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 Lopez, owner, 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