Meet Our People
Who we are
Get to know us.
Everyone needs a friend in the wine industry. The person who has the inside scoop on what’s tasting great, what new producers are making outstanding wines and where the bargains are. We’re a small but mighty team who know the inside scoop on wines but more importantly, loves to share it with our friends (also known as ‘customers’). We pride ourselves on being lovers of people and wine geeks with service-driven hearts. In our mind it’s the perfect combination. Now you have a friend in the wine industry, you just must visit us to learn more!
Kathryn House McClaskey
Founder, Perpetual Student, Lead Glass Polisher
Kathryn “Kat” House McClaskey is the founder, wine educator, and glass polishing fanatic behind House of Wine. She holds a Master of Science degree in Horticulture from Washington State University with special emphasis in Viticulture and Enology. Prior to moving to Boise in 2010, Kat worked throughout Washington State including time spent in Walla Walla, Washington with Seven Hills Vineyard and Pepper Bridge Winery and four years with Betz Family Winery in Woodinville, Washington, where she was the Assistant Winemaker from 2006 to 2010. During this time, Kat was also the instructor for the Viticulture and Wine Chemistry courses at the Northwest Wine Academy, where she furthered her love of adult education.
In 2010, Kat left Washington to explore the Idaho wine country and here, she has found her home. She created House of Wine to fill demand for wine production consulting and producer and consumer wine education. Since 2010 she has worked alongside winemakers and groups teaching numerous seminars enabling growers and producers to increase grape and wine quality.
A perpetual student, Kat continues her pursuit of learning and is a student in the most prestigious (and challenging!) wine education program in the world: Master of Wine as a Stage Three Student. She is a certified educator for the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and holds an Advanced Certificate, is Idaho’s first certified Italian Wine Professional (IWP), and holder of an advanced Rioja DOCa certification. She has been fortunate to judge several wine competitions including The Sunset International Wine Competition, The Great Northwest Wine Competition, and the Idaho Wine Competition. In addition, Kat is the Wine Columnist for the Idaho Press and Boise Weekly. She feels fortunate to have the opportunity to combine her love of teaching and learning with new and seasoned wine enthusiasts.
José Manzanares
Retail Manager, Entertainer, Hospitality Hero
Jose F. Manzanares III is our Retail Manager with a 12-year background in the service/retail industry, specializing in the fields of beverage and hospitality. With a career journey that spans diverse roles, Jose's titles range from busser to General Manager. Experiencing all levels of the ladder has given José a greater appreciation and knowledge of what goes into giving an unforgettable customer experience.
Although a lifelong fan of wine, Jose’s wine journey really took off in 2018, when he began to work for the esteemed downtown Boise pintxo and wine shop, The Basque Market. This allowed him to become a student of wine by working with one of the largest collections of Basque and Spanish wines in the Northwest. His time at the Market presented him with the opportunity to travel to the Basque Country in order to experience their product firsthand and create a strong connection to what they sold.
In 2023, he achieved the distinguished Wine & Spirit Education Trust Levels 1 and 2 Award in Wines. Additionally, his commitment to exceptional retail and hospitality service was further acknowledged in 2022 when he was named a finalist for the "RETAIL" Recognition of Service Excellence (ROSE) Award by Visit Boise.
During his off hours, Jose spends his time hitting the gym, going on runs, exploring new travel destinations, reading and sharing moments with his energetic 12-year-old daughter. As the youngest among nine siblings, he also cherishes visiting his extended family.
John Ospina
Wine Guide, Spanish and Italian Wine Guru
John is a wine educator, enthusiast, collector and an avid cyclist. A long-time resident of Washington he spent 13 years volunteering at Betz Family Winery helping out in all aspects of the winery; harvest, bottling and his favorite, pouring wine and talking with like-minded customers during wine releases. John enjoyed learning about wine so much that he sought to formalize his education and enrolled in the Wine and Spirits Education Trust in 2008 where he worked through Level 3 graduating with honors in 2009. John continued his education by enrolling in the Wine Scholar Guild in 2018 completing his education in 2020 becoming an Italian, Spanish and French Wine Scholar, graduating with highest honors in all three. John moved to the Treasure Valley area with his family in 2020 and took that opportunity to reconnect with Kat and start a new chapter in the wine industry. One of John’s passions is sharing and experiencing wine with people who are wine curious and eager to learn more.
Kelsey Hall
Wine Guide. Curator of Spaces. Powered by Community.
Kelsey is an adventurous lover of wine and driven in hospitality. While some of her favorite wines lie in France and Spain, she will take any time and place to try unique grape varietals and wines from new regions. As a sponge in the world of wine, Kelsey's passion has grown into one of self-education and a mission to cultivate her knowledge through educators and wine makers themselves. A lover of the arts and her Treefort Music Fest team; she also has a strong eye for design and prides herself on clean, organized spaces; and enjoys good food (and wine) with her favorite people. You might catch her anywhere enjoying a downtown patio or at home with loved ones and her favorite hairless cat, Rosemary.
Melissa Hewitt
Wine Guide, Vineyard Owner, Start-up Savant
Michael Lane
Wine Guide, Travel Enthusiast, Local Wine Lover
Michael has a lifelong interest in wine, having grown up near wine country. He and wife Lisa love to travel the world and typically make plans around wineries and restaurants to immerse themselves in local culture. In fact, they were almost stranded in the Loire Valley when the COVID lockdown hit! Together they have visited wineries in France and New Zealand as well as Washington, Oregon, California and New England. In addition, Michael is an avid outdoor enthusiast and guide for trips in Jackson, WY. He is also an involved volunteer with the Peregrine Fund World Center for Birds of Prey. Michael achieved a WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and constantly seeks new opportunities to continue learning about wine so he can share the knowledge with others. He also keeps trying to learn French, so far with disappointing results.