About Me

My passion for wine began several years ago when I started working in grocery retail.  I was the assistant store manger that was responsible for the wine buying for my store.  As the wine buyer I was able to attend several trade shows and tastings and my passion for wine started to grow.  

I still remember the wine that changed everything. If you talk to anyone who is passionate about wine they can usually recall the wine that took them from just enjoying wine to passion and love of wine. For me it was the 2001 Stuhlmuller Estate Zinfandel, Alexander Valley located in Sonoma. It was their first vintage of Zinfandel and it was amazing, unlike anything I had tasted before.  It's one of the reasons why I am a Zinfandel lover today.  

Over the years my passion for wine grew and so did my knowledge. I was intrigued by how wines could be so different but yet the same. I found it interesting that the same brand of wines would change each year based on several factors. Whether it was temperature (too hot or too cold growing season), rainfall (too much or too little), or a different winemaker, all influenced the taste of the wine year to year,  even though it was the same wine.  I also found it interesting that wines made from the same types of grapes could taste so different based on where it was produced.  France, Italy, Australia, and USA all grow the same types of grapes, but all have their own unique taste profile.  

Wine has the ability to connect us on so many levels. Over the years I have had the pleasure of meeting so many interesting people through wine.  Several of these connections have turned into life long friendships.  This love of wine and people prompted me to attain my CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine).  I wanted to be able to correctly answer the questions that people have about wine:  how is it made, what grapes are used, what wine goes with what foods, does region make a difference, can climate impact taste, how to properly serve wine, etc, etc, etc. I want to share my passion with friends new and old and help everyone discover the wine that turns "enjoyable" into a wine experience they will never forget.  

Let me help you discover your passion for wine. 

Cheers, 

William McKinley, CSW