Joel began working at Berman’s in 1962 under his father and uncle and shortly after starting in the business his passion for fine wine was born. Joel intensely studied and tasted wines from all over the world which brought him to some of the finest wineries across Europe on his quest for wine knowledge. After learning to speak French and Italian fluently, he built relationships with top French and Italian winemakers while traveling and now has a network all over Europe from which he sources many of our wines. In 1972, Joel bought out his uncle’s interest in the business and used his expertise and European network to build Berman’s into what it is today. Joel’s knowledge of and passion for wine are unmatched in America and his proclivity for procurement of great wines and great values from Europe is the cornerstone of Berman’s Wine and Spirits today.

After graduating from Cornell with a degree in Enology and Viticulture, including a semester abroad with the world-renowned University of Adelaide’s Wine Program, Alex worked a few odd jobs in the wine industry before becoming the Wine Director at Berman’s Wine and Spirits. He immediately meshed with Joel’s leadership and brings an exciting energy to Berman’s wine program. His degree and hands-on winery experience have helped him develop an in-depth knowledge of the entire winemaking process, learning how everything from farming techniques to fermentation temperature affects the quality of a finished wine. Using his knowledge of regions and varietals, Alex specializes in sourcing wines that are both delicious and unexpected from obscure winemakers all around the world. Alex is also a graduate of the WSET Advanced Certificate program. His favorite region is the Loire Valley, a region where high-acid wines reign supreme but that also has amazing diversity and plenty of hidden gems.

In addition to being trained as an organic chemist, Jack also has a life-long passion for wines and foods, including a broad understanding of how they complement each other. In 2004 Jack decided to make his passion a profession and opened a retail shop in Madison, Wisconsin that offered wines from small producers, European cheeses, gourmet foods, as well as restaurant service. Through his weekly wine tastings he has become an expert on creating interesting tasting flights that serve to both educate and entertain his customers.

Jack has been with Berman’s since 2009 where he selects wines for the store, conducts weekly wine tastings, assists customers with their wine selections, and uses his background in marketing, business management, and information technology to make constant improvements to the store, both behind the scenes and on the sales floor.

Though formally trained in neurobiology, Greg discovered his love for wine upon wandering aimlessly into a neighborhood wine shop while studying in Madrid, Spain. Before long, he was traveling through Spain's legendary grape-growing regions, studying to be a sommelier instead of a scientist. Turning this passion into a career, Greg worked as a vineyard and cellar hand in New York's Finger Lakes region, where he was taught the intricate details of the vinification process from one of the region's top winemakers. Now, as a wine buyer for Berman's, he has worked to expand the store's selection of the great values in Spanish wine, as well as other fantastic choices from "bang for your buck" regions such as Chile, Argentina and Oregon (though he loves Joel's French and Italian specialties!). His favorite part of the job, however, is teaching customers about the hidden gems of the shop, paying forward the passion instilled in him by the shop owner in Madrid.

Formerly a janitor at MIT, Jay Sturm has a gift for math and chemistry that can take him light-years beyond his blue-collar roots, but he has never realized his full potential. Born and raised in South Boston, he could never imagine leaving his childhood neighborhood, his construction job, or his lifelong best friend. To complicate matters, several strangers enter the equation: a brilliant math professor who discovers, even envies, Jay's gifts, an empathetic shrink who identifies with Jay’s humble roots and unbridled brilliance, and a beautiful, gifted, pre-med student who shows him, for the first time in his life, the possibility of love. Now Jay works at Berman’s and drinks beers.

Katie is Berman's liquor manager. She has worked here at the store for over 13 years, making her the third longest-employed staff member. She has seen the store go through many changes over the years. She has worked her way up from a part-time sales position to her current position as a manager. An Arlington native, she worked as a daycare teacher before becoming full time at Berman's. Her favorite wine in the store is the La Fiera Pinot Grigio, and she enjoys trying the fruity white craft beers.