Master Sommelier George Kruth Touted ‘Open Marriage’ With Wife To Fans, Misconduct Complaint Reveals

Geoff Kruth, the 45-year-old master sommelier once considered a rising star, resigned from a wine organization he founded amid accusations of sexual misconduct.

Several women in a New York Times piece running under the headline “The Wine World's Most Elite Circle Has a Sexual Harassment Problem” accused Kruth of reaching inside their pants, appearing nude in front of them and other allegations of sexual misconduct.

GuildSomm is a non-profit online organization promoting education for wine professionals. In a statement sent to The San Francisco Chronicle, GuildSomm Interim Executive Director and head instructor Chris Tanghe said the allegations raised in the article were deeply disturbing.

“Shortly after the GuildSomm board of directors learned of the allegations, (Kruth) voluntarily resigned,” Tanghe stated. Quoted in the Times, Kruth said he stepped down “to remove the Guild from any controversy.”

Victoria James, one of the accusers who admitted to having sex with a married Kruth who touted his "open marriage" to fans, suggested it was part of the culture.

“The sad thing is that you get used to being beholden to men in this industry,” she was quoted as saying. “I felt like I didn’t have a choice.”

In a statement, the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas said it does not condone the behavior outlined in the Times article.

“This Board upholds any discipline already handed down and will investigate all accusations outlined in the article,” the statement read.

Kruth denied all of the allegations, saying any encounter was consensual.

Apart from his role with GuildSomm, Kruth was one of the personalities outlined in the Netflix documentary Somm.

Online magazine StarChefs in 2015 listed him as a rising star in the professional wine community. He was warned by the Court of Master Sommeliers two years later amid complaints about sexual misconduct.

Sexual misconduct charges have surfaced this year amid the #MeToo movement. Actress Rose McGowan in September accused Oscar-winning filmmaker Alexander Payne of sexual misconduct in an incident that occurred when she was 15 years old.