What wine figure has had the biggest impact on you?

WINE TALK
41

Every server and bartender across the world who gave me a pour of their local wine and opened my eyes and taste buds to flavors I never imagined. I thank them all.

42

I visited Lichine in the 80’s as a student, he signed my copy of his book. Nice Germany coverage, for sure.

43

Eric Asimov, the NY Times wine columnist. He gets some flak here and in the comments sections for his pieces, but I think for what he does with his Wine School columns, he’s done a tremendous amount to teach and guide me and I’m sure many others who are new to wine. I’ve really loved following the monthly topics, and trying as many of the wines as I can, learning more about different wines, different areas, different cuisines, different cultures. It’s part of what makes wine so great.

Irene Virbila, the former LA times wine columnist. I really miss her columns, I loved how she would make wine something local, connected to the inventories of the disparate wine stores of the greater LA area. Through her, I learned so much about different wine proprietors in the LA area with interesting, thoughtfully curated collections.

And you guys – I’ve been lurking for a while now, but have learned so much, esp from a lot of the LA-area folks. Thanks guys

44

Interesting question.

My late boss - John Avery - was a mentor, friend and enormous influence. He taught me masses and there can be very few people in the UK able to open the sort of wines John shared with me. We rarely had a great French bottle without comparisons from Australia, California or elsewhere in the New World. The first time I drank with John we put 1978 Pichon Lalande against '78s from Penfolds (Bin 707) and Mondavi Reserve. We had 1970 Ducru and the BV Georges de Latour from the same vintage that night, too.

Through John I met Len Evans in Australia. Len gave me the opportunity to taste and explore some of the greatest wines in the world. It blew my mind that I went to Australia to drink DRCs and 1st growths. DRC Montrachet was served blind as an options wine one night and I’ll never forget the old Woodleys Treasure Chest wines, the 1955 Wynns Michael or the Bin 60A. The measure of Len’s influence is a letter he wrote me - with a stamp, no E-mail!! - that included the PS ‘don’t forget to do the MW.’ So I did.

Becoming an MW was the single biggest deal of my professional life and it was Len’s note that prompted it.

45

I’ve forgotten her name, but she was a pretty blonde with a seductive laugh and a job at a wine shop 2 blocks from my dorm. I pretended to know something about wine (her favorite was something called Chateauneuf du Pape) and I began a course of intensive study so I could keep up. She lasted a few months; my love affair with wine lasted a lot longer.

46

My wife, who insisted that I serve better wine to ourfriends, and Robert Parker, whom showed me how to do it.
Phil jones

47

I’ll pick two widely disparate names

Robert Parker (in the late '80s)
Joe Dressner (in the late '90s)

say what you like about what he later became - when I had my subscription to Parker and when his Bordeaux book first came out he had extremely thorough coverage and he would write about then-obscure regions and his enthusiasm for the wines he liked was contagious. I got into Sherry because of him.

I first met Joe through the old Wine Lovers Discussion Group and after sampling the wines he imported fell in love with that style of wine. Wineries such as Pepiere, Clos Roche Blanche and Baudry made amazingly great wines a ridiculously good prices. He was acerbic, brilliant, argumentative, opinionated and I still miss him.

48

Sort of like Klapp, without the “still miss him” part. [wink.gif]

49

Just an old friend/business associate. I was on a business trip in the late 80’s out in San Fran with my wife. When we entered our hotel room there was a gift basket with 2 bottles of 1985 Silver Oak Napa. Hadn’t really drank much wine up to that point but had these and realized that better wines actually taste better than the swill I had consumed up to that point. (I’m sure some here would consider the '85 Silver Oak swill). From that point on started consuming more and spending way more.

50

Two of them:

  1. KenShultis: He was my major professor at K-State. He had me over for dinner one night and served a '66 Lynch-Bages w/ steak
    grilled on their hibachi. “Hmmmmm…this stuff is pretty tasty”. We then segued into Sue’s GrandMarnier Souffle w/ a '65 d’Yquem.
    “Holy $hit”. Still have the two labels in Vol.#1 of my wine notebooks. But I was hooked on wine. You could drive into KC and go
    to Berbiglia’s or HappyHollow and buy 1’st growths for $12 and DRC’s for $20.
  2. HankRubin: At Berbiglia’s, they had a free-bie magazine called BonApetit. It was published in KC by Pillsbury, where they had a
    flour mill & company headquarters. In addition to food articles (w/ lots of recipes), they had a wine Q&A column by Henry (Hank)
    Rubin. Hank, at that time, owned the PotLuck restaurant in Berkeley, where Calif cusine really originated, not at ChezPanisse.
    Hank went on to become the SFChron’s first wine columnist. I peppered his Q&A column w/ dumb questions (like…“What is the
    optimal alcohol level for great Tazzalenghe from Udine??”). We developed quite an exchange (via letters…where you’d write something
    on a piece paper, put it in an envelope, afix a stamp, and give it to your postman…all seems so quaint in this day & age). He later became my
    Editor when I wrote for PhilipSeldon’s VintageMagazine. Finally met him in person in the mid-'70’s and became fast friends, getting together
    in TheCite about every other yr for lunch. Last time I saw Hank he was advanced Alzheimer’s in a care unit there. His mind was pretty
    much shot…but the look he gave me when I walked into the community room was priceless. Hank was one of the original LincolnBrigade
    in Spain in the '30’s and his book is a great read.

