Hello......  My name is Gregory Hayes. 

As I start this new chapter in my life as the Sommelier & Wine Buyer here at Mecenat I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself.    Well to start I was born and raised in Wisconsin........ And Yes, very much a Green Bay Packer's fan and I love everything that goes along with that............ Great Cheese, Brats, Sauer kraut and, of course, and of course great German style beer.
 
After graduating from the University Wisconsin - Whitewater with a degree in Public Relations and a minor in Marketing, I moved to the big city of Chicago, which I have called home for the past 25 years........
 
In 1992, I took a position as a teller with Affiliated Bank in Lake Zurich, IL which started me on the path of a 20 year career in the Chicago banking market.  Throughout my career, I have held a number of positions from teller, and Personal Banker, Retail Bank Training Officer, and finally Bank Manager, but always focused on delivering the"Ultimate Customer Experience".  I am looking forward to doing the same for you as the Wine Buyer here at Mecenat Bistro & Gathering Place here in Western Springs.
 
Being a good German beer drinker, you may be asking how I made the move to Wine. It's really my best friend's doing, along with his girlfriend (at the time, now his wife).  She took him of to France, and he fell in love with the country and especially the wine.  So, that was the beginning of my love and passion for WINE...  
 
It is my passion for wine that has afforded me the opportunity to travel some spectacular wine regions here in the US and in France.  Trying to choose a single favorite would be like asking a parent to pick their favorite child.   But I think that I will always remember the private tours of 15 French Chateaux (French Wineries) we visited in 2006.  But then again there was my first trip was to the Rhone region of France which at the end I had fallen in love with Châteauneuf du Pape especially the Chateau de Beaucastel - 2000 "Hommage à Jacques Perrin" 
 
In 1999 through some other friends, I was introduced to a local wine tasting room "Tasting de Vine", associated with Illinois' largest and oldest continuous running winery "Lynfred Winery".  So in November of 2000, I starting working for Valerie Koehler, and have been there for the past 12 years.  In addition to Tasting de Vine, I became an instructor for the Continuing Education Department at the College of DuPage, teaching their Wine Basic and Wine Certification class.
 
In 2011 I applied and was accepted into the Culinary Institute America's post graduate Accelerated Wine and Beverage Program (AWPB).  I graduated May 2012, one of 21 students worldwide accepted into the program.  In addition to graduating from the AWBP program I also received my Certified Wine Professional (CWP) credentials, and in April of this year sat for and passed my Level I and II Certified Sommelier exams through the US Court of Master Sommeliers.....
 
So I invite you to stop by Mecenat Bistro & Gathering Place located at 821 W Burlington Avenue, Western Springs so we can enjoy a glass or two of wine and the new amazing Fall Menu created by Executive Chef Ryan Ries ............
 
Cheers,

Gregory Hayes, CS, CWP                                                                       Certified Sommelier - Wine Buyer                                                           Mecenat Bistro & Gathering Place

Gregory@MecenatBistro.com