|
|
 |
Along with my colleagues at Wine Review Online,
I’m delighted to welcome John McDermott to our ranks. He started up
last week with a set of six reviews, with a column up this week, and
you’ll find his recommendations virtually every Wednesday going forward
on the WRO “Reviews” page. As a columnist in our rotation, you'll see additional articles from him on a regular basis going forward.
John has dedicated over a decade to the rigorous study of wine,
combining both formal education and informal exploration. His wine
education journey began at the Cape Wine Academy of South Africa, and
more recently, under  the auspices of the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET).
While John is currently an attorney for a large technology and social
media company, he spent years working in wine sales, gaining an
understanding of consumer trends first-hand. John loves wines of all
types and is always looking for something new to try, but he frequently
returns to mature classics from Rioja, Barolo, Bordeaux, and the Loire
Valley. John enjoys traveling to wine regions across the globe, and he
has explored wineries throughout South Africa, Italy, France, and the
U.S.
In his down time, when John is not exploring new wines, he is a
volunteer for the Heart’s Delight Wine Tasting & Auction, one the
preeminent wine events in the U.S., held annually in Washington, D.C.
As I was working with John to gear up for his debut with us, I asked him
for a very informal rundown on his love affair with wine so that I’d
have a bit more material to work with when introducing him to our
readers. I felt a bit bad about asking more of him when he’d already
submitted a sample column for me to consider as well as some reviews, so
I told him he could save time by just shooting some additional
information—even just as “bullet points.” Well, what he sent was so
well written and engaging that I’m going to simply post it here,
effectively letting John introduce himself.
But before turning him loose, let me just say that: This guy can
write. John's “sample column” was so well done that I asked him to join
us immediately after reading it, and it won’t be a sample for long, as
I’ll gladly publish it with virtually no editing. Similarly, what
appears below has barely been touched since it left John's keyboard.
So, keep an eye out for all of his future contributions to Wine Review Online, because lots of people love wine—but very few can recount their wine romances compellingly! ~MF
* * *
"I didn’t grow up around wine at all. My first
introduction to wine was while studying abroad in college. I was
studying international justice in Stellenbosch, South Africa and learned
that I could take a wine appreciation course for college credit. Being
only 20 years old at the time (and below the legal drinking age in the
US), the prospect of earning college credit for drinking alcohol was an
enticing proposition, and the sole basis upon which I enrolled in the
class.
A few weeks into my course, knowing only enough to be dangerous, I
stopped by Cederberg Winery while hiking in the surrounding mountains,
about 3 hours north of Stellenbosch. While there, I sat for a tasting
that included their Sauvignon Blanc. It was nothing special in the
grand scheme of things, but I’ll never forget the distinct aroma of
green bell pepper in that wine. It was the first time I had ever
discerned a scent in a wine, other than “wine.” I was still very new to
wine at that point, but I knew that the glass in front of me contained
nothing but fermented grape juice, and something inside of me needed to
know how that fermented grape juice led to me smelling green bell
pepper.
That one experience sparked a curiosity in me that continues today.
After that, I began taking my wine course much more seriously. I began
scouring local bookstores for books on wine and read everything that I
could, including Oz Clarke’s “Grapes & Wines”—a book that was surely
intended as a reference tome, but which I read cover to cover that
semester. I passed my course with distinction, earning a certification
from the Cape Wine Academy in the process. When I got back home from
South Africa, I went to every wine shop in town, seeking someone that
would hire an almost 21-year-old college student. Every single shop I
went to said no, except for the very last one, where the owner told me
to come back in a month, when I’d turned 21…and that a job would be
waiting for me then.
The job didn’t pay much, and offered no formal benefits, but I was
allowed to taste for free anything on the store’s Enomatic® wine
dispensing machines. Once a week, the store would also do a live
tasting event, and my boss allowed me to take home anything that wasn’t
empty at the end of the day. I particularly remember being able to take
home quarter-full bottles of Opus One and Dunn Howell Mountain on
separate occasions—a treat for anyone, but especially for a lowly
college student.
I continued working in that wine shop all through college and law
school. And though I stepped away from the trade after that, I
continued reading and studying wine in my spare time. Of the various
wine writers I’ve read over the years, Jancis Robinson and Rajat Parr
have probably had the largest impact on me. Jancis’ wine reviews, which
are both engaging and direct, serve as a style that I try to emulate.
And Raj’s “The Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste,” which I find unparalleled in
its depth and approachability, was critical to building out my
understanding of terroirs around the world.
As an aside, once I finished law school, I became a corporate litigation
attorney. I loved litigation because it gave me the opportunity to
write legal briefs. Crafting written arguments was what gave me the
most satisfaction as an attorney. I’ve more recently transitioned to a
role as an attorney working on internal investigations for a large
technology and social media company. While I’m very happy with my job
(and the much better work-life balance it provides), there are no
opportunities to write in the new post. Because of this, I’ve been
looking for a writing outlet for some time, and I’m truly thrilled to
get to combine my love of writing with my long-time passion for wine
when contributing to Wine Review Online."
|
 |
|
