The 2013 Decanter Wine Power List

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier in Washington DC. Olivier Bernard is also the President of the UGCB and #40 on the 2013 Decanter Wine Power List

When the British Wine Journal Decanter released the Decanter Wine Power List 2011 – the 50 most influential people in the wine world – I was very surprised (and pleased) to find myself - with my fellow bloggers around the world – on the list: the Amateur Wine Blogger made its first appearance at number 16. This year, the Amateur Wine Blogger is no longer listed.

Vendredi du Vin #57: Des Vins Super-héroïques - Des Vignerons Super-héroïques (Super-heroic Wines - Super-heroic Winemakers)

This posting is being published as part of the Vendredis du Vin, a monthly blog event in France. Participating wine bloggers - mainly in France - are all releasing postings today under the same heading. This month's Vendredi du Vin is orchestrated byTom Delanoue from Reims: "C’est donc avec grand plaisir que je vous propose de plancher sur ce thème des vins super-héroïques pour les vendredis du vin des mois de juillet/août 2013. Est-ce que pour vous une bouteille est un super-héros à part entière ? Ou peut-être un vigneron ? A moins que vous ne soyez convaincu que le héros de votre enfance – fût-t’il Super Dupont – a une bouteille préférée… Bref, faites vous plaisir !"

I am presenting and reviewing the 2013 Decanter Wine Power List: The 50 super.heroes in the wine industry around the world.

2013 Wine Power List

Here is this year’s list.

1 Pierre Pringuet (Position 1 in 2011)
CEO, Pernod Ricard, 63 - the 60-year-old executive presides over the world’s fourth biggest wine company, Pernod Ricard, owner of brands from Champagne Mumm and Perrier-Jouet to Jacob’s Creek and New Zealand’s Brancott Estate. Pernod Ricard spans both the mass-market and premium end of the global wine market.
2 Wu Fei (8)
Chairman/general manager COFCO Wines & Spirits, 49
3 Eric de Rothschild (2)
President, Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), 72 – he has looked after the portfolio of Domaines Barons de Rothschild for 37 years. He has shot up from number 20 3 years ago on the basis of Chateau Lafite’s huge influence in China.
4 Annette Alvarez Peters (6)
Assistant general merchandise manager for wine, spirits and beer, Costco, 51
5 Mel Dick (4)
Senior vice-president, Southern Wine & Spirits of America; vice-president of wine division, 77
6 Robert Sands (5)
Chairman, Constellation Brands, 55
7 Michel Rolland (18)
International consultant, 65
8 Aubert de Villaine (30)
Co-owner/co-director, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 73
9 Robert Parker Jr (3)
Chairman and CEO, The Wine Advocate, 65
10 Jancis Robinson
MW OBE (10)
11 John D Watkins (–)
CEO, ASC Fine Wines (age withheld)
12 Yang Wenhua (–)
Managing director, C&D Wines, 43
13 Steven Spurrier (13)
Consultant editor, Decanter, 71
14 Bernard Arnault (11)
Chairman and CEO, Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, 64
15 Dan Jago (14)
Group wine director, Tesco, 53
16 Pierre Castel (19)
President and founder, Groupe Castel, 86
17 Gina Gallo (15)
Winemaker, E&J Gallo, 46
18 Nobutada Saji (12)
President, Suntory, 67
19 Robert Shum (17)
Founder, Aussino World Wines, 50
20 Eduardo Guiliasti (9)
CEO, Concha y Toro, 61
21 Miguel Torres Maczassek (–)
General manager, Miguel Torres, 38
22 Mathieu Chadronnier (41)
General manager, CVBG Grands Crus, 35
23 David Dearie (–)
CEO/executive director, Treasury Wine Estates, 50
24 Jean-Charles Boisset (25)
Proprietor, Boisset Family Estates, 43
25 Jeannie Cho Lee MW (26)
Journalist, 44
26 Stéphane Derenoncourt (33)
International consultant, 50
27 David Pedrol (–)
Product director, Yesmywine.com, 32
28 Pierre-Antoine Castéjà (34)
Managing director, Joanne Bordeaux,
29 Tony Laithwaite (20)
Chairman, Direct Wines, 67
30 Marvin Shanken (21)
President and founder, M Shanken Communications, 69
31 Simon Berry (27)
Chairman, Berry Bros & Rudd, 55
32 Bob Peter (–)
President and CEO, Liquor Control Board of Ontario
33 Magdalena Gerger (–)
CEO, Systembolaget, 49
34 Denis Dubourdieu (37)
International consultant, 62
35 Allen Meadows (40)
Writer and publisher, Burghound.com, 59
36 Jacques and Eric Boissenot (–)
Consultants, Laboratoire Boissenot
37 Piero Antinori (35)
President, Marchesi Antinori, 74
38 Ch’ng Poh Tiong (32)
Publisher, The Wine Review, 57
39 John Kapon (31)
CEO, Acker Merrall & Condit, 41
40 Olivier Bernard (–)
Owner, Domaine de Chevalier; president, Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, 53
41 Yasuhisa Hirose (48)
President, Enoteca, 63
42 Paolo Pong (–)
Owner, Altaya Wines, 36
43 Pedro Parra (49)
Soil expert, 43
44 Li Demei (–)
Consultant winemaker, 43
45 Stephen Browett (–)
Chairman, Farr Vintners, 53
46 Gary Boom (39)
Managing director, Bordeaux Index, 54
47 Eduardo Chadwick (–)
President, Viña Errázuriz, 53
48 Judy Leissner (–)
CEO, Grace Vineyards, 34
49 Frédéric Rouzaud (46)
Managing director, Champagne Louis Roederer, 45
50 Michael Hill Smith MW (42)
Co-owner, Shaw + Smith, age 58

