Heather Smiley is the Wine, Beer and Spirits Manager at Gus’s Community Market, a family-owned San Francisco grocery business operating since 1981. The company serves its communities through five neighborhood marketplaces and is known for its carefully selected local products, fresh food and personal approach to retail.

Heather brings extensive experience across wine retail, buying and sales. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with restaurants, independent bottle shops, winemakers and producers, giving her a strong understanding of how wines move from the producer to the shelf—and ultimately into the consumer’s basket.

She is particularly passionate about organic, biodynamic and natural wines, as well as distinctive domestic producers. In her role at Gus’s Community Market, Heather helps develop a relevant and engaging beverage selection for San Francisco consumers, evaluating wines for quality, authenticity, price positioning and retail appeal.

As a USA Wine Ratings judge, Heather brings the valuable perspective of a working U.S. retail wine buyer. Her experience enables her to assess whether a wine delivers on quality, value and packaging while possessing the commercial potential to earn a place on American retail shelves.