I’m (Almost) A Professional!

Posted by | Posted in Terroirist | Posted on 01-06-2011

Last year at this time, I had just finished drafting the magazine article on direct shipping that would eventually be published in the World of Fine Wine. And with great envy, I remember reading live dispatches from 1WineDudeSteve Heimoff, and Alder Yarrow about the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers, held annually at Meadowood Napa Valley. I hoped that one day I’d be enough of a “professional” to attend the event.

This morning, I awoke to the following note from Jim Gordon, editor of Wines & Vines and Director of the Symposium:

Congratulations! The winners of fellowships for the 2011 Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood Napa Valley have been selected, and you are among them… The writing samples you sent were judged blind by a panel of accomplished and objective wine writers, and earned you this honor as one of the most talented writers attending the seventh annual Symposium for Professional Wine Writers.

I’m thrilled — and incredibly fired up!

This means I’ll get to rub shoulders with folks like Steve Heimoff, Bruce Schoenfeld, and Lettie Teague. I’ll get to meet the Wine Dude, Joe Roberts. I’ll get to meet Neil Beckett, the kind editor at the the World of Fine Wine who published my first magazine-length wine feature. And best of all, these writers will (kind-of) consider me a colleague! Amazing. (And yes, I’ve left plenty of big name writers off this list. As Joe Roberts wrote last year, “the speakers on tap for the Symposium read like a wine writing All Star Team line up.”)

My particular fellowship is sponsored by the Terlato Family at Chimney Rock Winery — so to them, my sincerest gratitude. They’ve also invited me to a private tasting of Chimney Rock wines, so I’ll also enjoy some really great wine while I’m out in Napa.

I’ll be sure to blog all about it in February. I can’t wait!

Comments (12)

  1. Well done! Looking forward to seeing you there!

  2. Congrats!

  3. Congrats David!

  4. Excellent! Can’t say I am surprised, however. 🙂

  5. Wow, congrats! I hope someday I’ll be able to attend.

  6. […] […]

  7. What wonderful news! Best wishes for your continued wine
    blogging success!

  8. […] […]

  9. […] […]

  10. […] […]

  11. […] I attended the 2011 Symposium as a fellowship recipient, I was brand new to the world of wine […]

  12. […] attended the 2011 Symposium as a fellowship recipient, and credit the event with helping give me the confidence I needed to become a real life wine […]