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What is AOC Selections?

AOC Selections is a modern full-service wine retailer that believes in community and engagement with our clientele. We have a staff of sommeliers working to bring you the best wines in the world. Our collection features a rotation of over 3,500 selections that range from collectible benchmarks and icon wines to well-vetted everyday drinkers from around the world. Cellar consultation is available. You'll discover a full service wine campus in each of our locations. You can learn about wine through The Texas Wine School. If you need storage, and are looking for an active community of collectors who are engaged with tastings and events, we have temperature-controlled, generator-protected wine storage at Art of Cellaring next door.

AOC Selections

MEET THE WINE TEAM

Brandon Kerne, MS

Brandon Kerne is the Director of Operations for the AOC Collective. He passed the Master Sommelier exam in 2021, becoming the 270th individual since 1973 to pass this rigorous examination. For five years beginning in 2015, Brandon was the lead sommelier at Pappas Bros Steakhouse in downtown Houston. The program received numerous accolades while he was a member of the team, including a James Beard nomination for Outstanding Wine Program and the Wine Spectator Grand Award. At Pappas, he worked with over 4,500 selections spanning vintages dating back over a century from regions all around the world. Brandon also coordinated the wine education programs at each of the Pappas Bros Steakhouse locations in Texas, and is passionate about wine education. Prior to living in Houston, he was a manager and wine director at both Bar Italia and Elaia & Olio in Saint Louis, Missouri, which placed in Wine Enthusiast's "America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants" and Bon Appetit's "50 Best New Restaurants in America".   

Liz Palmer

Liz Palmer is the proprietor of the AOC Collective and the founder of AOC Selections and Art of Cellaring. She is a CPA and attorney, a perennial volunteer who jumped headfirst into running three small businesses (she is also the Executive Director of The Texas Wine School). She is an avid learner who recently discovered she's a great talent scout! She is NOT a natural salesman, and happily buries herself in spreadsheets most of the day, but if you can pull her out of the daily grind, she is happy to geek out on all things wine. She holds the WSET Diploma, Bourgogne Ambassador, California Wine Appellation Specialist, Certified Rioja Educator, Certified Specialist of Wine, French Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Scholar, Spanish Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Professional Certifications.

AOC Selections

MEET THE WINE TEAM

Joshua Thomas

Upon returning to San Antonio, Joshua launched Maverick Texas Brasserie in the winter of 2018, where his passion for wine propelled the restaurant into the national spotlight. Its expertly curated wine program earned a spot on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Wine Destinations in the U.S. for 2019 and Texas Monthly’s recognition in 2020 as one of the state’s premier wine programs.

In the wake of the pandemic, Joshua shifted his focus from the restaurant industry to his family and the broader wine community. As Consignment Director for the South Central U.S. at WineBid, Joshua’s travels across Texas revealed a critical need for a specialized wine storage community in San Antonio. This discovery inspired a partnership with AOC Houston to establish Art of Cellaring, a wine-focused retail and storage space that serves as a hub for enthusiasts and collectors alike. With AOC Selections, the retail arm of the operation, Joshua curates a dynamic range of wines, offering everything from rare finds to everyday bottles that bring joy to the table.

With roots in culinary arts and a strong foundation in wine education, Joshua’s achievements include an International Sommelier Guild Diploma and certification as a wine educator from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). He also holds the Advanced certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers. In 2013, Wine & Spirits Magazine named him one of the “Best New Sommeliers” in the U.S., highlighting his expertise and contributions to the industry.

Joshua remains dedicated to enriching San Antonio’s wine culture, using AOC Selections as a platform to introduce “the good juice” to a growing community of wine lovers.

Hannah Stanton

Hannah began her hospitality and wine journey as a server before earning her concierge stripes at South Congress Hotel in Austin, Texas. It was there that she discovered her knack for delivering white-glove service and transforming ordinary moments into special memories. 

