Wine personalities
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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 advised by
sommelier A sommelier ( or or ; ), or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. The role of the wine steward in fin ...
s.


Vineyard owners

Included are owners of well-known or sizable vineyards. Excluded are managers (CEOs) of public holding companies as owners and persons owning vineyards as a hobby, being notable for other reasons. Many vineyard owners are also winemakers as well. * Jean-Charles Boisset – head of Boisset Family Estates, Burgundy's largest wine producer * Jean-Michel Cazes – French manager of estates such as Château Lynch-Bages and Château Les Ormes-de-Pez * Cecil O. De Loach, Jr. – Sonoma County grape grower and winemaker *
Franco Biondi Santi Franco Biondi Santi (January 11, 1922 – April 8, 2013) was an Italian winemaker, most known for producing Brunello di Montalcino, a red wine produced only in Montalcino, Tuscany. Biography Franco Biondi Santi was born in Montalcino in 1922, a ...
– Winemaker whose family invented Brunello di Montalcino * Paul Champoux – Washington wine grower * Marie-Thérèse Chappaz – Swiss organic wine grower * Noemi Marone Cinzano – Italian businesswoman, and wine grower * Francesco Marone Cinzano – Italian businessman, and vineyard owner *
Ernest Gallo Ernest J. Gallo (March 18, 1909March 6, 2007) was an American businessman and philanthropist. Gallo co-founded the E & J Gallo Winery in Modesto, California. Early life Gallo was born on March 18, 1909, in Jackson, California.Richard Graff – pioneer
California wine California wine production has a rich viticulture history since 1680 when Spanish Jesuit missionaries planted ''Vitis vinifera'' vines native to the Mediterranean region in their established missions to produce wine for religious services. I ...
maker *
Randall Grahm Randall Grahm is a Californian winemaker and the founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard. He is perhaps best known for his pioneering work with Rhone varieties in California and for popularizing the use of screw caps on premium wines. He was an early ...
– original Rhone Ranger, owner and winemaker Bonny Doon Vineyard * Mike Grgich – winemaker of the
Chateau Montelena Chateau Montelena is a Napa Valley winery most famous for winning the white wine section of the historic "Judgment of Paris" wine competition. Chateau Montelena's Chardonnay was in competition with nine other wines from France and California und ...
wine that won the white wine competition, the "Judgment of Paris" *
Agoston Haraszthy Agoston Haraszthy (; hu, Haraszthy Ágoston, es, Agustín Haraszthy; August 30, 1812 – July 6, 1869) was a Hungarian-American nobleman, adventurer, traveler, writer, town-builder, and pioneer winemaker in Wisconsin and California, often refe ...
– ''Father of Modern Winemaking in California'', see
Sonoma Valley AVA The Sonoma Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California which centers on the Sonoma Valley in the southern portion of the county. The name 'Sonoma' means 'Valley of the Moon' in the local Native American dialect. The ...
* Sir James Hardy – Australian winemaker, businessman and Olympic Games sailor; member of the Hardy's winemaking family. * Donald M. Hess – Swiss vintner in different countries and founder of the ''Hess Collection'' (''
Contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic co ...
'') *
Jean Hugel Jean "Johnny" Frederic Hugel ( September 28, 1924 - June 9, 2009) was an Alsatian wine producer, described by wine expert Tom Stevenson as ''"the single most important person in the development of Alsace wine industry throughout the 20th century." ...
Alsatian wine Alsace wine or Alsatian wine (french: Vin d'Alsace; german: Elsässer Wein; gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, d'r Wii vum Elsàss; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, de Win vum Elsàss) is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily whi ...
producer * Jess Jackson – American wine producer * Henri Jayer – French vintner, credited with introducing important innovations to Burgundian winemaking * Kathryn Kennedy – one of the first women to own a California winery *
Charles Krug Charles Krug (1825–1892) was among the pioneers of winemaking in the Napa Valley, California, and was the founder of the Charles Krug Winery. Biography Charles Krug visited the United States from Prussia in 1847, and became a citizen in 1852. I ...
– founded the first commercial winery in the
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 ...
* Baron Pierre Le Roy – co-founder of the ''
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations ( research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body. In some countries, institutes ca ...
'' (INAO) and owner of Château Fortia * May-Eliane de Lencquesaing – owner of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande; Bordeaux wine ambassador *
Alexis Lichine Alexis Lichine (December 3, 1913 – June 1, 1989) was a Russian wine writer and entrepreneur. He played a key role in promoting varietal labelling of wine, was a masterful salesman of wine, and owned Château Prieuré-Lichine and a share of Ch ...
– wine writer and château-owner * Zelma Long – oenologist and pioneer of women winemaking in California * Ernst Loosen – renowned German winemaker * David Lowe – Australian winemaker; owner of Lowe Wines; past President of NSW Wine Industry Association; Vice President of Australian Winemakers Federation * Alberico Boncompagni Ludovisi – late Italian prince and winemaker of Fiorano * Giorgio Lungarotti – Italian agricultural entrepreneur and viticulturalist, founder of Cantine Lungarotti Winery * André Lurton – instrumental in creating
Pessac-Léognan Pessac-Léognan () is a wine growing area and Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, in the northern part of the Graves region of Bordeaux. Unlike most Bordeaux appellations, Pessac-Léognan is equally famous for both red and (dry) white wines, altho ...
as a separate appellation of
Graves A grave is a location where a dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as grave ...
* Bernard Magrez – French and global wine estate tycoon * Thierry Manoncourt – French winemaker and owner of Château Figeac * Henri Martin – French mayor of Saint-Julien, owner of Château Gloria and Château Saint-Pierre *
Margrit Mondavi Margrit Biever Mondavi (''née'' Kellenberger; August 2, 1925 – September 2, 2016) was a Swiss-born American businesswoman. She was vice president of Cultural Affairs at Robert Mondavi Winery which she joined in 1967. Under her direction, Robe ...
– organizer of cultural events at vineyards in the Napa Valley (founder of
Copia (museum) Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts was a non-profit museum and educational center in downtown Napa, California, dedicated to wine, food and the arts of American culture. The center, planned and largely funded by vintners Robert ...
) *
Robert Mondavi Robert Gerald Mondavi (June 18, 1913 – May 16, 2008) was an American winemaker. His technical and marketing strategies brought worldwide recognition for the wines of the Napa Valley in California. From an early period, Mondavi promoted label ...
– a leading California
vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineya ...
owner; pioneered technical improvements and labeling and marketing wines
varietal A varietal wine is a wine made primarily from a single named grape variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label.The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2000.winepros.com.au. ...
ly * Bill Moularadellis – owner, winemaker and Managing Director of Kingston Estate wines * Christian Moueix – French president of
Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix, or JP Moueix, is a Bordeaux '' négociant'' house founded by Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1937, situated on the Quai du Priourat in Libourne, in the Bordeaux wine region of France. While dealing in wholesale distributi ...
and winemaker *
Egon Müller Egon Müller (born 26 November 1948 in Kiel, Germany) is a former international motorcycle speedway rider and was winner of the Speedway World Championship in 1983, winning the title in his homeland with a maximum score of 15 points. Career Mo ...
– producer of fine Saar-Riesling *
Gustave Niebaum Gustave Ferdinand Niebaum (born Gustaf Ferdinand Nybom; 31 August 1842 – 5 August 1908) was a Finnish-American sea captain and winemaker. Niebaum acquired his maritime schooling in Helsinki, Finland. By the end of 1860s, he had become one of ...
– founder of Inglenook Winery * John Patchett – first person to plant a commercial vineyard in the Napa Valley *
Michel Rolland Michel Rolland (born December 24, 1947) is a Bordeaux-based oenologist, with hundreds of clients across 13 countries and influencing wine style around the world. "It is his consultancies outside France that have set him apart from all but a handfu ...
– oenologist and winery consultant * Nathaniel de Rothschild – founder of the French wine-making branch of the Rothschild family *
Philippe de Rothschild Philippe, Baron de Rothschild (13 April 1902 – 20 January 1988) was a member of the Rothschild banking dynasty who became a Grand Prix motor racing driver, a screenwriter and playwright, a theatrical producer, a film producer, a poet, and one ...
– member of the Rothschild family * Miguel A. Torres – pioneering Catalan winemaker and President of family wine company Bodegas Torres * Bob Trinchero – inventor of White Zinfandel * Aubert de Villaine – French wine expert and co-owner of the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti * Robert G. Wilmers – owner of
Château Haut-Bailly Château Haut-Bailly is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, ranked among the ''Crus Classés'' for red wine in the Classification of Graves wine of 1953 and 1959. The winery and vineyards are located south of the city of Bordeaux ...
, Crus Classé de Graves in Pessac Léognan, Bordeaux * Warren Winiarski – winemaker of the Stag's Leap Wine Cellars wine that won the Cabernet Sauvignon competition at the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976


