Shortly after meeting at an expat house party in the Gracia neighborhood of Barcelona circa 2006, Lauren & Sarah bonded over a shared love of all things wine, food & travel. During their time in the sunshine soaked city, the two visited local wine regions, frequented wine bars in all the nooks and crannies of the Old City and shared countless hours sat around tables with friends enjoying Catalan culinary and vinous delights. Fast forward almost two decades, some post graduate studies, a career in wine another in hotels, 3 countries, a few kids and a pandemic and we find Lauren & Sarah back in one city. This time it is Seattle and now they are ready to pursue something that they dreamed up all those years ago, a continent away: Anímate Wine Collective.
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After two years of working in finance, Lauren quickly realized hospitality was her true passion. She's spent the last 18 years developing and managing hotels in Barcelona, NYC and Portland, OR. Along the way, Lauren developed a passion for wine through her travels, as the president of a wine club at while getting an MBA at the Wharton School, developing the bar programs at her hotels and then earning a Diploma in Wine from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. Lauren recently relocated to Seattle with her husband and son.
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With over 15 years of experience in the wine industry, Sarah's journey has spanned many countries and aspects of the business.
Sarah worked for a Spanish Wine Importer in New York City selling wine to renowned restaurants. In Spain, she served as export director for wineries in Catalonia & Zaragoza. In London, UK, Sarah joined the buying team of a leading importer and distributor.
Sarah's mission is to share her love and understanding of wine with enthusiasts . Through her experience and knowledge, she aims to ignite a passion for exploration and appreciation in every glass.She holds a postgraduate degree in Winery Management from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, alongside a Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.