Rachel Speckan is the the Director of Marketing at Maverick Wine Company.

Based in Chicago, but, with mobility and a love for travel, Rachel is thoroughly immersed in the local and national professional beverage industry and communities.

Rachel is an Advanced Sommelier with certification from both WSET and Court of Master Sommeliers. She also holds a Master's degree in the Social Sciences from the University of Chicago. As a cultural anthropologist by educational training and a naturally curious disposition, she is on a mission to research and taste all things fermented and, in turn, share the love and knowledge with fellow wine lovers.  

Rachel grew up on a farm in the Ozark National Forest in northwest Arkansas. Childhood adventures in the mountains involved licking river rocks and smelling the forest after a rain, climbing hay-bales and similar experiences with intense sensory imprints. Thus, she has serious roots to the land and sense of place. She continues to search out and align with winemakers that share a similar vision and translate a particular place to the taste of a finished wine.