Being a wine writer has advantages beyond feeding a passion and getting to try a lot of fermented grape juice. It also provides an opportunity to get some quality time with winemakers, winery owners, vineyard managers and others in the trade. Not being an idiot, I have taken full advantage of these chances. But then comes the challenge of trying to capture what each individual is all about.

 

Gerald Asher, wine writer, San Francisco, (Also profiled in the Star Tribune)

Dan Aykroyd, owner/ambasador, Dan Aykroyd Wine, California

Wayne Bailey, owner/winemaker, Youngberg Hill, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Russell Bevan, owner/winemaker, Bevan Cellars, California

Aldo Biondolillo, winemaker, Tempus Alba, Mendoza, Argentina

Mark & Pattie Bjornson, Bjornson Vineyard, Oregon

Naji & Jill Johnson Boutras, owners, Chateau Belle-Vue, Lebanon

Kix Brooks, owner, Arrington Vineyards, Tennessee

Erin Chave, ambassador, Jean-Louis Chave, Rhone, France

Andy Cutter, owner/winemaker, Duxoup, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, California

Hans Czerny, owner/winemaker, Wimmer-Czerny, Austria

Stephen Ross Dooley, owner/winemaker, Stephen Ross, Central Coast, California. (Also profiled in the Star Tribune)

Jason Drew, owner/winemaker, Drew Family Cellars, Mendocino, California

Merry Edwards, owner/winemaker, Merry Edwards Winery, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California

Elias Fernandez, winemaker, Shafer Vineyards, Napa Valley, California

Jane Ferrari, ambassador, Yalumba winery, Australia

Fintan du Fresne, winemaler, Chamisal, Central Coast, California

Ken Evenstad, owner, Domaine Serene, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Shane Finley, owner/winemaker, Shane Wines, Sonoma/Mendocino, California

David Gates, vice president of vineyard operations, Ridge Vineyards

Marcus Goodfellow, winemaker, Matello, Oregon

Randall Grahm, owner/winemaker, Bonny Doon Vineyards, Santa Cruz, California

Daryl Groom, winemaker, Groom & Colby’s Red, Australia and California

Jason Haas, president, Tablas Creek, Paso Robles, California

Sean Hails, winemaker, Columbia Winery, Washington

Assaad & Katy Hark, owners, Batroun Mountains, Lebanon

Ryan Hodgins, winemaker, FEL, Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California

Ian Hongell, senior winemaker, Peter Lehmann Wines, Barossa Valley, Australia

Stefano Inama, owner/winemaker, Inama, Veneto, Italy

Vincenzo Ippolito, owner, Ippolito 1845, Calabria, Italy

Peter Kitchak, owner, Kitchak Cellars, Napa Valley, California

Adam Lazarre, winemaker, LaZarre Wines, Paso Robles, California

Bret Lopezowner, Scarecrow, Napa Valley, California

Chris Madrigal, owner/winemaker, Madrigal Cellars, Napa Valley, California

John Martini, owner, Anthony Road, Finger Lakes, New York

Mel Masters, owner/negotiant, Tortoise Creek, France/California

Carissa Mondavi, ambassador, Continuum, Napa Valley, California

Peter Mondavi Jr., principal, Charles Krug, Napa Valley, California

Mike Officer, owner/winemaker, Carlisle, California

Mary Olson, owner, Airlie, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Ryan Opaz, blogger, Catavino, Portugal

Betty O’Shaughnessy, owner, O’Shaughnessy, Napa Valley, California

Jeffrey Patterson, owner/winemaker, Mount Eden Vineyards, California

Dan Petroski, owner/winemaker, Massican, and winemaker, Larkmead, Napa Valley, California

David Polite, owner/winemaker, Carlton Hill, Willamette Valley, Oregon

David Ramey, winemaker, Ramey Wine Cellars, California (Continued Here)

Dave Ready Jr., winemaker, Murphy-Goode Winery, Sonoma, California

Telmo Rodriguez, winemaker, Rioja, Spain

Kent Rosenblum, owner-winemaker of Rock Wall, California

Barbara Rundquist-Muller, CEO, Dr. H. Thanisch, Mosel, Germany

Michael Scholz, winemaker, St. Supery, Napa Valley, California

John Shafer, owner, Shafer Vineyards, Napa Valley, California

Gabrielle Shaffer & Adam McClary, owners/winemakers, Gamling & McDuck, California

Clay Shannon, owner, Shannon Ridge, Lake County, California

Annie Shull, co-owner, Raptor Ridge, Willamette Valley, Oregon

John Skupny, owner/winemaker, Lang & Reed, Napa Valley, California

Eric Solomon, importer, European Cellars

Joao Silva e Sousa, winemaker, Casa das Mouras, Portugal

Jeff Stewart, winemaker, Hartford Family, Sonoma, California

Mike Sullivan, winemaker, Benovia, Russian River Valley, California

Miro Tcholakov, winemaker, Miro and Trentadue, northern California

Terry Theise, importer/writer, Micheal Skurnik Wines (Also profiled in the Star Tribune)

Jim Tonjum, winemaker, Jim Tonjum Cellars, California

Micheal Trujillo, winemaker, Seqouia Grove and Karl Lawrence, Napa Valley, California

Mick Unti, owner, Unti Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma , California

Elizabeth Vianna, winemaker, Chimney Rick, Napa Valley, California

Mark Vlossak, owner/winemaker, St. Innocent, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Ken Wright, owner/winemaker, Ken Wright Cellars, Willamette Valley, Oregon (Continued here)

Brent Young, ranch manager, Jordan, Alexander Valley, Sonoma, California