Viticulturists

Cultivation and harvesting of grapes. * John Adlum – father of American viticulture *
Helmut Becker Helmut Becker (8 March 1927 – 19 July 1990), German viticulturist, was chief of the Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute.Andrew G Reynolds, ''Grapevine Breeding Programs for the Wine Industry: Traditional and Molecular Techniques'' Elsevier, 2015, ...
– German viticulturist * Andy Beckstoffer – California viticulturist * Romeo Bragato
New Zealand wine New Zealand wine is produced in several of its distinct winegrowing regions. As an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, New Zealand has a largely maritime climate, although its elongated geography produces considerable regional variation fr ...
pioneer *
James Busby James Busby (7 February 1802 – 15 July 1871) was the British Resident in New Zealand from 1833 to 1840. He was involved in drafting the 1835 Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand and the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. As British Resident, ...
– widely regarded as the "father" of the Australian wine industry * Jules Chauvet – French chemist, considered the "father" of French natural winemaking * Henri Enjalbert – French professor of geography and specialist in wine geology * Konstantin Frank – "father" of vinifera wine growing in the
Eastern United States The Eastern United States, commonly referred to as the American East, Eastern America, or simply the East, is the region of the United States to the east of the Mississippi River. In some cases the term may refer to a smaller area or the East C ...
*
Pierre Galet Pierre Galet (28 January 1921 – 30 December 2019) was a French ampelographer and author who was an influential figure within ampelography in the 20th century and before DNA typing was widely introduced. Beginning in the 1950s, Pierre Galet introd ...
– French
ampelographer Ampelography ( ἄμπελος, "vine" + γράφος, "writing") is the field of botany concerned with the identification and classification of grapevines, ''Vitis'' spp. Traditionally this has been done by comparing the shape and colour of the ...
and author *
Hermann Jaeger Hermann Jaeger (March 23, 1844 – c. May 17, 1895) was a Swiss-American viticulturist, honored as a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor for his part in saving the French wine industry from the phylloxera root louse pest. Early life Hermann Ja ...
– Swiss-American viticulturist, created over 100 new grape varieties, notable hybrid was ''Jaeger 70'' *
Carole Meredith Carole P. Meredith is an American grape geneticist and was a professor at the Department of Viticulture and Enology of University of California, Davis. Career Before she retired in 2003, Meredith and her research group pioneered the use of DN ...
– geneticist who discovered the parentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah and Zinfandel *
Hermann Müller (Thurgau) : ''For other Hermann Müllers: see Hermann Müller (disambiguation).'' Hermann Müller (21 October 1850 in Tägerwilen, Thurgau, Switzerland – 18 January 1927, in Wädenswil, Zurich), was a Swiss botanist, plant physiologist, oenologist a ...
– Swiss oenologist, developed the Müller-Thurgau grape variety *
Abraham Izak Perold Abraham Izak Perold, Ph.D. (20 October 1880 – 11 December 1941) was a South African people, South African chemist and viticulturist. Educated in South Africa and Germany, Perold is best known for developing the Pinotage grape variety in 1925 t ...
– developed the
Pinotage Pinotage is a red wine grape that is South Africa's signature variety. It was cultivated there in 1925 as a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut (Cinsaut was known as "Hermitage" in South Africa at that time, hence the name). It typically p ...
grape variety * Oscar Renteria – Californian viticulturalist * Albert Seibel – French hybridist (1844–1936) who made "
Seibel grapes Seibel grapes are a group of wine grape varieties which originated with the work of Albert Seibel crossing European grape with American grape species to increase disease resistance. They were planted widely in France during the 1950s but have seen ...
", which are hybrids of ''Vitis vinifera'' and ''Vitis riparia'' * Dr. Richard Smart – Australian viticulturalist * Gil Wahlquist – Australian pioneer organic winemaker


Oenologists

The science and study of
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 ...
and
winemaking Winemaking or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over millennia. The science of wine and ...
. * Alberto Antonini – Italian oenologist and winery consultant * Walter Clore – "father of
Washington wine Washington wine is a wine produced from grape varieties grown in the U.S. state of Washington. Washington ranks second in the United States (behind California) in the production of wine. By 2017, the state had over of vineyards, a harvest of ...
" * Jean-Luc Colombo – Rhone Valley oenologist and winemaker* * Denis Dubourdieu – winemaker, professor of oenology at the
University of Bordeaux The University of Bordeaux (French: ''Université de Bordeaux'') is a Lists of universities in France, public university based in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in Southern France, southwestern France. It has several campuses in the cities and towns of Bor ...
* Max Léglise – French oenologist * Thomas Munson – his proposal saved European wine industry from extinction * Ann C. Noble – inventor of the Aroma Wheel *
Dom Perignon Dom or DOM may refer to: People and fictional characters * Dom (given name), including fictional characters * Dom (surname) * Dom La Nena (born 1989), stage name of Brazilian-born cellist, singer and songwriter Dominique Pinto * Dom people, an ethn ...
Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...
monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
incorrectly credited with the invention of Champagne * Émile Peynaud – renowned French oenologist * Jacques Puisais – French oenologist and taste philosopher