When the world took a pause in 2020, Hannah made her way to San Antonio to be closer to her now-husband. This serendipitous move led her to manage the tasting room at Seventh Son Vineyards, a family-owned vineyard in Wimberley, Texas. Immersed in the vineyard's rustic elegance, getting to taste estate wines and discover her palate, she fell head over heels for the wine industry and the vibrant community it fosters. This led to her completing her WSET Level 2 certification, achieved in July 2022, and her ongoing pursuit of the Level 3 certification by April of this year. 

Today, Hannah is the first employee of AOC San Antonio and enjoys wearing the many hats that accompany that honor. Each day at Art of Cellaring presents an opportunity to deepen her knowledge and contribute to a growing community that shares her love for wine.

Chenin

Chenin is the lovable, four-legged ambassador of AOC Selections. Most days, you’ll find her lounging on the floor, greeting every visitor with a wagging tail and a warm heart. While she doesn’t partake in wine herself, Chenin has an undeniable fondness for wine lovers. With her friendly demeanor and affectionate nature, she’s always ready to “help” you choose the perfect bottle for your dinner table.

Kelly Rau

Kelly Rau is the Director of Operations for AOC Wine Group. She is heavily involved in all three companies and loves to do everything from working in the cellar to helping customers choose their new favorite bottle of wine. Kelly came to the wine industry after working in the Oil & Gas Industry for over 10 years. She was a dedicated consumer for many years before she finally determined that wine was her true passion. She has obtained her WSET Level III Certification and is also a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. Her studies continue, as she is now working toward the Advanced Sommelier Certification and WSET Level IV Diploma. She is still an avid wine collector and particularly adores all things Champagne and the wines of R. López de Heredia.

Eric Molina

Eric Molina is the Cellar Master for AOC Wine Group. He came to us from restaurants. After many years of experience at Wine Spectator Grand Award-Winning Pappas Bros Steakhouse in Houston, Texas, Eric was thoroughly in love with wine. Eric is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, and he is also a Spanish Wine Scholar.

Brad Fox

Brad Fox is the Director of Sales for the AOC Wine Group, and he has been working with the group in operations, purchasing and sales roles since 2018. Brad has been in the industry since 2011 and has worked in all parts of the business from working as a sommelier in restaurants and tasting rooms to working with importers, distributors, and wineries. He discovered his palate early while traveling through Italy during college, and wine, travel and education have since become his passions. Brad attained his WSET- Level III Certification through the Texas Wine School, and he is currently studying for his WEST Level IV Diploma. He has also studied with the Court of Master Sommeliers, and International Sommelier Guild.

Macy Vance

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Elva Akin

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Discover the world's greatest wines

AOC Selections in San Antonio

A new wine community to help you learn about and explore the world's most complex beverage

Somm Selections

A team of Texas's best sommeliers help select the rotating library of more than 3,000 reference point bottles for your enjoyment

Curated Cellars

With our team's experience, we have a vast network of relationships with wineries and resources across the globe to help access the world's most elusive wines

Wine Tastings

Meet the people and personalities behind some of the world's most elusive wines at our community tastings and events.

Recent offers from AOC Selections

Our sommelier team keeps your finger on the pulse of the best wines that arrive to Texas

Chateau Musar's Vintage Library Releases

The 8th Wonder of the Wine World from Lebanon's Bekaa Valley

Chateau Musar's Vintage Library Releases

The 8th Wonder of the Wine World from Lebanon's Bekaa Valley

Ex-Chateau Releases from

Chateau Pontet-Canet

Ex-Chateau Releases from

Chateau Pontet-Canet

An Alsatian Icon Returns to Texas

Albert Mann's Luscious 2020 Releases

An Alsatian Icon Returns to Texas

Albert Mann's Luscious 2020 Releases

Smoky, Savory, Umami Bombs

Lionel Faury's Jaw-Dropping Cote-Rotie's

Smoky, Savory, Umami Bombs

Lionel Faury's Jaw-Dropping Cote-Rotie's

How can AOC Selections help me now?

Each week, we taste over a hundred wines to make selections for our email offers. If you're looking to casually expore new styles or to begin building a collection, this is where you begin. Subscribe to our mailing list below.

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