Wine

Anthony Giglio is one of the most entertaining wine authorities on the planet. He is a journalist, sommelier, educator, author and raconteur who has written several books, including three editions of the annual FOOD & WINE Wine Guide, a review of 1,000-plus wines; five editions of the enormously popular Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide; and his highly regarded first book, Cocktails in New York.

Anthony is currently a wine correspondent for CBS News Radio as well as the wine columnist for La Cucina Italiana, the American edition of Italy’s most prestigious magazine dedicated to gastronomy.

He is the longtime online sommelier for the FOOD & WINE Connoisseur Club newsletter, as well as for Departures’ Reserve Wine Club. He is also the resident sensualist blogger at theimprovisedlife.com, as well as the official Vino2012 blogger for the wine division of The Italian Trade Commission.

Anthony has written for numerous publications, including FOOD & WINE, Travel + Leisure, New York, Esquire, Details, Robb Report, Worth and Parade. He has appeared on NBC’s Today and is an occasional guest on American Public Media’s The Splendid Table with Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

Ray Isle is the executive wine editor of FOOD & WINE, where he oversees FOOD & WINE’s wine department, writes the magazine’s monthly wine column, Tasting Room, and directs the title’s spirits coverage. 

Ray regularly conducts wine-tasting seminars at epicurean events and appears as a wine and spirits expert on national television shows, including NBC’s Today and CBS’s The Early Show. In addition he reports on his tasting adventures as @islewine on Twitter. Before he joined FOOD & WINE, his articles about wine, food and spirits appeared in a range of publications, including Wine & Spirits, The Washington Post and Gastronomica. He has also been nominated for a James Beard Award. 

Ray has a bachelor’s degree in literature from Rice University, a master’s degree in creative writing from Boston University and was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford in fiction writing. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and daughter.

Mrs. Turid Hoel Alcaras, of Norwegian origin, came to Bordeaux in 1995. After several years exploring the Bordeaux wine business, she joined the team of Domaine Clarence Dillon in June 1999. Here, she worked as a guide, receiving visitors from around the whole world at Château Haut-Brion and Château La Mission Haut-Brion for tours in Norwegian, English, French and German. Since her arrival in Bordeaux, Turid has deepened her passion for wine and has obtained a diploma from the Bordeaux Faculty of Oenology. She was named PR Manager in October 2006 and has since then also been entrusted with the responsibility overseeing the receptions (in addition to tours and tastings) at Château Haut-Brion and Château La Mission Haut-Brion.

Stuart Blackwell’s winemaking career spans four decades. As Senior Winemaker of St Hallett, Stuart has developed not only a deep understanding of the rich tapestry of site and climatic variances in the Barossa but also an appreciation of the importance of both dedicated growers and ‘old vine’ Shiraz. His commitment to the region over the past four decades has won the hearts of some of the Barossa’s most dedicated and passionate growers giving St Hallett access to the Barossa’s most prized ‘old vine’ Shiraz vineyards dating back 60 to over 100 years of age. These strongly forged relationships have yielded exceptional quality fruit consequentially leading to benchmark Barossa wines of extraordinary acclaim, all endorsing Stuart’s sincere and long-term approach in the Barossa over the past four decades. As Senior Winemaker for over 30 years and recognized by his peers in 2003 as ‘Barossa Winemaker of the Year’, Stuart embodies a wealth of experience. With a glint of enthusiasm ever in his eyes, Stuart engages all those around him in the enjoyment of wine.

Tuck and his family moved to the Napa Valley in 1975 to begin their involvement in the California Grape Growing business. His love of the farming and wine making process began almost immediately as a young boy. As a teenager, Mr. Beckstoffer worked in the vineyards of Napa and Mendocino Counties alongside field crews and operating equipment in Beckstoffer owned and managed vineyards. During college, he spent his summers working in the soon to be famous wineries of the Napa Valley alongside some of the most influential winemakers in California, learning winemaking techniques and sensory evaluation. After university, Tuck returned to Napa to work for Beckstoffer Vineyards.

In 1997 he began producing a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon under the Tuck Beckstoffer label that quickly became one of the most critically acclaimed wines to come out of the Napa Valley. In 2004, Tuck created Tuck Beckstoffer Wines. He and his family’s farming legacy, combined with his personal knowledge and experience in the vineyard and cellar supports his commitment to produce these creative, exquisite wines.

A wine industry veteran, Bruce Mooers has held several key positions in premium wine sales,indulging his passion for fine wine and meeting fascinating people across the globe. In 2002, he joined Nickel & Nickel, Far Niente and Dolce as Director of Sales, developing distribution and sales strategies for the wineries. Eight years later, in 2010, Bruce was named President of Nickel & Nickel and EnRoute wineries. Bruce retains his position as Vice President of Sales for the wineries, but shares his business acumen in leading the Nickel & Nickel team in day-to-day operations.

Kristian Netis was born a Greek citizen of Germany –places renowned for food and drink. He worked in such leading restaurants as the 3-star Michelin rated restaurant, Juan Amador in Frankfurt and the Ente restaurant located in Wiesbadenwhich earned Wine List’s Best Award of Excellence. Kristian Netis joined Blue by Eric Ripert in 2008.

As the Proprietress of Napa Valley wineries Far Niente, Dolce, Nickel & Nickel and EnRoute in the Russian River Valley, Beth Nickel is involved in the wineries’ marketing and public relations programs, interior and landscape design projects, and she serves as a winery spokesperson at local and national wine events.

Joseph Spellman, is Winery Sommelier for JUSTIN Vineyards and Winery. He has worked with wine since 1979, principally as a sommelier, in Chicago’s top restaurant cellars. He has been a leading wine educator, writer, and consultant, and has led wine seminars in the US, UK, Japan, and Australia. Joseph earned the prestigious Master Sommelier Diploma, the 29th American to do so, in 1996. He is a frequent instructor and examiner in the Court of Master Sommeliers, and in 2005 was elected Chairman of the American Chapter of the Court. Among his professional written works, he is most proud of his critically praised wine notes featured in the landmark series of recipe and photography books by Chef Charlie Trotter. He also has contributed to Wine & Spirits, Wine Enthusiast, Santé, Decanter, and Appellation magazines. As a professional palate, he has tasted for Beverage Testing Institute, United Airlines, the Grand Jury Européen, the Oregon State Fair, StarWine, the Jefferson Cup, and the Detroit Wine Competition. He has coordinated several wine dinners for the James Beard Foundation and many of its chef-contributors, as well as promotional and charity wine dinners around the US.