About Eric

Eric Railsback’s emergence in the wine industry began taking shape in Santa Barbara nearly a decade ago. After stints at the Wine Cask and the Hungry Cat, Railsback furthered his exposure to different regions and producers at Osteria Mozza and running the wine program at Gordon Ramsey in Los Angeles. Eric has a strong connection to the wines of France after working harvests in Burgundy at Domaine Roulot and Domaine Dujac. After Santa Barbara Eric brought his talents to Michael Mina’s RN74 – a premiere Burgundy- inspired restaurant in San Francisco. There, he led a team of sommeliers for over three years before bringing it back full circle to Santa Barbara launching Lieu Dit and Railsback Freres Wineries.

About João

Born and raised in the Vinho Verde (Minho) region, in the north of Portugal, João moved to Lisbon after high school, to pursue further education and (at the time) his dream career, in the Portuguese Navy School. Despite his family background in the Port wine business, João never thought that he would pursue a career in the wine industry. However, after leaving the Navy School, a need for a quick and accessible income led João to the restaurant industry and after bouncing between a few iconic restaurants in Lisbon, he landed at Belcanto where he was first exposed to fine wine and dining - the rigor of 2 Michelin stars service, the intricacies of food and wine pairing and the pursuit of excellence on a day-to-day basis, made João fall in love with fine dining, and he never looked back.

In 2015, João met his now wife in Lisbon and after 14 months of long-distance, he decided to move to Chicago & not even the cold, long winters of the Windy City made him regret his move. After working, for 4 years, as a Wine Director at Next Restaurant, João opened Verve Chicago, where he became familiar with Grand Cru Selections. After years of talking, advertising, and selling GCS wines, joining the opening team of GCS IL seemed a natural next step. When he's not working, João can be found cooking Portuguese dishes for his wife and 2 sons, or on a Peloton bike (when there is time to spare).

About James

A Native New Yorker, James has built a diverse and accomplished career in operations management. He began his journey in the fashion industry, focusing on women's fashion as a Domestic Purchaser of items such as belts, hats and scarves. Over the course of two decades, he managed the sourcing of products from international markets, including China, India and Europe. In 2020, James pivoted to a new opportunity during the pandemic, joining Amazon as an Logisitic Area Manager. His dedication and expertise quickly earned him a promotion, where he successfully oversaw operations for driver teams in Brooklyn, New York. Now venturing into a new field of wines, looking forward to learn of the operations at Grand Cru as he explores the intricacies of this dynamic field. Beyond his professional pursuits, James is an avid sports enthusiast, often spotted sporting his favorite Collection of 59-50 hats as a proud supporter of the New York Yankees and the Miami Dolphins.