Comments

The list reflects the two dominant trends of the international wine world: globalization and the rise of Asia.

Ten of the 50 listed luminaries have a strong Asian connection. 2 years ago, there were only 6 of them. New on the list this year are: Yang Wenhua (12), Paolo Pong (42), Winemaker Li Demei (44) und Judy Leissner ( 48), CEO of the Chinese winery Grace Vineyards. You can also add to them a number of names from the West with strong ties to the East, like John D Watkins (11), David Pedrol (27) and David Dearie (23).

Wu Fei, head of the wine and spirits division of the COFCO, China’s state-owned Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation, is the new #2 (up from #8 last year). COFCO makes wine (Great Wall brand), invests in wine properties (Chateau Viaud in Bordeaux) and is a key potential partner for anyone in the world who wants to sell bulk wine into the Chinese market.

The China connection also might explain Aubert de Villaine’s rise from #30 to #8. Aubert de Villaine is co-owner of Domaine de la Romanée Conti (DRC). 2013 has been seen by many as the year that Chinese investors and collectors lost interest in Bordeaux and turned their attention to Burgundy. So, no surprise that DRC, perhaps the most sought-after Burgundy wine, would surge in the ranking.

From a German perspective, I am surprised that Alexander Margaritoff does not show up on the list. He is the CEO of Hawesko, the largest wine trade company in Europe and the largest on-line wine retailer in the world.

Here are the wine writers on the list: Robert Parker (9), Jancis Robinson (10), Steven Spurrier (13), Jeannie Cho Lee (25), Marvin Shanken (30), Allen Meadow (35) and Ch’ng Poh Tiong (38).

In compiling the Power List, Decanter consulted the following people: Pedro Ballesteros MW, Jon Bonné (San Francisco Chronicle), Gary Boom (Bordeaux Index), Jim Boyce (beijingboyce.com), Stephen Browett (Farr Vintners), Andrew Caillard MW, Bob Campbell MW, Mathieu Chadronnier (CVBG Grands Crus), Ch’ng Poh Tiong, Jeannie Cho Lee MW, Phil Crozier (Gaucho), Charles Curtis MW, Victor de la Serna, Ian D’Agata, Pierre-Henri Gagey (Louis Jadot), Peter Gago (Penfolds), Anthony Hanson MW, Michael Hill-Smith MW, James Lawther MW, John Livingstone- Learmonth, Giles MacDonogh, Nico Manessis, Debra Meiburg MW, Jasper Morris MW, Fiona Morrison MW, Joel Payne, John Platter (Platter’s Wine Guide), Fabricio Portelli (El Conocedor), Peter Richards MW, Don St Pierre Jr (ASC Fine Wines), Eleonora Scholes, Larry Stone, Paul Symington, John Terlato (Terlato Wines International), Miguel A Torres.

