Chai Consulting:    Expert Knowledge, Experience, Personalized Service

• Expert knowledge of fine & rare wines, wine asset investment & management and global wine markets and trends
• Experience handling, appraising and valuation of older and fine & rare wines
• Expert wine authentication
• Individually structured services delivered with integrity

Maureen Downey, DWS, CWE

Maureen is an expert in fine and rare wine appraisal, authentication, valuation and financial trends of global fine wine markets. With her ties to US auction houses, brokers and retailers worldwide, she is the perfect choice to manage your collection whether you are just beginning, growing or selling your collection, or creating investment opportunities for yourself or future generations.

Maureen completed the sommelier certification shortly after graduating from Boston University with a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Administration. As a sommelier and restaurant manager/service director, she worked in some of the top restaurants in New York City including Lespinasse and Felidia. After several years of invaluable experience, she decided to work more directly with fine and rare wine joining Morrell & Company as an auction specialist. When Zachys founded Zachys Wine Auctions in 2002, she became the first full-time employee and Senior Specialist, determining many operating procedures and standards as well as specifications for cataloguing and pricing. Eventually, she returned home to San Francisco and joined the wine auction team at Bonhams & Butterfields.

For six years, Maureen worked on behalf of wine auction houses, as a fine & rare wine auction specialist, completing appraisals, inspecting tens of millions of dollars in inventories and consulting many of the world's top collectors. In 2006 she formed Chai Consulting in order to be able to focus on the individual needs and interests of collectors and work on their behalf.

She holds the WSET Diploma in Wines & Spirits and is a Certified Wine Educator. She is also a Certified Spanish Wine Educator (2007) an International Bordeaux Tutor (2007), and is credentialed by the French government as a French Wine Educator (2008). She is currently studying for the most highly regarded wine credential in the world, The Master of Wine. Maureen is also a professional wine judge participating in many international wine competitions.

Accolades & Achievements

• 2010 Featured in a story as the "Wine CSI" on Kron4 news.
• 2009 Featured in Wine Spectator Article "Sniffing out a Fake,"  December 15, 2009 issue
• 2007 Heavily Quoted in Jancis Robinson's Article, "Flushing out wine fraud and fakes," appearing in the Financial Times, on JancisRobinson.com, and picked up by many other print and web publications.
• 2006 Wine Appreciation Guild Award for results on the CWE Exam
• 2004 Featured in an episode of Simply Wine with Andrea Robinson (Immer), on the Fine Living Network, where Maureen discussed auction buying and demonstrated the authentication process by uncovering an "incorrect" bottle of mature Chateau Latour.

Laura Conway, DWS, CSW- Consultant

Originally from Massachusetts, Laura discovered her passion for wine through her love of French culture. After obtaining a BA in French & Comparative Literature from Bryn Mawr College and a MA in French from the University of California at Irvine, Laura discovered her true calling while attending weekend wine classes at the Alliance Française in San Francisco. Laura has over eight years of wine industry experience holding leading roles in retail, hospitality and ecommerce operations. Most recently, as one of the first employees of Vinfolio, Laura created and managed their industry leading wine pricing and information database. Her specialties include valuation and cellar management, online content and writing, and wine education. Fluent in French, Laura holds the WSET Diploma in Wine & Spirits and is a Certified Specialist of Wine. She is currently a Content Editor for Cellartracker, a student in the Bordeaux Management School’s Wine MBA program and an aspiring Master of Wine candidate. While an avid fan of the wines of Burgundy, Laura is best known for her love of Champagne.

In 2010 Laura will author a series of articles for JancisRobinson.com chronicling the Wine MBA experience. During her free time, Laura enjoys reading, long distance running, racing sailing, camping and travel. Laura is a classical pianist and soprano in the San Francisco Bach Choir. She is married to a consummate high-tech entrepreneur with whom she shares the joy of raising her daughter Sophia.