Winemakers

* Kristen Barnhisel – California winemaker * Heidi Peterson Barrett – winemaker of California cult wines, called by Robert Parker "the first lady of wine" * A. W. Baxter – winemaker of Veedercrest Vineyards, which competed in the "Judgement of Paris" * Ntsiki Biyela – first black female winemaker in South Africa * Cathy Corison – winemaker and consultant * Didier Dagueneau – Loire winemaker of Sauvignon blanc cult wine * Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin-Cliquot – Champagne and namesake of Veuve Cliquot * Stéphane Derenoncourt – French winemaker and winery consultant * Paul Draper – winemaker of
Ridge Vineyards Ridge Vineyards is a California winery specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay wines. Ridge produces wine at two winery locations in northern California. The original winery facilities are located at an elevation of on Mon ...
* Peter Gago – Australian winemaker and writer * Mia Klein – California winemaker * Robin and Andréa McBride – African American winemakers and founders of McBride Sisters Wine Company * Justin Meyer – monk and winemaker at Christian Brothers * Maurice O'Shea – Australian pioneer winemaker *
Eben Sadie The Sadie Family is a South African wine, South African producer of wine located in the Swartland region. Following the emergence of flagship wines Columella and Palladius, winemaker Eben Sadie has been described as an ', South Africa's first cert ...
– South African winemaker of the Sadie Family *
Max Schubert Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (English Springer Spaniel), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...
– leading winemaker and creator of
Penfolds Grange Penfolds Grange (until the 1989 vintage labelled Penfolds Grange Hermitage) is an Australian wine, made predominantly from the Shiraz (Syrah) grape and usually a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. It is widely considered one of Australia's ...
* Carol Shelton – California wine producer and pioneer *
Kay Simon Kay Simon (born 9 July 1978) is a German slalom canoeist who competed at the international level from 1995 to 2008. He won four medals in the C2 team event at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships with three silvers (2002, 2003, 2006) and a ...
– Washington wine producer and pioneer * Lane Tanner – California winemaker * André Tchelistcheff – "Dean of American Winemakers" * Sean Thackrey – American experimental winemaker *
József Törley József Törley (10 January 1858 – 28 July 1907) is credited as having established one of the most successful brands of sparkling wine outside of the Champagne region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 19th century, production of ...
– founder of József Törley & Co., Hungary's most successful sparkling wine producer *
Helen Turley Helen Turley is a pioneering American winemaker and wine consultant. She is known for bringing several Californian cult wines to the public awareness, and as the owner of a boutique winery, Marcassin Vineyard. She is the recipient of several pre ...
– California winemaker and consultant


Wine merchants

* Lalou Bize-Leroy – Burgundian wine producer and former co-manager of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti * Louis Bohne – famous sales agent of
Veuve Clicquot Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin () is a Champagne house founded in 1772 and based in Reims. It is one of the largest Champagne houses. Madame Clicquot is credited with major breakthroughs, creating the first known vintage champagne in 1810, and ...
* Pierre Castel, French wine industry leader * Christian Delpeuch – wine official and
Plan Bordeaux Bordeaux wine ( oc, vin de Bordèu, french: vin de Bordeaux) is produced in the Bordeaux region of southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux, on the Garonne River. To the north of the city the Dordogne River joins the Garonne forming the ...
promoter *
Georges Duboeuf Georges Duboeuf (14 April 1933 – 4 January 2020) was a French wine merchant, and the founder of Les Vins Georges Duboeuf, one of the largest wine merchants in France. The company is known for its popularization and production of Beaujolais win ...
– innovative and large
Beaujolais Beaujolais ( , ) is a French ''Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (AOC) wine generally made of the Gamay grape, which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally. Whites from the region, which mak ...
bottler * Charles Heidsieck
Champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, ...
house founder * Claude Moët – Champagne house founder * Jean-Rémy Moët – Champagne merchant * René Renou – French wine industry leader *
Hardy Rodenstock Hardy Rodenstock (7 December 1941 in Marienwerder (Kwidzyn) – 19 May 2018 in Oberaudorf; legal name Meinhard Görke) was a publisher and manager of pop and Schlager music in Germany and a prominent wine collector, connoisseur, and trader, wit ...
– wine collector and alleged wine fraud, subject of ''The Billionaire's Vinegar'' * Jean-Claude Rouzaud – Champagne executive * André Simon – wine merchant, gourmet, and wine writer * Steven Spurrier – British wine authority, organized the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976