I, of course, followed Parker from the very start. Never did subscribe, but always read a friend’s copy. Have to say that he had zero influence
on me. Can’t think of a single wine I ever bought on his rec. Calif Syrah, which he supposedly put on the map?? Was there 10 yrs ahead.
SQN??? Was there 5 yrs ahead of him. Colgin?? By then, couldn’t give a rat’s a$$ for NapaCabernet.
Tom

51

My sister’s husband’s father.

He was a wonderful old Italian guy, from the “old country.”

He lived with my sis and bro in law in a big old farmhouse in Reno, and they had a fully underground cellar beneath the basement that he used to make wine. He’d go to Napa to search for grapes, then come home and make his magic. I used to help punch the caps and do things a 5 or 6 year old could do. I loved the smell so much, it still lingers in my memory.

I would get tiny tastes at different parts of the process, but I was too young to like it.

He made grappa, too. Yuck to a little palate! It tasted like fire.

I remember when he made his 1966, because all the grown ups went ape for it. They still talk about his '66.

He was nice, which is what really made the imprint about wine and pleasantness.

Then, I’d follow him around the place and he showed me about irrigating fields via ditches and where to block the canal with water to send water down different rows, etc. They lived along the Truckee River, so lots of time fishing, making bike trails in the land fill areas, exploring caves (storm drains,) all sorts of fun stuff.

He even trained their Irish Setter to flip up the hems of womens’ dresses. I only mention it because it was funny at the time to a 6 year old watching a bunch of 80 year old guys chuckle and shoot ouzo. I do not condone this type of sexist behavior.

He was just a funny mischievous old guy. I pour wine on the floor of my cellar every once in a while because it reminds me of the rock and wine smell from his great liile hidden winery.

52

The figure who started me on my wine journey and my first mentor was John Corzoa. While going to college I got a holiday season job at a chain liquor store. I was hired early in the season so when others came aboard they had me stocking the shelves, usually beer and spirits but sometimes wine. one day while stocking some German wines I noticed that three of a producers wines were priced the same but the labels were subtly different and asked John if they should be priced the same? Sure enough the Kabinett, Auslese & TBA should have different prices. John asked the manager that when I was off the cash register that I work the wine section. After the season I was kept on and John invited me to the stores weekly Wednesday evening tasting were various wholesalers would pour their samples and started to educate me on wine. He is the one who started me down my vinous path and I am forever grateful. I still remember the first bottle I ever bought on his recommendation: 1976 Christian Brothers Chateau Mont La Salle Napa Cabernet Sauvignon in 1983. [cheers.gif] John.

53

Robert Mondavi (surprised he hasn’t been mentioned previously) and would add Piero Antinori.

And, The Wine Spectator message boards in the last 1990’s was a great resource and opened my knowledge base to what people were drinking, collecting and the prices of acquisition.

54

I will add whoever the person was in charge of the blind tasting articles in the SF Chron. in the late 70’s and early '80s.

We used to go to the store to replicate their line ups and compare.

55

Mark Squires, as conversations on the eBob board taught me a great deal, including that I no longer trusted Parker’s palate. Todd French and Doghead as well, as most of my education is from the boreds (tip of the hat to another influence).

56

First, Kermit Lynch, who in addition to importing some amazing stuff, romanticized the world of wine in his “Adventures” book.

Second, Rick from Rick’s Wine & Beverage in Alexandria, VA. He held free tastings every weekend, often with wines way above my pay grade. He also encouraged exploration of esoteric and little known regions and producers.

57

I will admit it was Parker back in the early 90s for me. Plus many internet wino chat boards of the past including alt.food.wine and WLDG back in their haydays.

The internet wino community has really been at the forefront probably since the 90s. Maybe before if you include Prodigy/AOL which were before my time. The main go to site for sharing wine info has changed hands many times but it is always always pretty similar in terms of characters, new information, and even some of the same old dudes.

58

There are a number of people- importers, winemakers, writers, somms, etc. but before figuring out any of that, the people that really got me going on this journey were board members Bob Fleming, Don Cornutt, and the whole ATL crew. Their willingness to share knowledge, passion, bottles, time, etc., changed everything for me.

Thank you Don, Bob, and ATL!

59

Robert Parker.

60

I always liked and respected Parker , but I’m going to say my old boss Joe. Before meeting him and going to work for him , higher end Cali cab was the pinnacle of my wine experience as it was mostly what I had been exposed to. He introduced me to 1961 and 1982 Bordeaux , and Grand cru Burgs from '61 , and '59. I’d say that easily had a larger impact on me than reading someone elses words.