Mark Jensen is wine director at Bernardus Lodge, a boutique luxury resort located in Carmel Valley, California. In this position, he oversees the wine program for the award-winning Marinus restaurant and Wickets Bistro at Bernardus Lodge, as well as Will’s Fargo Dining House & Saloon in Carmel Valley Village. He is responsible for developing and organizing the wine list for all three restaurants, as well as buying, stocking and maintaining the inventory of each collection. He also manages the hiring and educational training of his sommelier staff. Jensen works alongside world-renowned executive chef Cal Stamenov to develop wine pairings that complement Stamenov’s California natural cuisine menus. While Jensen’s responsibilities are expansive, he describes the most important part of his job as providing outstanding service to every guest.
Prior to joining Bernardus Lodge in 1999, Jensen worked for 14 years as the wine director at Highlands Inn, located in Carmel, California. For the past 14 years, Jensen has coordinated the prestigious Masters of Food & Wine event, an annual gathering of the world’s most celebrated chefs and winemakers. In addition to the Masters of Food & Wine event, Jensen has worked closely with Cal Stamenov for 10 years to coordinate an annual Truffle Dinner, which is a six-course menu paired with finest wines from around the world. In addition to his high-end restaurant career, Jensen has 16 years of experience working harvests, picking grapes, and operating a bottling line.
Jensen resides in Pebble Beach, California, with his wife.