Wine critics

Included are wine professionals at an elevated level compared with ''Wine writers'', being authorities on wine tasting, having established rating systems or written reference works. * Pierre Brejoux – Inspector General of the Appellation d'Origine Controlee Board *
Michael Broadbent John Michael Broadbent, MW (2 May 1927 – 17 March 2020) was a British wine critic, writer and auctioneer in a capacity as a Master of Wine. He was an authority on wine tasting and old wines. Career Broadbent was born in Yorkshire. He was edu ...
, MW – influential British wine critic and auctioneer * Jeb Dunnuck – reviewer for ''
The Wine Advocate ''The Wine Advocate'', fully known as ''Robert Parker's Wine Advocate'' and informally abbreviated ''TWA'' or ''WA ''or more recently as ''RP'', is a bimonthly wine publication based in the United States featuring the consumer advice of wine criti ...
'' and eRobertParker.com * Gerhard Eichelmann – German wine critic * Robert Finigan – American wine and restaurant critic * Patricia Gallagher – judge at the "Judgement of Paris" tasting * Antonio Galloni – American wine critic, formerly of ''
The Wine Advocate ''The Wine Advocate'', fully known as ''Robert Parker's Wine Advocate'' and informally abbreviated ''TWA'' or ''WA ''or more recently as ''RP'', is a bimonthly wine publication based in the United States featuring the consumer advice of wine criti ...
''; founder of Vinous * Joshua Greene – American wine critic, publisher and editor-in-chief of '' Wine & Spirit'' * Huon Hooke – Australian wine critic *
James Laube James Laube ( ) is an American wine critic, writing for '' Wine Spectator'' since 1980, a full-time staff writer since 1983, with expertise on California wine. Laube has published the books ''California's Great Cabernets'', ''California's Great C ...
– American wine critic of ''Wine Spectator'' *
Jeannie Cho Lee Jeannie Cho Lee (born 1968) is a Hong Kong-based, Korean-American wine critic, author, journalist, consultant, wine educator and Master of Wine, the first ethnic Asian to achieve this accreditation.Pilling, David, ''Financial Times'' (March 05, 2 ...
– first Asian Master of Wine * Gian Luca Mazzella – international wine critic, journalist and documentarian * Allen Meadows – American wine critic of Burgundy and Pinot Noir wine with the Burghound.com newsletter * Jasper Morris, MW – British wine expert * Robert M. Parker, Jr. – American wine critic, referenced in the term Parkerization of wine * Lisa Perrotti-Brown - American wine critic for
The Wine Advocate ''The Wine Advocate'', fully known as ''Robert Parker's Wine Advocate'' and informally abbreviated ''TWA'' or ''WA ''or more recently as ''RP'', is a bimonthly wine publication based in the United States featuring the consumer advice of wine criti ...
,
Master of Wine Master of Wine (MW) is a qualification (not an academic degree) issued by The Institute of Masters of Wine in the United Kingdom. The MW qualification is generally regarded in the wine industry as one of the highest standards of professional knowle ...
* Jancis Robinson, MW – wine writer and educator from the UK * David Schildknecht – American wine critic * Ricky Schraub – California wine critic *
Stephen Tanzer Stephen Tanzer is an American wine critic and editor at Vinous. From 1985 until he joined Vinous in 2014, Tanzer was the publisher of the critically acclaimed bimonthly ''International Wine Cellar'', an independent journal read by wine professional ...
– American wine critic and editor * Jon Winroth – American wine critic and educator


