Setting the Standards for Sustainable Wines
Michael Douglass
President & FounderMichael Douglass is a 57 year veteran of the Wine and Spirits community. As proprietor of Post Wine and Spirits in Syosset, N.Y. for 55 years he led the store to become one of the leading stores in the metro area. As an adjunct professor at Hofstra University he conducted the Wine Studies program. Presently he leads the Wine education program at the Sands Point Preserve in Sands Point, N.Y. Michael brings his vast experience in consulting with some of the leading wine merchants in the New York area. He has traveled extensively interacting with historical estate owners and wine and food personalities such as Joseph Heitz, Madame Bollinger, Baron Philipe Rothschild, Angelo Gaia, Harry Waugh, James Beard and - Julia Child. As president of the Natures Vineyards Wine Council he is passionate about recognizing the need for sustainability in wine production now and for our future.
Jeffrey Britz
Chief Operations OfficerJeffrey Britz has a consistent track record of success creating and operating public and private companies. In fields as diverse as real estate, physical therapy centers, legalized marijuana products and frozen desserts, he has followed his instincts in assembling enthusiastic teams, generating buzz, and assuring quality and customer satisfaction in each product.
Diane Harris Brown
Wine CouncilDiane Harris Brown attended Harvard University, where she concentrated in fine arts and graduated cum laude. She spent ten years in New York’s art world, working at both the Pace Gallery, and Marian Goodman Gallery.</p> <p>In 1980 she made the leap from the visual arts to the culinary arts and became an executive at the James Beard Foundation.</p> <p>Brown co-founded Spoons Across America, a charity that engages children in healthy eating habits. Chef Jacques Pepin is the program’s national spokesman. In 2019 Brown was honored at the Spoons’ Food Heroes Gala along with Jose’ Andres.
Josh Douglass
Founder & Wine CouncilJosh has been an activist for 25 years. He has been mostly focused on environmental issues. Josh was a community activist for four years on Long Island prior to law school. Josh was involved in those days in protecting 100,000 acres of open space known as the Pine Barrens. Josh also was a central actor on the important issue of reforming the second largest town in the country. Developers had taken control of the Town and had turned the Town into one strip mall after another. Josh's team of college students reformed the process through which Town board members were elected and thereby took the corrupting element of money out of the process and returned power back to the people. Josh enrolled in law school immediately afterwards with an aim of better understanding the legal system so that he could be a part of the solution. After law school, Josh worked on a campaign for Congress. Since then, Josh has successfully challenged a corrupt union in federal court, obtained relief from a corrupt family court system in the State of New York for parents who had been stripped of their parental rights, and challenged a large fossil fuel power plant. Josh believes that the wine industry is doing a lot to preserve agricultural lands and is excited to be working with his father passing along his knowledge of sustainable wines. Wines which are made the right way- the Nature's Vineyards way- through natural processes which are good for you and good for our planet.
George R. Eldi
Wine CouncilGeorge R. Eldi, founded Wines by Nature in 2017 after 17 years as a wine sales rep. During his tenure he represented small production and historically significant wineries across the world. Company trips have brought him to Italy, Spain and California where he was able to deepen his understanding of the wineries attitude of farming and guiding wines along their journey. Weekly sales meetings brought winery owners and wine makers to his company’s home office. There were countless tastings and discussions about wine, and how each winery was unique, but guided by offering the best quality. Over the past 20 years there has been a rise in the consumer awareness of organic wines. George was at the fore front of bringing these wines to the shelves and wine lists on Long Island. In 2017 he transitioned into retail applying what he had learned. Wines by Nature features small production wines and spirits from around the world, who also maintain at a minimum, sustainable agriculture. Driven by authenticity and value his store is a Who’s Who of the organic wine world.