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Decanter 2011 Wine Power List: I am – With my Fellow Amateur Wine Bloggers Around the World – # 16 on the List

Global Wine Consumption and Production

Top 100 Global Wine Tweeters - 2013

The Liv-ex 2013 Médoc Classification

Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB) on North America Tour in Washington DC - Schiller’s Favorites

Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry – The 2013 IntoWine List, USA

Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry – The 2012 IntoWine List

China's Wine Boom: Is Jeannie Cho Lee the New Robert Parker?

The Forbes List of Rich People and Wine

The Emerging Wine Giant China - Mouton Cadet Bar Opening

Trends in the global wine market: old world, new world, emerging wine countries

When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose

The Size and the Structure of the German Wine Industry

A Global View: Who Makes and who Drinks Wine?  

Wine Consumption by Country: Total and Per Capita

Top 100 Global Wine Tweeters - 2013

Decanter 2011 Wine Power List: I am – With my Fellow Amateur Wine Bloggers Around the World – # 16 on the List

The Wines from Madagascar and 9 Other Exotic Wine Regions and Countries

Emerging wine country: China's wine boom since 2000

4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle: International Tasting Beyond Dry Riesling, USA

Picture: International Tasting - Beyond Dry Riesling, led by Tim Atkin

The world of Riesling returned to Seattle in Washington State. The attraction was the 4th Riesling Rendezvous, a gathering of Riesling producers and enthusiasts from around the world.

Riesling Rendezvous is sponsored by Chateau Ste. Michelle, the Washington State giant wine producer and Weingut Dr. Loosen, one of Germany’s top Riesling producers from the Mosel Valley. The famous Eroica Riesling from Washington State is a joint venture of Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen. Riesling Rendezvous is the largest international gathering of Riesling producers and enthusiasts in the world. It features three days of tasting, discussing and learning about Riesling.

The 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle featured 3 major tastings: First, the walk-around tasting at Chateau Stee Michelle in Woodinville with about 70 Riesling producers from all around the world pouring 4 to 6 wines each. See: The 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle: Impressions from the Grand Tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington State, USA Second, the seated international blind tasting with 20 wines falling into the dry category. See: International Tasting at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA - Dry Riesling Third, the seated international blind tasting with 20 wines falling into the beyond dry category. The postings provides an account of the blind tasting of 20 beyond dry wines.

This posting is part of a series of a dozen or so postings on the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle. I have posted so far:

Austria at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA
International Tasting at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA - Dry Riesling
The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA
Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany
Photo Album: 4th Riesling Rendezvous (2013) in Seattle, Washington State, USA
The 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle: Impressions from the Grand Tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington State, USA
The World of Riesling in Seattle - Fourth Riesling Rendezvous in Washington State, USA

Coming Up in July: 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State, USA
The German Winemakers at the Forthcoming 4. Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State, USA

Pictures: Picture: Helmut and Mrs. Doennhoff and others at the International Tasting - Riesling Beyond Dry

Weinrallye # 66: Raetsel im Wein/Wein im Raetsel - Mystery in a Wine/Wine in a Mystery

This posting is being published as part of the Weinrallye, a monthly blog event in Germany. Participating wine bloggers - mainly in Germany - are all releasing postings today under the heading "Raetsel im Wein/Wein im Raetsel - Mystery in a Wine/Wine in a Mystery". Weinrallye is the brainchild of Thomas Lippert, a winemaker and wine blogger based in Heidelberg, Germany. This month's wine rally is organized by Peter Zuehig (sammlerfreak).

Picture: Weinrallye

This posting provides an overview of one of the 2 major blind tastings at 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle.Blind tasting means identifying a mystery wine. Well, we all knew that we had a Riesling in the glass, but our knowledge ended there. Was it a new World Wine or an Old World Wine that we had in the glass? Oregon, Finger Lakes, Australia or Austria, Mosel, Rheinhessen? It was surprising to see how lost and wrong the panelists and all the other tasters (including myself) often where.

The Panelists

On Tuesday, July 16, the day began with another fascinating blind tasting of 20 Rieslings, this time off-dry and sweet Rieslings from around the world, moderated by London-based wine journalist Tim Atkin, a Master of Wine.