Wine writers

Included are media professionals who published about wines in major newspapers, on important TV channels, wrote books or created corresponding websites. Excluded are persons who are mainly known for other reasons and might have published about wine as minor activity. * Eric Arnold – American author, former wine columnist of ''
Forbes.com ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family (publishers), Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing ...
'' *
Eric Asimov Eric Asimov (born July 17, 1957) is an American wine critic and food critic for ''The New York Times''. Early life Asimov was born in Bethpage, New York, the son of Stanley Asimov, former vice-president for editorial administration at ''News ...
– American wine columnist of ''
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 ...
'' * Tim Atkin – Master of Wine, journalist, broadcaster, judge *
Ausonius Decimius Magnus Ausonius (; – c. 395) was a Roman poet and teacher of rhetoric from Burdigala in Aquitaine, modern Bordeaux, France. For a time he was tutor to the future emperor Gratian, who afterwards bestowed the consulship on him ...
– frequently cited by historians of winemaking, as his works give early evidence of large-scale
vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineya ...
s and
viticulture Viticulture (from the Latin word for '' vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of '' Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ...
in France *
Robert Lawrence Balzer Robert Lawrence Balzer (June 25, 1912 – December 2, 2011) has been called the first serious wine journalist in the United States. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa. At the age of 24, he was put in charge of the wine department of ...
– pioneering American wine writer; organizer of the
New York Wine Tasting of 1973 The New York Wine Tasting of 1973 was organized by pioneering wine journalist Robert Lawrence Balzer. He assembled 14 leading wine experts including France's Alexis Lichine, who owned two chateaux in Bordeaux, a manager of the Four Seasons restauran ...
* Nicolas Belfrage, MW – British wine writer, Italian wine expert * Edward Behr – publisher/editor of ''The Art of Eating'' * Jacques Berthomeau – wine writer, author of ''The Berthomeau Report'' * Michel Bettane – French wine writer * Jon Bonné – American wine columnist of ''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The ...
'' * Tom Cannavan – Scottish wine journalist and internet wine site pioneer * Laura Catena – founder of Catena Institute of Wine, author *
Oz Clarke Robert Owen Clarke (born 1949), known as Oz Clarke, is a British wine writer, actor, television presenter and broadcaster. Early life Clarke's parents were a chest physician and a nursing sister. He is of Irish descent and was brought up Roman ...
– British wine writer and TV personality * Clive Coates, MW – British wine writer * Katherine Cole – American wine writer, and journalist * Tyler Colman – American author and wine blogger publishing under the pen name Dr.Vino.com * Patrick Comiskey – American wine writer of ''
Wine & Spirits ''Wine & Spirits'' is an American wine magazine. With offices in New York and San Francisco, the magazine publishes eight issues annually. History and profile The magazine was started under the name ''Winestate's Wine & Spirits Buying Guide''. In ...
'' and ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'' * Julia Coney – Wine writer and creator of ''Black Wine Professionals'' database * Tullio De Rosa – Italian author * Andrew Dornenburg – wine columnist of ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' * Michel Dovaz – wine teacher and writer * Len Evans – central figure in
Australian wine The Australian wine industry is one of the world's largest exporters of wine, with approximately 800 million out of the 1.2 to 1.3 billion litres produced annually exported to overseas markets. The wine industry is a significant contributor ...
industry * Mary Ewing-Mulligan, MW – American author and wine educator *
Joe Fattorini Joe Fattorini (born 5 September 1969) is a British radio and television presenter and wine expert. Journalism Fattorini wrote a weekly wine column for The Herald for over fourteen years. He has also contributed to ''Harper's Wine and Spirit'', T ...
– British wine expert and television and radio personality *
Alice Feiring Alice Feiring is an American journalist and author, for several years a wine and travel columnist for '' Time'' magazine, and known as an advocate for " natural wine". In addition to contributions to publications such as '' The New York Times'' ...
– American wine writer and " natural wine" advocate * Doug Frost, MW, MS – American author and wine consultant * Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher – former wine columnists of ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' * Rebecca Gibb, MW – British journalist, editor and Master of Wine * Paul Gillette – American author and wine writer, an early host of wine show on television * Malcolm Gluck – British wine writer * Jamie Goode – British writer and blogger * Jilly Goolden – British wine critic, journalist and television personality * Paul Gregutt – wine columnist for ''The Seattle Times'' and Pacific Northwest editor of ''Wine Enthusiast Magazine'' * Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl – American wine writer * James Halliday – Australian wine critic and winemaker * Anthony HansonMW – British
Burgundy wine Burgundy wine ( or ') is made in the Burgundy region of eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here, and those commonly referred to as "Burgundies," are dry red win ...
expert * Steve Heimoff – American wine critic of ''
Wine Enthusiast Magazine ''Wine Enthusiast'' magazine is an American wine magazine published by Wine Enthusiast Companies in Valhalla, New York. Founded in 1979 by Adam and Sybil Strum, Wine Enthusiast Companies engages in the wine accessories, storage, information, educat ...
'', author and wine blogger * Andrew Jefford – English author and editor of wine books * Hugh Johnson – British wine writer * Marilyn Johnson – Bordeaux wine writer * Robert Joseph – British wine writer * Richard Juhlin – Swedish writer focusing on Champagne, one of the leading Champagne connoisseurs in the world * André Jullien – French wine writer * Odette Kahn – leading wine writer and authority in France * Matt Kramer – American wine writer and columnist of ''
The New York Sun ''The New York Sun'' is an American online newspaper published in Manhattan; from 2002 to 2008 it was a daily newspaper distributed in New York City. It debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of the earlier New Yor ...
'', ''
The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 18 ...
'' and ''
Wine Spectator ''Wine Spectator'' is an American lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture, and gives out ratings to certain types of wine. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertain ...
'' * Monica Larner – Italian reviewer for
