skok

Timothy Skok is our winemaker and sommelier. He has been in wine industry professionally for 16 years, but has had a passion for wine, gastronomy and the outdoors since he was a youth growing up in Pennsylvania/New York/Ohio.  Enjoying gardening, food and wine tasting with his parents developed this passion early on. Then a year in France as an exchange student solidified his understanding of the concept of “terroir” and how Europeans live to enjoy the bounty of their environments. 

After graduating from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a brief stint as an awarded brewmaster (not a lot of wine in Colorado), Timothy was invited to work a harvest in Sonoma as an associate winemaker. Sonoma was the right place, with the right climate and environment to have that same European style. Timothy stayed and continued to work in winemaking and production. He graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Oenology, worked for several luxury wineries (including assisting with crafting a few 100 point Robert Parker wines), while also moonlighting as a Michelin Star Sommelier sharing his passion and knowledge.

Today, at Brue Skok Cellars, he brings his family’s Swiss and Czech heritage, as well as a European “savoir-faire” to his approach with viticulture and winemaking; seeking out unique terroirs, continuing to develop those vineyards, thus crafting old world style wines from these unique sites.

brue

From dairy to data to wine, Erik Brue has done a little bit of everything.  For the past 15 years, Erik has sought to bring creativity, occasional thoughtfulness and fun to a variety of careers. He  has always had a passion for food and wine believing that an evening conversation is always made better by a great glass of wine.

Erik overcame his start as a wall street lawyer to found a Cheese company, focused on Italian cheese, in Northern Vermont.  Wondering what might go well with Cheese, Erik got involved in data and founded Themis.  Erik is fortunate to continue to be involved in Themis and its sister companies as CEO and the chance to work everyday with an amazing team. 

Erik and Nord (another member of the Brue Skok Cellars Team)  enjoy working together supporting start-up companies, from enabling money transfers in Africa to reimagining today’s financial infrastructure, always with a general focus on removing friction (costs) in our everyday lives.  

The joy of creation and great wine have inspired Erik to join Timothy Skok in creating Brue Skok Cellars. At BSC, Erik’s official title is 2nd assistant winemaker...this is to make certain he doesn’t get in the way of Timothy producing amazing wines.  Most importantly, Erik is happy to be a part of the creation of an amazing family with his wife, Hanna, and two wonderful kids, Nora and Owen.