metro area, Quincy now calls the NC coast her home.  In her spare time, she can be found close to the ocean or in the mountains.  When her wanderlust calls, she likes to get lost in vineyards and historic cities around the globe.

To set up a tasting with Quincy, email quincy@queenofwines.com.

Queen of Wines Team

Queen of Wines Team

Wine Ambassador - Charlotte, NC
Queen of Wines is excited to welcome a new Wine Ambassador to our family for the Charlotte area, who will be joining us in October.  In the meantime, for all tastings, orders, events, and other inquiries, please email our team at sales@queenofwines.com.