The Wine Advocate ''The Wine Advocate'', fully known as ''Robert Parker's Wine Advocate'' and informally abbreviated ''TWA'' or ''WA ''or more recently as ''RP'', is a bimonthly wine publication based in the United States featuring the consumer advice of wine criti ...
* John Livingstone-Learmonth – British wine writer, world expert on Rhone wines *
Kermit Lynch Kermit Lynch (born December 1941 Bakersfield, California) is an American wine importer and author based in Berkeley, California. He is the author of ''Adventures on the Wine Route,'' which won the Veuve Clicquot Wine Book of the Year award, as w ...
– American wine merchant, author * Peter Liem – American wine writer in Champagne, publisher of ChampagneGuide.net *
Will Lyons Will Lyons is a journalist, newspaper columnist, award-winning wine writer and broadcaster. He is most widely known for his writing in ''The Wall Street Journal'' and ''The Sunday Times''. Education Lyons was educated at Bradfield College, a ...
– British wine columnist for ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' * Natalie MacLean – Canadian wine writer and subscription website publisher * Karen MacNeil – American author, journalist and wine educator * Neal Martin – reviewer for ''
The Wine Advocate ''The Wine Advocate'', fully known as ''Robert Parker's Wine Advocate'' and informally abbreviated ''TWA'' or ''WA ''or more recently as ''RP'', is a bimonthly wine publication based in the United States featuring the consumer advice of wine criti ...
'' *
Campbell Mattinson Campbell Mattinson (born 1968) is an Australian editor, writer and critic. He was born in the Melbourne suburb of Williamstown and has worked as a writer, editor and photographer for the past 30 years. He is the current editor of Halliday Maga ...
– Australian wine writer, editor and author * Elin McCoy – American author, ''Bloomberg Markets'' wine journalist, biographer of Robert M. Parker, Jr. *
Jay McInerney John Barrett "Jay" McInerney Jr. (; born January 13, 1955) is an American novelist, screenwriter, editor, and columnist. His novels include ''Bright Lights, Big City (novel), Bright Lights, Big City'', ''Ransom'', ''Story of My Life (novel), Sto ...
– American novelist and author of ''A Hedonist in the Cellar'' * Georges J. Meekers – wine writer, educator and founder of Wine Campus * Debra Meiburg, MW – Hong Kong based wine educator, journalist and wine judge * Remington Norman – British wine writer *
Kerin O'Keefe Kerin O'Keefe is a wine critic specialized in Italian wine and author of four books. She reviews wines and writes articles on the growing areas, wines and producers for kerinokeefe.com. O'Keefe was Italian Editor for Wine Enthusiast from May 2013 ...
– American wine critic and author *
Mark Oldman Mark Stanford Oldman (born January 5, 1969) is an American entrepreneur, wine expert, and author of several books on wine. He has been described as "one of the wine world's great populizers" and "one of the wine world's great showmen." He regularl ...
– author and columnist for The
Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (which holds a 69% ownership stake of the network) and Nexstar Media Group ( ...
* Jeremy Oliver – independent Australian wine writer *
Lawrence Osborne Lawrence Osborne (born 1958) is a British novelist and journalist who is currently residing in Bangkok. Osborne was educated at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, and at Harvard University, and has since led a nomadic life, residing for years i ...
– British journalist, novelist, and author of ''The Accidental Connoisseur'' *
Karen Page Karen Page is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She serves as the original love interest for Daredevil, under Matt Murdock's employ as his legal secretary. In 1999, Page was killed by Bullseye, a ...
– wine columnist of ''The Washington Post'' * Edmund Penning-Rowsell – British wine writer * David Peppercorn, MW – British wine writer * Stuart Pigott – British Germany-based wine critic of ' and ''Weingourmet'' * Frank J. Prial – wine columnist for ''
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 ...
'' * John Radford – author of wine books, and
Spanish wine Spanish wine () includes red, white, and sparkling wines produced throughout the country. Located on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain has over 1.2 million hectares (2.9 million acres) planted in wine grapes, making it the most widely pla ...
enthusiast * Daniel Rogov – Israeli wine critic * Arne Ronold, MW – Norwegian wine writer and educator * Anthony Rose – British wine writer for ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
'' *
Frank Schoonmaker Frank Musselman Schoonmaker (August 20, 1905 – January 11, 1976) was an American travel guide writer, wine writer and wine merchant. He was born in Spearfish, South Dakota, and attended for two years at Princeton University, after which he droppe ...
– wine writer who promoted labeling wines by grape variety * Joanna Simon – British wine writer for ''
The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, w ...
'' * Pat Simon, MW – British wine writer and importer * Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, MW – American wine educator/lecturer *
Olly Smith Olly Smith (born 18 September 1974) is a British TV presenter, wine expert, columnist and author. Education and career Having discovered a love for singing at the tender age of eight, he was a chorister at King's College, Cambridge, which saw ...
– British wine expert, present, author and columnist * Mike Steinberger – American wine columnist of '' Slate'' * Kilien Stengel – author of wine books *
Tom Stevenson Tom Stevenson (born 1951) is a British wine writer and critic. Described by his colleagues as one of today's most prolific wine authors, Stevenson is regarded as the world's leading authority on Champagne.christies.coChristie’s Champagne Ma ...
– British wine writer and Champagne specialist * James Suckling – American wine critic formerly of ''
Wine Spectator ''Wine Spectator'' is an American lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture, and gives out ratings to certain types of wine. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertain ...
'' * Serena Sutcliffe, MW – British wine writer and the head of
Sotheby's Sotheby's () is a British-founded American multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City. It is one of the world's largest brokers of fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles. It has 80 locations in 40 countries, an ...
International Wine Department * George M. Taber – American wine writer * Tammie Teclemariam, American wine journalist * Anthony Terlato – American wine expert * Bob Thompson – American wine writer and California specialist * Keith Wallace American wine expert and founder of the Wine School of Philadelphia * Tom Wark – California wine PR executive and blogger of "Fermentation" * Alder Yarrow – American wine blogger of Vinography.com * Franco Ziliani – Italian journalist and wine critic of VinoWire.com


