Hosts
Ryan Bourassa
Host
Ryan is a handsome, ginger stand-up comedian and actor with over 15 years of experience making strangers laugh on both coasts of America. Raised by lesbians in the deep, dark woods of New Hampshire, he eventually began his comedic journey on the mean streets of Boston, fighting crime and corruption with his jokes. What he lacks in a soul, he makes up for with his quick wit and deadpan delivery. Upon arrival in Las Vegas, he created and hosted The Underwear Show, a stand-up showcase where all the comedians strip down to their underwear while telling their jokes. When he’s not being a hero in real life, he spends a lot of his time (maybe too much?) live-streaming video games on his YouTube channel (youtube.com/@radryan). Ryan loves animals, long walks on the beach, and he hates writing bios about himself. Follow him on Instagram: instagram.com/grandtheftginger
Nicholas Charles
Host
Nicholas spent five years in the cast of the award-winning Harry Potter parody Potted Potter at Horseshoe Las Vegas. Originally from London, he trained as an actor in New York at The American Academy of Dramatic Art. Since relocating to the US, Nicholas has frequented stage and screen from coast to coast. Highlights include; touring Shakespeare to 25 states of the US, stints Off-Broadway in Frankenstein and A Midsummer Night's Dream, appearances on the Amazon shows The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Sneaky Pete, opening for Kenan Thompson at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, and most importantly, accidentally stunt-doubling for Edward Norton in the 2019 film Motherless Brooklyn. Find him on a golf course or @mrnicholascharles.
Wine Experts
'Bordeaux' Bob Cranston
Wine Expert (Dec 5 & 12)
“Bordeaux” Bob Cranston is among the most experienced executives in the American Wine Industry. Over the past 43+ years, Bob has worked in virtually every aspect in the wine and spirits business. And now he is magnanimously sharing his expertise at In Pour Taste, Vegas’ hit comedy wine tasting experience.
Rina Bussell
Wine Expert (Dec 6 & 16)
Rina’s sommelier journey began by chance — between tables at a small Italian bistro, when a guest recognized her uncanny knack for blind tasting. Since then, she’s earned her International Sommelier Guild diploma and three Court of Master Sommeliers pins (all on her first attempts) and has gone on to mentor peers and shape wine programs for West Coast icons like Canlis and Spago Beverly Hills. Now based in Las Vegas, Rina brings her expertise, intuition, and hospitality — seasoned with irreverent charm — to her work at Carbone.
Maria Valetta (The Wine Blonde)
Wine Expert (Dec 7)
Maria Valetta, known to her audience as @MariaTheWineBlonde, is a Las Vegas–based wine and lifestyle content creator who brings sophistication, expertise, and personality to every pour. She shares luxury wine, travel, and hospitality experiences with over 40K engaged followers, blending education, entertainment, and style with her signature “full glass, high class, lots of sass” energy.
A Certified Sommelier, Wine & Spirits Education Trust Diploma graduate, Certified Sake Adviser (Sake School of America), Published Author of Slaying Vegas, model, and former TV host, Maria collaborates with top restaurants, wineries, and hotels to craft authentic, visually rich storytelling that celebrates the art of taste and travel.
A two-time nominee at the VinoInfluencers World Awards, Maria is dedicated to making wine approachable, aspirational, and always poured with style.
Gretchen Allen
Wine Expert (Dec 13, 20, 23, 27, 30)
Professional Sommelier and Fine Wine Sales Specialist
Sean Cerre
Wine Expert (Dec 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29)
Sean Hunter aka Sean Cerre is a Las Vegas-based wine professional and musician whose two passions — music and wine — intertwine in perfect harmony. A seasoned performer on the Las Vegas Strip, Sean brings soulful energy and sophistication to every stage he steps on.
Beyond the spotlight, his WSET Level 2 Wine Certification reflects a deep appreciation for the craftsmanship and stories behind each bottle. From jazz performances paired with curated wine tastings to intimate events celebrating both art forms, Sean creates experiences that engage all the senses.
Blending the worlds of rhythm and flavor, he invites audiences to taste, listen, and feel the connection between music and wine—each sip and note telling its own story.