Here is how the tasting went. The tasting was orchestrated by US Wine Journalist. For each wine, he would first ask one of 6 panel members to say something about the wine. In particular, the panel expert was expected to guess where the wine might come from. Fir some wines, other panel experts also provided their opinion. Then he might turn to the tasters and ask for a show of hands, if, mostly, the wine was new world or old world. Then, the identity of the wine was revelealed and the winemaker or owner was asked to provide some comments.

In general, it was a mazing how off the panel experts sometimes were in terms of their assessment. Also, the how of hands often revealed a stark division among the 300 tasters. Overall, the new world wines held up very well with the heavy weights from Germany and Austria.

Pictures: The Panelists

International Tasting Beyond Dry Riesling

Maximin Gruenhaus (Mosel)

2011 Gruenhaeuser Abtsberg Riesling Superior
13.9 g/L RS

Bob Bertheau: white peach, orange on the nose, lots of layers, New World wine, possibly Washington State.

Carl von Schubert: fermented with natural yeast, hands-off winemaking approach, we accepted the result when the fermentation stopped.

See also:
Carl von Schubert from the Maximin Gruenhaus Estate Returned a Favor: With his Wines in Washington DC (and in Seattle), USA

Frankland Estate (Australia)

2011 SmithCullam Riesling
18 g/L RS

Marnie Old: I enjoyed the wine, acidity is the dominant factor, a bit aged, sharp herbal notes, leads me to New Zealand or Canada, but low level of alcohol leads me to the Saar.

Hunter Smith: we let it ferment wild and we stop the fermentation by cooling it down.

Flat Rock Cellars (Canada)

2012 Riesling
22 g/L RS

Bob Pailinski: Impressed by the clarity, the fruit is very good, high level of acidity, put it in the New World, perhaps Michigan.

Jay Johnston: Flat Rock Cellars farms 27 hectares of vineyard on the Niagara Peninsula region.

Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt (Mosel)

Angelo Pavan: Excellent wine, lots of complexity, very long finish, all in proportions, must be a Mosel, only Mosel can do that.

Annegret Reh-Gartner: Wine has great aging potential.

See also:
The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA 

Elesko Winery (Slovakia)

2011 Riesling "2" Semi-sweet Malorkarpatsky Region
19.5 g/L RS

Carl von Schubert: A very refreshing wine, get some raisin notes on the nose, not a European wine.

Cave Spring Cellars (Canada)

2011 Riesling CSV Estate Bottled VQA Beamsville Bench

Hunter Smith: Lovely wine, citrus notes, good acidity/sweetness balance, inclined to think that it comes from Australia or New Zealand.

Angelo Pavan: 2009 was the coldest vintage on record in Canada, definitely a wine with aging potential.

Chehalem (Oregon)

2011 Corral Creek Vineyard
21 g/L RS

Bob Bertheau: Very fruity, lovely tension of acidity and sugar, driven by acidity, crisp, Finger Lakes.

Trisaetum (Oregon)

2012 Ribbon Ridge Medium Dry Riesling
25 g/L RS

Angelo Pavan: This wine puzzles me, I got some botrytis, wine has changed over the past 30 minutes, shorter finsih now, I think it is New World, but I cannot place it, perhaps Northeast US.

Pacific Rim (Washington State)

2010 Wallula Vineyard Riesling
15 g/L RS

Bob Pauliski: Slight amount of botrytis, rather light, moderate acidity, New World, could be Finger Lakes.

Nicolas Quille, GM and Head Winemaker of Pacifc Rim, also commented.

See also:
Visiting Winemaker Steven Sealock at Pacific Rim Winemakers in Washington State, USA
Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium at Oak Knoll Winery in Hillsboro

Shady Lane Cellars (Michigan)

2011 Semi-dry Riesling
24 g/L

Carl von Schubert: Very fresh wine, young, finihes quite dry, North American wine.

Anthony Road Wine Company (Finger Lakes)

2009 Martini-Rheinhardt Selection
57.15 g/L

Marnie Old: This is a party in the glass, tropical elements, pushes on and on, stylistically I would think it is a German wine, but my guess is: New Zealand.

See also:
The Wines and the Food at President Obama’s Inauguration Luncheon, January 21, 2013, USA

Ste. Chapelle Winery (Idaho)

2011 Ste. Chapelle Winery Winemaker Riesling
33.7 g/L RS

Bob Bertheau: very fresh, vers clean, some minerality, nice long finish, my guess: Mosel.