Sommeliers

A trained and knowledgeable
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 ...
professional, normally working in fine
restaurants A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...
, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. Somebody with a ''Master Sommelier Diploma'' issued by the ''Court of Master Sommeliers'' or a French ''Maître Sommelier'' can be included in this list. * Benoît Allauzen – sommelier * Gerard Basset, MW, MS – British hotelier and world sommelier championship holder * Jamie Drummond – Scottish/Canadian sommelier * Andreas Larsson – Swedish sommelier and world sommelier championship holder *
Jonathan Nossiter Jonathan Nossiter (born 1961) is an American filmmaker. Early life and education Nossiter was born to a Jewish familyMondovino ''Mondovino'' ( it, World of Wine) is a 2004 documentary film on the impact of globalization on the world's different wine regions written and directed by American film maker Jonathan Nossiter. It was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 2004 Cannes ...
'' * Andrea Immer Robinson – wine expert * Shinya Tasaki – Japanese sommelier and world sommelier championship holder * Alpana Singh, MS – American sommelier, youngest woman ever to achieve the Master Sommelier designation *
Giuseppe Vaccarini Giuseppe Vaccarini (born 13 September 1952 in Miradolo Terme, province of Pavia, Lombardy, Italy), is an Italian sommelier, winner of the Best Sommelier of the World A.S.I. 1978 competition and President for two mandates, from 1996 to 2004, o ...
– Italian sommelier and world sommelier championship holder * Christian Vanneque – sommelier, French wine expert


