About
Elizabeth Smith

Dr. Elizabeth Smith is an independent Fora Certified Travel Advisor and an award-winning writer. A former French and Spanish professor, Napa Valley wine club manager, copywriter for Naked Wines USA, and brand ambassador for Croatian Premium Wine Imports in the U.S., she now combines her love of wine, travel, and storytelling to spotlight the people and places shaping Central and Eastern Europe’s dynamic wine scene.

 

Dr. Elizabeth Smith is an independent Fora Certified Travel Advisor and an award-winning writer. A former French and Spanish professor, Napa Valley wine club manager, copywriter for Naked Wines USA, and brand ambassador for Croatian Premium Wine Imports in the U.S., she now combines her love of wine, travel, and storytelling to spotlight the people and places shaping Central and Eastern Europe’s dynamic wine scene.
Elizabeth's accolades include the 2017 Born Digital Wine Award for Best Tourism Content with a Focus on Wine for her story, “Lodi: Beyond the Zinfandel”, the 2022 Hungarian Wines Web Wine Writing Competition (Koch Winery category) for "2018 Wetzer Furmint, Tokaj, Hungary”, and three consecutive finalist nods (2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026) in the Wine Travel Awards’ "The Brightest Journey" category.
Her 2022 writing win brought her to Hungary for the first time—igniting a deep passion for the wines of Central and Eastern Europe. Since then, she has traveled extensively throughout Croatia, France, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Serbia to uncover the region’s hidden wine stories. You can find her writing portfolio on Muck Rack.
Elizabeth holds a doctorate in community college education, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in French, a graduate minor in Spanish, and WSET Level 3 Advanced certification. She is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers, Les Dames d’Escoffier International (Sacramento and Sonoma), and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association.

What People Are Saying

“I have known Elizabeth for over 15 years and consider her one of the most thoughtful writers in wine. She has a great work ethic and commitment to well-researched writing.” — Frank Morgan, Wine Columnist, The Virginian-Pilot and Drink What YOU Like

“Through her writing, Elizabeth has introduced Mercadito Catering to new customers who did not know of our existence. Her continued support of Napa Valley’s food industry is invaluable.” — Valentín Ayade, Chef and Owner of Mercadito Catering