Karen MacNeil (born 1954) is an American
author
An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states:
"''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...
,
journalist
A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...
,
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
educator and
consultant.
Career
MacNeil's first article, on the subject of the best butter on offer in New York delis, was published in ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
.''
She transitioned to wine writing in the mid-1970s, when she was commissioned by ''
Elle
''Elle'' (stylized ''ELLE'') is a worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, together with culture, society and lifestyle. The title means "she" or "her" in French. ''Elle'' is considered the w ...
'' magazine to write a wine article.
[ In 1991, she signed a contract with Workman Publishing Co. to write a book on wine, ''The Wine Bible'', which was released in 2001.]PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
series titled ''Wine, Food and Friends with Karen MacNeil'' (in tandem with the book), for which she won an Emmy. MacNeil was also wine correspondent on NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
's ''The Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It ...
'',[ has published articles in a wide range of publications, and works as a private wine education consultant. The second edition of ''The Wine Bible'' was published in 2015. The third version of ''The Wine Bible'' is scheduled for publication in 2022.]The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', '' Food & Wine'', ''Saveur
''Saveur'' is an online gourmet, food, wine, and travel magazine that publishes essays about various world cuisines. The publication was co-founded by Dorothy Kalins, Michael Grossman, Christopher Hirsheimer, and Colman Andrews, who was also th ...
'', and '' Town & Country''. She is the creator and chairman of the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone is a branch campus of the private culinary college the Culinary Institute of America. The Greystone campus, located on State Route 29/ 128 in St. Helena, California, offers associate degrees and tw ...
in St. Helena, California
St. Helena ( ; Wappo language, Wappo: ''Anakotanoma'') is a city in Napa County, California, Napa County, in the Wine Country of California. Located in the North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area), North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the ...
.[Heimoff, Steve, 'Q & A with Karen MacNeil'. ''Wine Enthusiast'' (July 18, 2007)][''Wine Business'' (March 29, 2010)]
Wine Expert and Author Karen MacNeil Launches New Brand Identity and Innovative Website
/ref> In her work as a private wine education consultant, her clients have included Merrill Lynch, Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota. The Lexus brand is marketed in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. It has ranked among the 10 largest Japanese ...
, General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable en ...
, Time Inc.
Time Inc. was an American worldwide mass media corporation founded on November 28, 1922, by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden and based in New York City. It owned and published over 100 magazine brands, including its namesake ''Time'', ''Sports Illu ...
and American Express.[ MacNeil also produces an online wine newsletter called ''WineSpeed''. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she began a series of virtual wine tastings in Zoom sessions.]Napa Valley
Napa Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County in California's Wine Country. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on January 27, 1981. Napa Valley is considered one of the premier ...
. MacNeil was married to Dennis Fife (1945-2016), the past proprietor of Fife Vineyards. Their adopted daughter, Emma Fife
Awards and honours
* 2004: Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year (James Beard Foundation)
* 2005: Wine Educator of the Year (European Wine Council)
* 2007: Wine Literary Award (Wine Appreciation Guild)
* 2008: International Wine & Spirits Competition Communicator of the Year award.[
]
See also
*List of wine personalities
Instead of common selection criteria for the entire list, notability of people involved should be checked against the description of each sector.
Sectors are arranged from cultivation through processing, starting from vineyards to consumption ad ...
* Jancis Robinson
References
External links
Official website of Karen MacNeil
WineSpeed website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macneil, Karen
1954 births
Living people
Wine critics
Culinary Institute of America people