Kirk Peterson
Wine Expert (Dec 18, 19, 26)
Founder and owner of Copa Fina NV, a Nevada distributorship focused on imported and domestic wines and spirits that display exceptional artistry, integrity, and authenticity. An accomplished wine and spirits professional with 17+ years in the Las Vegas market, Kirk has experience in all aspects of the wine and spirits industry, from a decade-long tenure on The Strip as sommelier and multi-outlet beverage director to multi-state distribution, national importation, and production.
As an award-winning writer, Kirk delivers a unique blend of style and wit he combines expertise and enthusiasm to impart his passion for food, spirits, and wine to guests and audiences alike and is often seen and heard on Las Vegas’ CBS-affilaite KLAS-TV Las Vegas Now, FOX5 Las Vegas, and KNPR Nevada Public Radio in addition to being a regular contributor to Vegas Seven, David Magazine, and The Tasting Panel. He holds credentials through the Wine; Spirit Education Trust, Vinitaly International Academy, and Court of Master Sommeliers.
André Mack
Wine Expert (next date tba)
Iconoclastic sommelier André Hueston Mack was the first African-American to be named Best Young Sommelier in America by Chaine des Rotisseurs. He was a sommelier at Thomas Keller’s renowned The French Laundry before opening Chef Keller’s three-Michelin-starred Per Se. As one of the top professionals in the wine industry, he has worked with the likes of Amazon, Cadillac, Ebay, National Rental Car, Microsoft and has appeared on Anthony Bourdain's “The Taste” and NBC’s “Uncorked”. Mack is host of both Bon Appétit’s “World of Wine with André Mack,” the most viewed wine show on YouTube, and “Through the Grapevine,” where he interviews celebrity guests while testing their wine knowledge. In 2007, he founded Maison Noir Wines, which incorporated his trademark attitude and personal perspective on wine subculture. His wines are unique and distinctive garage wines (micro-négociant) which source the best fruit possible in the Willamette Valley region of Oregon to produce wines showing the individuality of their respective sites and terroirs. In 2022, he launched Rye & Sons, a celebration of America’s original, but oft overlooked, spirit - Rye Whiskey. A self-taught graphic designer, Mack designs all of his labels as well as a t-shirt line for Maison Noir Wines. He has also authored Small Thyme Cooks, the world’s first culinary coloring and activity book which he also illustrated, and 99 Bottles: A Black Sheep’s Guide to Life-Changing Wines, his part memoir and part wine guide. With his wife Phoebe Damrosch, Mack founded and runs & Sons Hospitality Group in the Prospect Lefferts Garden neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Joe Mikulich
Wine Expert (next date tba.)
Joe Mikulich is the Co-Founder of EDO Hospitality, which has restaurants EDO, Anima, and Braseria in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as La Loba in Seattle, Washington. Mikulich oversees operations of all concepts alongside his business partner, as well as controlling each concept’s wine programs.
Mikulich started his culinary career at Holsteins in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. He later moved on to work at Bazaar Meat by José Andrés for 10 years until meeting his business partners and opening EDO Tapas in 2018. Born and raised in Las Vegas, Mikulich graduated with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 2013.
Andrew Hurley
Wine Expert (next date tba)
Andrew Hurley, known to millions online as @Vegas.Wine, is a Certified Sommelier and the longtime Wine Director of the two-Michelin-star Restaurant Guy Savoy in Las Vegas. For the past eight years, he’s curated one of the city’s most celebrated wine programs — while also redefining how wine is shared and enjoyed online. With over 1.8 million followers across social media, Andrew bridges the gap between fine dining and digital storytelling, bringing the world of wine to life with humor, insight, and a touch of Vegas flair.
Kat Thomas (The Wine Goddess)
Wine Expert (next date tba)
Kat founded CORE Body | Mind, LLC, a support network for the hospitality industry. Known as the "Wine Goddess" in Las Vegas at Ada’s, she shares her passion for service. Kat is also a certified personal trainer, yoga guide, & cancer exercise specialist, striving to balance life and the art of welcome.
Sweeney Preston
