Karen MacNeil
Encyclopedia
Karen MacNeil is an American
author
, journalist
, wine
educator and consultant based in Napa Valley. MacNeil is also the creator and chairman of the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena
.
MacNeil has published The Wine Bible, a book 10 years in the making, and was the host of a 13-episode PBS
series titled Wine, Food and Friends with Karen MacNeil, in tandem with the publication of a companion book, Wine, Food & Friends. MacNeil was also wine correspondent on NBC
's The Today Show, has published articles in a wide range of publications, and works as a private wine education consultant.
and shaped the direction of her career. Her transition from food writer to wine writer came about in the mid-1970s, when she was commissioned by Elle
magazine to write a wine article. In 1991 she signed a contract with Workman Publishing Co.
to write a book on wine, while The Wine Bible would not be released until 2001. A 910 page book, it sold more than 125,000 copies in a year and continues to sell well. Her second book was Wine, Food & Friends (2006).
MacNeil's articles have appeared in The New York Times
, Food & Wine
, Saveur
, and Town & Country
. She is also a contributor to Robert Parker
's website erobertparker.com with the blog "One Woman’s View". In her work as a private wine education consultant, she has had clients such as firms Merrill Lynch
, Lexus
, General Electric
, Time Inc.
and American Express
.
MacNeil was named Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year in 2004 by the James Beard Foundation
. In 2005 she was named Wine Educator of the Year by the European Wine Council, in 2007 she was given the Wine Literary Award by the Wine Appreciation Guildand, and in 2008 the International Wine & Spirits Competition Communicator of the Year award. She is the only person in the U.S. to win all four major awards of the wine industry.
, that had a production of 20000 winecase annually from a 13 acres (5.3 ha) property, until it filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection and was eventually sold in 2006. During its operational period, MacNeil never reviewed the wines of Fife Vineyards.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
educator and consultant based in Napa Valley. MacNeil is also the creator and chairman of the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena
St. Helena, California
St. Helena is a city in Napa County, California, United States. It is part of the northern San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 5,814 at the 2010 census....
.
MacNeil has published The Wine Bible, a book 10 years in the making, and was the host of a 13-episode PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
series titled Wine, Food and Friends with Karen MacNeil, in tandem with the publication of a companion book, Wine, Food & Friends. MacNeil was also wine correspondent on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's The Today Show, has published articles in a wide range of publications, and works as a private wine education consultant.
Career
MacNeil's first article, on the subject of the best butter on offer in New York delis, was published in The Village VoiceThe Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
and shaped the direction of her career. Her transition from food writer to wine writer came about in the mid-1970s, when she was commissioned by Elle
Elle (magazine)
Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in...
magazine to write a wine article. In 1991 she signed a contract with Workman Publishing Co.
Workman Publishing Company
Workman Publishing Company is a publisher of primarily non-fiction print and audio books along with calendars with annual sales of over US$25 million. Located in New York City, New York, USA, the publisher works under several imprints with offices located throughout the United States. Peter...
to write a book on wine, while The Wine Bible would not be released until 2001. A 910 page book, it sold more than 125,000 copies in a year and continues to sell well. Her second book was Wine, Food & Friends (2006).
MacNeil's articles have appeared in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Food & Wine
Food & Wine
Food & Wine is a monthly magazine published by American Express Publishing. It was founded in 1978 by Ariane and Michael Batterberry. It features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, chefs, wine pairings and seasonal/holiday content and has been credited by The New York...
, Saveur
Saveur
Saveur is a gourmet, food, wine, and travel magazine that specializes in essays about various world cuisines. The publication was co-founded by Dorothy Kalins, Michael Grossman, Christopher Hirsheimer, and Colman Andrews, who was also the editor-in-chief from 1996 to 2001...
, and Town & Country
Town & Country (magazine)
Town & Country, formerly the Home Journal and The National Press, is a monthly American lifestyle magazine. It is the oldest continually published general interest magazine in the United States.-Early history:...
. She is also a contributor to Robert Parker
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Robert M. Parker, Jr. is a leading U.S. wine critic with an international influence. His wine ratings on a 100-point scale and his newsletter The Wine Advocate, with his particular stylistic preferences and notetaking vocabulary, have become very influential in American wine buying and are...
's website erobertparker.com with the blog "One Woman’s View". In her work as a private wine education consultant, she has had clients such as firms Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
, Lexus
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...
, General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, Time Inc.
Time Inc.
Time Inc. is a subsidiary of the media conglomerate Time Warner, the company formed by the 1990 merger of the original Time Inc. and Warner Communications. It publishes 130 magazines, most notably its namesake, Time...
and American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
.
MacNeil was named Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year in 2004 by the James Beard Foundation
James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation is a New York-based national professional non-profit organization named in honor of James Beard that serves to promote the culinary arts by honoring chefs, wine professionals, journalists, and cookbook authors at annual award ceremonies and providing scholarships and...
. In 2005 she was named Wine Educator of the Year by the European Wine Council, in 2007 she was given the Wine Literary Award by the Wine Appreciation Guildand, and in 2008 the International Wine & Spirits Competition Communicator of the Year award. She is the only person in the U.S. to win all four major awards of the wine industry.
Personal life
MacNeil married Dennis Fife in 1996. Fife was the owner of Fife Vineyards with a winery in Mendocino, CAMendocino County wine
The Mendocino County wine is an appellation that designates wine made from grapes grown mostly in Mendocino County, California. The region is part of the larger North Coast AVA and one of California's largest and most climatically diverse wine growing regions...
, that had a production of 20000 winecase annually from a 13 acres (5.3 ha) property, until it filed for Chapter 11
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
bankruptcy protection and was eventually sold in 2006. During its operational period, MacNeil never reviewed the wines of Fife Vineyards.