Framingham Wines (New Zealand)

2012 F-Series Riesling Spaetlese
54 g/L RS

Hunter Smith: An amzing wine, complex, a lot of exotic characteristics, could be from the Mosel/Saar.

Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen

2012 Eroica Gold Riesling
75.4 g/L RS

Carl von Schubert: I feel very much at home with this wine, very elegant, very pleasant wine, a perfectly made Mosel Spaetlese.

See also:
Wine ratings: Two American/German wines - Eroica and Poet's Leap - on Top 100 Wines from Washington State list for 2009
German American Wines: (1) Pacific Rim Riesling (2) Eroica and (3) Woelffer's Schillerwein

Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan

2011 Deidesheimer Leinhoehle Riesling Spaetlese (Pfalz)
66.2 g/L

Marnie Old: Rich, opulent on the palate, so many possibilities where this wine could be from, perhaps from the Rheingau.

Gunther Hauck.

See also:
The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA 

Leitz (Rheingau)

2004 Ruedesheimer Berg Roseneck Spaetlese
82,5 g/L RS

Bob Bertheau: Wonderful texture, I enjoyed the wine very much, may be 10 years old, New World effort, not much botrytis.

See also:
Visiting Weingut Josef Leitz in Ruedesheim – Johannes Leitz is Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide 2011

Doennhoff (Nahe)

2003 Niederhaeuser Herrmannshoehle Riesling Spaetlese
75 g/L

Hunter Smith: Nicely balanced, fresh, a great wine.

Helmut Doennhoff: 2003 was the hottest vintage in my life - without botrytis.

Top 10 Riesling Producers in the World – Snooth 2012 

Fritz Haag (Mosel)

2003 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

Angelo: Not as expressive on the nose as the prvious wine, on the palate: oh my good, good balance, this has to be an Auslese from the Mosel, will live forever.

See also:
The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA 

Chateau Ste. Michelle (Washington State)

2011 Ethos Late Harvest Riesling
238 g/L

Marnie Old: Significant jump in terms of sweetness, so decadent, we have botrytis, lovely wine, I think it is an Old World wine, maybe Austria

Sheldrake Point Winery (Finger Lakes)

2010 Riesling Icewine
283 g/L

Bob Bertheau: Stunning, honey, has some age, a wine that can last forever, has some minerality to it, guess: Rheingau

Dave Breeden.

The 20 Wines

At the end, a summary table of the 20 wines we tasted blind, was provided.

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Stepping up: From 3 … to 4 Quality Levels - The New Classification of the VDP, Germany

When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose

German Wine Basics: Sugar in the Grape - Alcohol and Sweetness in the Wine

1st International Riesling Symposium, Rheingau, Germany

Ombiasy Wine Tours: Wine and Culture Tour to Germany Coming up in August 2013

Germany’s 2011 VDP Grosses Gewaechs – Grand Cru - Wines Released. Notes from the Pre-release Tasting in Wiesbaden, Germany, 2012

German Spaetlese Wines Can Come in Different Versions. I Have Counted Five.

Approaches to Classifying German Wine: The Standard Approach (the Law of 1971), the VDP Approach and the Zero Classification Approach

Wine Blogger Christian G.E. Schiller from schiller-wine Featured Guest of #SommChat on Twitter

Wine ratings: Two American/German wines - Eroica and Poet's Leap - on Top 100 Wines from Washington State list for 2009

German American Wines: (1) Pacific Rim Riesling (2) Eroica and (3) Woelffer's Schillerwein

Riesling, Pinot Noir and Indian Cuisine: A tête-à-tête Dinner with Winemaker Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at Rasika in Washington DC, USA

German Winemakers in the World: Hermann J. Wiemer, Finger Lakes, USA

Ernie and his Friends - The Loosen Bros. USA Portfolio Tour 2012

The Tim Atkin Pinot Noir Taste-Off of October 2011: Germany Versus the Rest of the World - German Red Wines Show Strong Performance

Late Night German Riesling Tasting with Riesling Gurus Paul Grieco and Stuart Pigott in Washington DC on the 2013 Riesling Road Trip, USA

Top 10 Riesling Producers in the World – Snooth 2012

Celebrating the Release of the Finger Lakes 2011 Riesling in Washington DC, USA

The Wines and the Food at President Obama’s Inauguration Luncheon, January 21, 2013, USA

