The SOMM Journal

April / May 2017

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4 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } APRIL/MAY 2017 New Somm Journal Appointments Global Wine Editor, Deborah Parker Wong, DWSET Deborah Parker Wong, DWSET has been named Global Wine Editor for The Somm Journal and its sister publications, The Tasting Panel and The Clever Root, for all of which she reports on the wine and spirits industries with an emphasis on trends. In addition, she contributes features on business and production technology to Vineyard & Winery Management and Spirited magazines. Deborah co-authored 1000 Great Everyday Wines, published by Dorling Kindersley in 2011. Deborah holds the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma and is Director of Education for Discover Wine and Spirits Academy; she also teaches WSET certifica - tion courses and is an adjunct professor in the wine studies program at Santa Rosa Junior College . In addition to writing and speaking about wine, Deborah judges wine competitions and scores wine for Planet Grape Wine Review. Her motto is: To learn, read. To know, write. To master, teach. dpw@sommjournal.com IN LATE FEBRUARY, I SPENT A WEEK in Napa Valley. For those who know me, my staying away from the office for more than three days is an anomaly. Maybe it's my micromanaging issues, or just the fact that we're so busy with our three publi- cations (21 individual issues a year get published—imagine 21 harvests). As a rule, my trips are frequent but short. Allowing myself this extended stay led to one of the highlights of my career: my second oppportunity to be one of the members of the faculty at the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood. Housed in that spectacular resort, nestled in a forested retreat in St. Helena, I met talented journal - ists and rubbed elbows with esteemed pro- fessionals such as Karen MacNeil, Kevin Zraly, Evan Goldstein and Leslie Sbrocco. At the end of the week, I experienced, for the first time, Premiere Napa Valley. The 21st Annual Auction and Barrel Tasting was a resounding success, raising $4.2 mil - lion dollars for the Napa Valley Vintners Association, who put the funds back into the community for many good purposes. My story, starting on page 64, is co-authored by contributors Meg Houston Maker and Tricia Conover. The stand-out revelation for me was sensing the brilliance of the 2015 Napa Valley harvest. Wow! Also in this issue, we're pleased to honor the milestone of a friend's business. David Biggar, founder of Vintage Point, is celebrat - ing ten successful years, and featuring him in our First Press section is our cake and candles for him. With spring in the air, we are readying ourselves for an overwhelming number of events across the country. We'll be in Paso Robles this month, along with lunches to celebrate Garnacha from Cariñena, Spain in Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles. Then we'll set up our syllabus for Banfi's Cru Artisan College in D.C., Chicago and San Francisco, showcase Alto Adige wines in Los Angeles and stomp the terroir at Alexander Valley's Cab Academy. And that's just April and May! Watch for email invitations—and if you're not yet on our email list, please introduce yourself to our Director of Events, Becky Tsadik: Becky@SommJournal.com. I may have to break my travel quota again—but it will be for the best of reasons. Meridith May MMay@SommJournal.com Publisher/Editorial Director It's Going to Be a Busy Year { from the publisher } With Philippe Melka at Premiere Napa Valley. PHOTO: ALEXANDER RUBIN Northern California Editor, Diane Denham Diane Denham's love for wine emerged during her four years living in France and led to a career in the wine business. Her tenure with Robert Mondavi Winery included domestic, export and import sales before starting her own import wine com - pany. Her experience also includes co-owning a Napa vineyard where she gained first-hand knowledge of the value of deer fences. didenham@comcast.net

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