Cliff Stepp
Show Creator and Host
e-mail: CLICK HERE

Cliff has been a home winemaker since 1977. His work in marketing and advertising brought him into contact with San Luis Obispo’s fledgling wine industry in the early eighties.

During the creation of a “touring and tasting map” of SLO County, a group of six Paso Grotesqueries him for help in designing a cohesive marketing program financed with their pooled resources. Soon after the first print and TV campaign launched the group grew to 24 wineries. This was the beginning of our area’s first wine industry trade association, the Paso Robles Vintners & Growers Association (now the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance).

During this time Cliff created the first “Wine Tasting Passport” program in the state of California, helped launch the spring and fall wine events in Paso Robles, and conceived of the mileage marker signs now seen at nearly every tasting room in the County.

He has a long history in marketing and has created award winning campaigns for clients as diverse as restaurants, Proctor and Gamble, Valvoline, gourmet baked goods, recording artists and hardware stores.
Cliff is also credited with writing songs that were produced by B. B. King and a tune that was recorded by the Pure Prairie League and various bluegrass groups. He is often seen performing at winery events as a solo artists, trio or his full band, The Cliffnotes.

During the past 15 years he has hosted several different radio shows featuring wine makers, chefs and special event coordinators. Cliff was also the media coordinator and MC for the Winery Music Awards series of events in Paso Robles, which highlighted primarily local talent judged by major music industry figures.

When not entertaining listeners, Cliff runs a marketing company, SteppUp Consulting, that provides clients with copywriting, audio/video content, internet marketing and direct mail programs.

 

Jan Manni
Co- Host
e-mail: CLICK HERE

Jan Manni is a Certified Sommelier and owner of the popular Wine Attic in Paso Robles.
She migrated from the Bay Area and a high-tech Fortune 500 career to become a Paso Robles wine guru.

Jan received her MBA from Golden Gate University while working at Xerox Corporation and ABD Doctorate of Public Administration while working for AT&T in San Francisco.

While living in the Bay Area, Jan took advantage of her close proximity to Napa/Sonoma, and soon became a wine aficionado and the seeds of career change began to grow.

By 2007, Jan had passed her second level examination to become a Certified Sommelier. Jan also has been a wine judge in several competition and blending panels. Her palate is well-respected and she selects wines for clients all over the US. Jan is also starting an export business focusing on high-end "cult" wines from California's the Central Coast Region.

In her four years of operating The Wine Attic, Jan has specialized in handcrafted, limited-edition, local and imported, medal-winning wines. Small production, organic, biodynamic wines are also highlighted in her selections.

If you like fresh made, gourmet cuisine at modest prices in a casual bistro environment, The Wine Attic is a must stop.

Jan likes to keep things hopping at The Attic as you can see from their Calendar of Events that’s stuffed with live music, wine and food events. Saturdays are especially popular for enjoying live music under the stars on their garden patio.

As Jan likes to say, “It's a tasting and educational experience that’s always fun.”