Carl von Schubert from the Maximin Gruenhaus Estate Returned a Favor: With his Wines in Washington DC (and in Seattle), USA

The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA 

Visiting Winemaker Steven Sealock at Pacific Rim Winemakers in Washington State, USA

Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium at Oak Knoll Winery in Hillsboro

Visiting Weingut Josef Leitz in Ruedesheim – Johannes Leitz is Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide 2011 

America's 100 Most Influential Winemakers (2013)

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Randall Grahm in San Francisco

The US is the largest wine market in the world. Americans consume more wine than any other country (311 million cases of wine in 2011) in the world. France, Italy and Germany came very close, with each market accounting for around 300 million cases of wine per year.

Whereas France and Italy have a high (and declining) per capita consumption, as does Germany, although a bit lower, the US consumes very little per capita (only a bit more than 10 liters), but there are a large number of American consumers. In addition, American wine consumption per capita is growing.

Here is a list of the 100 most influential winemakers in the USA, compiled by IntoWine.

(See also for a similar list: Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry – The 2012 IntoWine.com List)

100-Helen Keplinger

99-Hardy Wallace

98-Bryan Ulbrich

97-Craig Kritzer

96-Abe Schroner

95-Ron Bitner

94-Garrit Stoltz

93-Paul Sloan

92-Steve Doerner

91-Jared and Tracey Brandt with their Donkey and Goat Winery in downtown Berkeley; they are proponents of natural wine making, i.e. minimal intervention.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Jared Brandt in Berkeley

See also:
Visiting Jared Brandt and his Donkey & Goat Winery – Natural Wines Made in Berkeley, California
The Natural Wines of the Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley, California

90-Daniel Daou

89-Tony Kooyumjian of Augusta Winery in Missouri had a major role in having Augusta declared the very first AVA in 1980.

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller with Tony Kooyumjian at Montelle Winery

See also:
In the Oldest AVA - American Viticultural Area - Augusta in Missouri
French American Hybrid Grapes - Vidal Blanc, Seyval Blanc and Others
Visiting Tony Kooyumjian at Montelle Winery in Missouri 

88-Kris Kane

87-John Charito

86-Dan Lee

85-Hank Beckmeyer

84-Thomas Rivers Brown

83-Morgan Twain-Peterson

82-Clay Shannon

81-Johnathan Lachs

80-Joe Hart

79-Jordan Harris is winemaker and general manager of Tarara Winery in Leesburg, Virginia. While many of Virginia’s vintners are concentrating their efforts on the sure sellers like Bordeaux-style blends and Chardonnay (which frankly don’t show well here) Harris champions varieties that are often overlooked. Pushing the boundaries of his various blends, Harris is blazing trails in the state with bottlings like his blends of Tannat, Petit Verdot and Pinotage; and a white wine mix of Viognier, Roussanne, and Petit Manseng.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Jordan Harris,Winemaker and General Manager, Tarara Winery, Leesburg, VA

See also:
An Afternoon with Jordan Harris, Winemaker of Tarara, Virginia, USA
Vineyard Walk, Wine Tasting in the Vineyard and Lunch in the Tarara Tank Cellar with Wine Maker Jordan Harris, Tarara Winery, USA
Winemaker Jordan Harris from Tarara Winery in Virginia: One of “40 American Tastemakers under 40” (Wine Enthusiast), USA

78-Jeff Emery

77-Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non in Santa Barbara makes cult wine for wine nerds.

76-Caleb Foster

75-Charles Smith. A decade ago, Smith, a California native, was managing a rock band in Copenhagen when he made a career shift: Smith taught himself how to make wine by creating tiny lots of Syrah for his own K brand. Now his wines are some of Washington’s most sought-after. And Smith’s The Magnificent Wine Company wines (House Wine Red and White) and “modernist” Charles Smith Wines (The Velvet Devil Merlot, Kung Fu Girl Riesling and more) are among the best values anywhere.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Charles Smith in Woodinville

74-Ian Brand

73-Ben Smith

72-Marco Capelli

71-Stephen Bernard is the winemaker for Keswick Vineyards in Virginia.

