T H E   T E A M

At Your Service

Erin Lamson - President
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Erin joined Adventures in Wine in 1999. During her tenure, she has worked in each critical company function, most recently as Import Manager - coordinating the proper handling, legal requirements, and transportation of the wine our clients purchase from anywhere in the world to their door. Since the passing of our founder Merrick Dowson, she has taken over the reigns as President and CEO of AIW, and purchased the company from his estate.

Erin's breadth of experience with the company and within the industry has positioned her as one of the most experienced importation professionals in the business. 

Ben Grandy - Warehouse Manager
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Ben originally worked as Warehouse Manager and Import Manager for Adventures in Wine from 1997 to 2004. After moving on and living abroad, he moved back to the Bay Area and contacted Merrick for a reference, and ended up rejoining the team in 2019. Despite his fifteen year absence, he retained his forklift skills and knowledge of wine imports and logistics, and picked up where he left off.

Anita Maestas - Project Administrator
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Anita was recruited by our fearless leader and while she is fresh to the wine industry has 17 years of operational and administrative experience.
Her smiling face and positive energy bring fun and entertaining times in our office.  We look forward to her growth in our industry for many years to come!
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Pato Lehuedé - Warehouse & Deliveries
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Pato joined Adventures in Wine in June 2023. Pato is a chef and wine enthusiast from Chile, who recently came to live to the Bay Area with his family.
 
In his role as the delivery driver and warehouseman, he represents the company to numerous customers, embodying our commitment to exceptional customer service, precision, passion and excellence in every task. While primarily on the road delivering wine, he also ensures the seamless handling of the latest shipments of exciting and rare wines at our warehouse.
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Merrick J. Dowson, 1952 - 2020, Late Founder and President

Raised in England, Merrick sprang from a long line of wine merchants including his great-great-grandfather, Sir Walter Gilbey, who with his brother was at the center of the wine trade in England in the late 1800's.  

Merrick came to the US in the 70's to check out growing interest in California wine.  Although he came for a year, he stayed for a lifetime. Through hard work, valued friendship, and good business sense he went from an office manager to a salesman to owner of Adventures in Wine.

Merrick died from complications of COVID-19 on April 10, 2020.

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