Meet one of our Certified Sommeliers – Ferdy!

Ferdinando Mucerino (Ferdy) is a CMS Certified Sommelier. He was born and raised in Naples, Italy. When he was only 5 years old he remembers helping his grandfather make Aglianico for friends and family. His passion for wine is entwined with his upbringing and childhood memories.

Ferdinando has learned about wine from some of the best in the business. In 2012, he joined A16’s wine program in San Francisco. That program won the James Beard award for the best wine program in the country. Following A16, he moved to Los Angeles to work for the Michelin star awarded restaurant, Rustic Canyon and became their Wine Director. His goal was to create one of the most unique and talked about wine lists, one that would rival the best in the industry. Wine Enthusiast took notice of his impressive wine list and included Rustic Canyon in their “Top 100 Wine Bars in America” issue in 2016, and then again for 3 consecutive years! Wine Enthusiast also nominated Ferdinando as “Best Wine Director of the Year” in 2019. This award recognizes only the top 5 professionals in the country.

Today, Ferdinando works as the in-house somm for DRINKS, a leading consumer marketplace for high-quality and affordable premium wine. Ferdinando has worked with Martha Stewart, Nike, The Humane Society, the Make-a-Wish foundation, Macys, and many others to create exciting wine events for their corporate get- togethers and fundraisers. Besides sharing his knowledge and passion for wine, Ferdinando enjoys soccer, hiking with his rescue dogs, and collecting old and rare wines. His personal collection includes wines from the 1800s to current releases.