Justin Leone, the rock star among the world-class sommeliers
Work & Passion
the sommelier
Having worked in several countries under the world’s most acclaimed Chefs and in the most respected of cellars, Justin Leone has become an internationally recognized standard for escellence, expertise, professionalism and in particular, a character all his own.
From 3* Michelin and #1 Restaurant in North America Alinea in Chicago under the famed Grant Achatz, to 2* Michelin Marcus Wareing in London, to the legendary 2* Tantris in Munich as Chef Sommelier, Justin’s career has spanned two decades and several countries. Meanwhile, earning him countless honors the likes of “Jury Honors – best wine list in the world” two times over and “Best Wine pairing & by-the-glass” in the world from the revered World of Fine Wine Magazine, the “Prix Le Montrachet” title as best Burgundy sommelier of Germany, and 2013 “Sommelier of the Year, Germany” from top European culinary magazine Rolling Pin.
Since Justin believes that no sommelier dare don the windsor-knotted tie without having had their hands deep in the soil, he spent almost a year in Burgundy studying the intricate terroirs and winemaking of the most hallowed of regions in Burgundy, France, under the watchful eye of superstar Nicolas Potel of the eponymous Negotiant firm and later, Domaine de Bellene.
With Justin Leone however, being a sommeiier does not stop at the cellar door. While in Chicago, he worked behind some of the country’s best bars, having graduated from the charter class of Chicago’s first United States Bartending Guild and earning him a place as national mixologist for Svedka Vodka, and Mid-Western mixologist-consultant for Heaven Hill Distilleries.
the musician
Justin spent his youth studying violin and kontrabass with California’s top instructors, such as Los Angeles Philharmonic Principal chair Dennis Trembley, before winning a scholarship to study Classical performance and English Literature at the estemed Indiana University – Bloomington, one of America’s premiere schools for Classical Music.
Having already played his first punk rock show up and down Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip since he was 14, Justin joined Acoustic-rock band Three Minute Mile based in Chicago, and spend the next years writing producing two studio albums and touring as support for artists such as The Foo Fighters, John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, OK GO, The New Pronographers, Willie Nelson, Michelle Branch, Mike Watt, and many more.
After a decade-long hiatus from musical projects, Justin returned to active duty in Munich, Germany, joining Indy Pop outfit The Fillies to record one EP and four music videos, with placement on top Indy playlists throughout Spotify and rotation on North-Rhine Westfallen radio where Dimi Katsavaris (Songwriting/production/vocals/guitar) resides. The current evolution of the band, called “Wonderful Bones” has been reduced to just Dimi with Justin working behind the scenes and on tour, earning sponsorships from high-profile clothing label Drykorn For Beautiful People, representation by elite booking agency Karsten Janke Konzertproduction, and management from iconic promoter and producer Mario Mendryzki. Stay tuned for Wonderful Bones’ debut EP!
Currently Justin can be found with bass in hand, performing for gorups, companies and large corporations both live and digitally at his signature wine & music tasting events.
the author
Justin’s freelance jouralism side-career began in Chicago, writing food & beverage columns for both regional and national publications such as Time Out Chicago, Gourmet, Elle, Glamor, and many more. This continued during his tenure at Tantris in Munich, earning acclaim across the German-Speaking regions with his monthly editorial “Dr. Badass” in award-winning culinary magazine Rolling Pin. Further German publication credits include Oscars, Glamour, Falstaff, Playboy, Gourmet Traveler, Fizz, RISE, and many more.
In September of 2018 Justin relased Amazon best-seller “Just Wine: Weinwissen Ohne Bullshit” with ZS Verlag to great critical acclaim. Hailed as a “Game Changer” by Stuart Pigott of the FAZ, a “Must Have” in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, and a “Revelation” by the “World Am Sonntag.” Justin is currently working on his second book release, TBA.
Justin is an avid “vlogger,” working in cooperation with winemakers, Regional Wine Associations and wine distributors via educational tasting videos on his Instagram TV, and other Social Media channels.
