My first Wine Book was from Oz Clarke as well, I think my last year of law school.
Haha, just checked out of curiosity, I still have it: “The Essential Wine Book”.
Was a good read to introduce me to a wide range of wine regions that I had never heard about.
In order: Dad, Wife, Co-Worker, Kevin Zraly, RMP, First Wine Group (still going), Howard at Crossroads NYC, Bob Wood.
RT
You guys.
Scary huh?
Not something one is supposed to admit around here, but first Robert Parker, whose first book on the Rhone accompanied my first trip to the Rhone in 1986. And then, some years later, when I was still a Parker subscriber, Robert Callahan, who I knew when he lived in DC, and who started my tastes in different directions. Parker is history, but I still enjoy drinking and socializing with Robert Callahan when I can.
A book: The Signet Encyclopedia of Wine by E. Frank Henriques, last published in 1984. 500+ pages of wines and producers from around the world, with a huge number of brief tasting notes, price info and other commentary. I referred back to this even after I discovered Finnegan, Connoisseur’s Guide and RMP.
A person: It’s been a while, but I recall his name was Robert Kanzaki (or similar, sorry if I got it wrong). He was the wine guy at a local market (Gene’s in Saratoga, CA) in the mid-late 80s and possibly into the early 90s. I tasted and bought 1st growths, DRC, Sassicaia, Gaja and other great wines from him. These were some of my first experiences with wines from outside CA and they were eye-opening. I believe Robert headed up to the Portland area after leaving the bay area, but I lost track of him.
He seems an absolutely stickler for proper storage! As we’re sharing pictures, my great-gran really appreciated tipping some bubbly and made it all seem so glamorous
It’s Bill Klapp.
All Mendo folks: John Scharffenberger, Bob Porter, Greg Graziano, Bob Swain, Jim Klein.
A couple of local retailers. They offered tastes, I bought mixed cases, we would talk, they made additional recommendations. One started a tasting group and that’s when things really took off.
Solid list!
Dan McCarthy of McCarthy and Schiering in Seattle, whom I have known for over 30 years now. I was getting interested in wine a few years before that, buying just about every type of wine, but he is the one who got me obsessively interested in Burgundy, red at first, and then white, damn him…ultimately to the exclusion of just about everything else. I might be retired now if it wasn’t for him.
T begin, MSWBB, where the ‘problem’ very quickly grew, and then Wineberserkers, and a few books.
And all those I have met and shared bottles with along the way.
I agree with him.
It surprises me he isn’t mentioned more in this thread (not that I’m a fan of his influence, but influential he most certainly was).
Ernst.
Julio.
I view mentorship as including a personal relationship. Parker influenced my purchases and turned me on to a number of wines in the '80s and early '90s. But other than a couple of tastings I attended with him and occasional online postings, his newsletter offered none of the two-way communication necessary for mentoring.
Owl vandalism!
RT
I take your point. In that case, I amend the list to just Robert Callahan. Plenty of other people I have shared wine with have influenced my taste. But I also take a mentor to be in the nature of a teacher and not simply a friend.
I agree that Robert Parker would be high on my list. When I first decided to get serious about wine, I bought one of his books, and them I subscribed to the Wine Advocate. Many of my favorite wines were recommended by WA.
My dad, my brother, and Bill St. John (Denver wine writer whose tasting classes I attended).