Santiago Cilley is the founder of Custom Wine Solutions and CEO, Founder and Owner of Wine & Spirits Purveyors. With more than two decades of experience in the global wine industry, he works with wineries, importers, distributors and beverage brands on market strategy, distribution development and commercial growth. His background spans winery operations, brand building, importing and bringing wines to market.

Santiago previously served as CEO of Phantom Creek Estates in Canada’s Okanagan Valley and President of Alejandro Bulgheroni Family Vineyards USA, alongside senior leadership roles at VIA Wines in Chile. He began his wine industry career at Jackson Family Wines, working closely with founder Jess Jackson on strategic projects across viticulture, winemaking, sales and international business. He holds an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

As a USA Wine Ratings judge, Santiago brings an international business perspective to evaluating wines for the U.S. market. His experience connecting producers with importers and distributors informs his assessment of quality, value and packaging, with attention to both consumer appeal and commercial potential.