70-Maggie Harrison

69-Joe Davis

68-Wes Hagen

67-Jon McPhearson

66-Alan Phillips

65- Lee Lutes

64-Andrew Meggitt

63-Adam LaZarre

62-Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Roberts

61-Steve MacRostie

60-Andrew Quady

59-Jim Bernau

58-Kenneth Volk

57-Bob Betz

56-Steven Mirassou

55-Dan Petroski

54-Wendy Stuckey. Born and raised in Australia, Stuckey left the Barossa Valley to join Chateau Ste. Michelle as its white winemaker. Today her commitment to Riesling is as strong as ever, making eight iterations of American Riesling.

53-Christian Roguenant

52-Fred Frank manages Dr. Konstantin Frank in the Finger Lakes region in New York, and studied winemaking in Germany. As Konstantin's grandson, Fred Frank, has expanded the business tenfold, working closely with winemaker Peter Weis, and Dr. Frank wines are now distributed in 36 states and internationally.

See also:
German Wine Makers in the World: Dr. Konstantin Frank (USA)

51-Jeff Meier

50-Dave Ramey

49-Greg Harrington

48-Cameron Hughes is a wine négociant. He does not own a vineyard or a winery but outsources all the labor that goes into making a bottle of wine; growing the grapes, crushing and fermenting them.

47-Ehren Jordan

46-Tony Soter

45-Neil Collins of Tablas Creek Paso Robles legally imported Rhône grape varieties from France, propagating them in a nursery at the winery after they were released from quarantine. The availability of this new vine material helped raise the quality of Rhône grapes in the U.S., and wineries all over the country are growing the so-called Tablas Creek Vineyard Selections in their vineyards.

See also:
Tablas Creek Wines from Paso Robles and Belgian Food at Brasserie Beck with Tablas Greek GM Jason Haas and Chef Robert Wiedmaier in Washington DC, USA 

44-Milla Handley

43-Gary Eberle has earned the title, the “grandfather of Paso Robles wine.”

42-Elias Fernandez

41-Daryl Groom

40-Lynne Penner

39-Richard Sanford

38-Celia Welch

37-Steve Matthiasson

36-Aaron Pott

35-John Williams

34-Mike Benziger leads one of the most prominent and one of the last in-tact families in the wine industry. Based in Sonoma, the 30-year old Benziger Family Winery is widely known for their pioneering exploration and practice of biodynamic, organic and sustainable agriculture and grape growing.

See also:
Benziger Wines Served at the 2010 “Green” Annual White House Correspondents Dinner

33-Chris Camarda

32-Bob Cabral

31-Gary Farrell

30-Kris Curran

29-Rick Small

28-Mark Aubert

27-Stephane Derenoncourt is a self-taught winemaker who continues to spread his wings as a consultant, with projects in Italy, Spain, Chile, China, India, Turkey, Lebanon and Bordeaux. He consults for Francis Ford Coppola’s Rubicon in California and now makes a cool-climate, high-altitude Napa range of wines under his own name.

See also:
Bordeaux Meets Virginia: Tasting Through Recent Vintages at Boxwood Winery in Virginia: With Anne Cuvelier from Chateau Leoville - Poyferre, Annette Schiller from Wine Tours by Ombiasy and Boxwood Winery General Manager Rachel Martin, USA
Boxwood Winery in Virginia: Lunch with Wine Makers Rachel Martin and Adam McTaggert in the Chai between the Tanks – TasteCamp 2012 East Kick-Off, USA

26-Karl Wente

25-Genevieve Janssens

24-Dan Karlsen

23-Bob Lindquist

22-Jim Clenenden of Au Bon Climat in Santa Barbara has cultivated an international reputation for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris. Clenenden was on Robert Parker's short list of Best Wineries in the World, and he was selected by Oz Clark in as one of 50 worldwide creators of Modern Classic Wines.

21-Bob Levy

20-Kim McPhearson

19-Justin Smith

18-Paul Dolan

17-Joel Peterson

16-Sean Thackery

15-Greg LaFollette

14-Carol Shelton

13-Peter Mondavi, Jr. along with patriarch Peter Mondavi, Sr., heads up the flourishing Charles Krug Winery and CK Mondavi Family Vineyards. Amidst corporate buy-outs up and down the Napa Valley, Mondavi has been determined to keep Charles Krug in the family, and to preserve the 850 estate vineyards, farming them sustainably. Additionally he has helped preserve the historical legacy of wine in the Napa Valley by refurbishing the original buildings on the property, thus maintaining one of the oldest wineries in California, all the while maintaining an incredible level of quality.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Peter Mondavi jun.

