About
Elizabeth Smith
Dr. Elizabeth Smith is a former community college professor and Napa Valley wine club manager turned award-winning writer, independent Certified Fora Travel Advisor, marketer, and brand ambassador.
Elizabeth’s writing awards include the 2017 Born Digital Wine Award for Best Tourism Content with a Focus on Wine for her story, “Lodi: Beyond the Zinfandel.” She was the Koch Winery category winner in the 2022 Hungarian Web Wine Writing Competition for "2018 Wetzer Furmint, Tokaj, Hungary." She was also a finalist in the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Wine Travel Awards "The Brightest Journey" category.
It was Elizabeth’s Hungarian Wines Web Wine Writing win in August 2022 that led her to Hungary for the first time, where her passion for Central European wines was born. This fortuitous turn of events has led her to Hungary eight times – as well as other Central European and Balkan countries – Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Serbia – to discover and share untold stories about the special people and places that make Central European wines unlike no others in the world. In October 2024, Elizabeth moved to Zagreb, Croatia to immerse herself in the region that she loves. She is an independent Certified Fora Travel Advisor. She also continues to serve as a brand ambassador for Croatian Premium Wine Imports in the U.S.
Elizabeth holds a doctoral degree in community college education, master's and bachelor's degrees in French, a graduate minor in Spanish, and Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s Level 3 Advanced designation. She is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers, Les Dames d’Escoffier International Sacramento and Sonoma chapters, and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association.
What People Are Saying
“I have known Elizabeth for more than a decade 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 Food Truck and 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 Food Truck