Others

*
Ted Allen Edward Reese Allen (born May 20, 1965) is an American author and television personality. He was the food and wine connoisseur on the Bravo network's television program '' Queer Eye'', and has been the host of the TV cooking competition series ' ...
– television personality and food and wine expert *
Pancho Campo Pancho Campo (born September 13, 1961, in Santiago, ChileVial, Álvaro Rodríguez, ''El Mercurio'' (November 30, 2008)Médico radicado en España es el primer Master of Wine chileno) is a Spanish event organiser, former tennis professional, captain ...
– Spanish/Chilean event organiser and former MW *
William Vere Cruess William Vere Cruess (August 9, 1886 – March 13, 1968) was an American food science, food scientist who pioneered the use of fruits to produce fruit-juice beverages, fruit-based concentrates and syrups. He was one of the first investigators in th ...
– American
food scientist Food science is the basic science and applied science of food; its scope starts at overlap with agricultural science and nutritional science and leads through the scientific aspects of food safety and food processing, informing the development ...
who led the rebirth of
California wine California wine production has a rich viticulture history since 1680 when Spanish Jesuit missionaries planted ''Vitis vinifera'' vines native to the Mediterranean region in their established missions to produce wine for religious services. I ...
s after the end of
Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcohol ...
in 1933 * Prince Leo Galitzine – founder of Russian wine-making industry (
Massandra Massandra or Masandra ( crh, Massandra; russian: Массандра; uk, Масандра) is an urban-type settlement in the Yalta Municipality in Crimea. Occupying the spot of an ancient Greek settlement (Tavrida-Ταυρίδα), Masandra w ...
,
Novyi Svet Novyi Svit or Novy Svet ( uk, Новий Світ, translit=Novyi Svit; rus, Но́вый Свет, r=Novy Svet; crh, Novıy Svet; literally: 'New World' or more correctly 'New Community') is a resort, an urban-type settlement in Sudak Municip ...
, Abrau-Dyurso) * Rudy Kurniawan – collector and convicted wine counterfeiter * Eric LeVine – creator of the wine database software CellarTracker, now GrapeStories * David Lynch – American wine writer, restaurant wine director *
Raymond Oliver Raymond Oliver (27 March 1909 – 5 November 1990) was a French chef and owner of Le Grand Véfour restaurant in Paris, one of France's great historical restaurants. Oliver detested '' nouvelle cuisine'', preferring the rich ingredients favored ...
– restaurant owner; judge in Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 * Nello Olivo – California wine maker who brought recognition to the El Dorado AVA wine region outside of
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 ...
*
Roger Scruton Sir Roger Vernon Scruton (; 27 February 194412 January 2020) was an English philosopher and writer who specialised in aesthetics and political philosophy, particularly in the furtherance of traditionalist conservative views. Editor from 1982 ...
– British philosopher, wine columnist of the ''
New Statesman The ''New Statesman'' is a British Political magazine, political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney Webb, Sidney and Beatrice ...
'' and lecturer on wine philosophy * Charles F. Shaw – wine marketing innovator * Pierre Tari – Secretary General of the Association des Grands Crus Classés *
Gary Vaynerchuk Gary Vaynerchuk (born Gennady Vaynerchuk; November 14, 1975; , ), commonly known as Gary Vee, is a Soviet-born American entrepreneur, author, speaker, and Internet personality. He is a co-founder of the restaurant reservation software company Res ...
vlog A video blog or video log, sometimes shortened to vlog (), is a form of blog for which the medium is video. Vlog entries often combine embedded video (or a video link) with supporting text, images, and other metadata. Entries can be recorded i ...
wine critic of ''Wine Library TV'' * Jean-Claude Vrinat – French wine expert and owner of the restaurant Taillevent * William Charles Winshaw – pioneer South African vintner *
Kevin Zraly Kevin Zraly is an American wine educator and the founder of the Windows on the World Wine School, who has been described as America's most famous and entertaining wine teacher. Career Between 1976 and 2001, Zraly held the position of wine director ...
– American wine educator and author


See also

*
List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards The trend of celebrities owning wineries and vineyards is not a recent phenomenon, though it has certainly garnered more attention in today's Information Age. In ancient Greek (wine), ancient Greek and Roman (wine), Roman times, the leading phil ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wine professionals Lists of people by occupation * * Personalities * *