See also:
Morton’s Steakhouse Presented Peter Mondavi Jr. at a Charles Krug Winemaker Dinner

12-Cathy Corison

11-Randall Grahm planned to make the first great American Pinot Noir. Instead he introduced American consumers wine other than Cabernet and Chardonnay. His Le Cigare Volant proved it was possible to craft and sell great Rhône wine blends from California before anyone really knew what they were. His marketing antics still defies and at times defines the pretentious approach, such as when he held a funeral for the Cork in 2002. Grahm, a longtime proponent of biodynamic viticulture, downsized his production in 2006 to focus on small estate wines.

See also:
Bumping into Randall Grahm in San Francisco, Owner of famed Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz in California, USA

10-Mia Klein

9-Robert Foley

8-Heley Turley.

7-Gina Gallo: With over 24 wine brands, and over 70 millions cases of wine produced and tens of thousands of acres of grapes, E. & J. Gallo Winery is the world's largest family-owned winery and the largest exporter of California wine. Gina Gallo is winemaker, spokesperson and all around wine supporter.

6-Heidi Barrett

5-Paul Hobbs is owner and winemaker for Paul Hobbs Winery, CrossBarn Winery and Vina Cobos in Mendoza. Paul is a pioneer in this industry, from having a hand in the discovery of Malbec’s potential in Argentina, to venturing into regions such as Hungary, Armenia, Uruguay and Cahors.

4-Robert Trinchero

3-Paul Draper

2-Merry Edwards

1-Phillipe Melka

See also:
Allan Shoup’s and Gilles Nicault’s Long Shadow Wines from Washington State, USA

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Morton’s Steakhouse Presented Peter Mondavi Jr. at a Charles Krug Winemaker Dinner

Allan Shoup’s and Gilles Nicault’s Long Shadow Wines from Washington State, USA

Bordeaux Meets Virginia: Tasting Through Recent Vintages at Boxwood Winery in Virginia: With Anne Cuvelier from Chateau Leoville - Poyferre, Annette Schiller from Wine Tours by Ombiasy and Boxwood Winery General Manager Rachel Martin, USA

Boxwood Winery in Virginia: Lunch with Wine Makers Rachel Martin and Adam McTaggert in the Chai between the Tanks – TasteCamp 2012 East Kick-Off, USA

Bumping into Randall Grahm in San Francisco, Owner of famed Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz in California, USA

Benziger Wines Served at the 2010 “Green” Annual White House Correspondents Dinner

Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry – The 2012 IntoWine.com List

China's Wine Boom: Is Jeannie Cho Lee the New Robert Parker?

The Forbes List of Rich People and Wine

The Emerging Wine Giant China - Mouton Cadet Bar Opening

Trends in the global wine market: old world, new world, emerging wine countries

When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose

The Size and the Structure of the German Wine Industry

A Global View: Who Makes and who Drinks Wine?

Wine Consumption by Country: Total and Per Capita

Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry – The 2011 IntoWine.com List

Top 100 Global Wine Tweeters - 2013

Decanter 2011 Wine Power List: I am – With my Fellow Amateur Wine Bloggers Around the World – # 16 on the List

Visiting Jared Brandt and his Donkey & Goat Winery – Natural Wines Made in Berkeley, California

The Natural Wines of the Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley, California

In the Oldest AVA - American Viticultural Area - Augusta in Missouri

French American Hybrid Grapes - Vidal Blanc, Seyval Blanc and Others

Visiting Tony Kooyumjian at Montelle Winery in Missouri

Winemaker Jordan Harris from Tarara Winery in Virginia: One of “40 American Tastemakers under 40” (Wine Enthusiast), USA 

An Afternoon with Jordan Harris, Winemaker of Tarara, Virginia, USA

Vineyard Walk, Wine Tasting in the Vineyard and Lunch in the Tarara Tank Cellar with Wine Maker Jordan Harris, Tarara Winery, USA

Tablas Creek Wines from Paso Robles and Belgian Food at Brasserie Beck with Tablas Greek GM Jason Haas and Chef Robert Wiedmaier in Washington DC, USA 

German Wine Makers in the World: Dr. Konstantin Frank (USA)