After stints in academia, sports writing, espresso and wine retail, Michael Alberty took up full-time wine writing. He currently covers wine for The Oregonian newspaper and covers Oregon, Washington and Canada for Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
Erin Brooks is a Certified Sommelier and wine journalist. Born in North Carolina, she moved to New Mexico to attend the College of Santa Fe where she graduated with a B.A. in Creative Writing and Politics. During her time in New Mexico, she became involved in the service industry and fell in love with wine. She worked the floor of restaurants for a decade, accruing experience as restaurant manager, sommelier and wine director.
In 2015 Erin relocated to the Napa Valley where she worked for some of the most revered Michelin-rated restaurants in the US, including Chef Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro, La Toque and the three-Michelin star The Restaurant at Meadowood.
In addition to her restaurant experience, Erin spent many years as a freelance food and wine writer, penning articles about the world of fine wine and cuisine for several publications including Local Flavor magazine, The Santa Fe New Mexican’s Winterlife magazine and Edible Santa Barbara. She has been working with the Robert Parker Wine Advocate team since 2017, reviewing the wines of the US including Sonoma County, Oregon, Washington and the California Central Coast.
Erin’s passion for wine has led her on a journey through two different wine certification programs, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS). A Certified Sommelier and recipient of the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine & Spirits, she is currently enrolled as a stage-two student in the Master of Wine program. She is the recipient of the Walter Clore Scholarship, the André Tchelistcheff Advanced Course Scholarship and the Bonaccorsi Advanced Exam Scholarship.
Peter Hoyne is a well-known Chicago-based wine columnist who has written columns for the Chicago Sun-Times and its affiliates for over 35 years. He began his career writing for Elite Magazine and Chicago’s suburban newspapers before advancing to the Chicago Sun-Times. As a senior wine columnist, he has a broad focus covering meaningful national and international stories about wine and travel destinations. Chicago Wine Press evolved six years ago as an on-line lifestyle magazine with a comprehensive and engaging approach to wine, food and travel.
As a Chicago native, W Peer Hoyne is always conscious of new trends within the third largest city. While his professional relationships and consulting in the wine industry have allowed him to share a unique perspective of wine to a worldwide audience, he is also intrigued by the culinary aspect and harmony that exist between wine and food. He thrives on knowing the intimate stories of the families behind the labels, because “if you know the people, it is easy to understand the wine.” As a lecturer, he is committed to consumer wine education while focusing on discovering emerging trends and upcoming American wine-buying habits. He believes “long-standing relationships are forged through wine, as it is the common thread that brings people closer together.“
Marlynn Jayme Schotland is a cookbook author and the publisher of Urban Bliss Life, a leading food, wine, and travel website launched in 2004. She is a local TV chef who has appeared nationally multiple times on The Drew Barrymore Show, has cooked with Andrew Zimmern on the Magnolia Network’s Family Dinner TV show, and cooks live once a month on Portland’s ABC-TV AfternoonLive. She holds a WSET 2 with Distinction, and has served as a local and regional food and wine judge at various food festivals and wine competitions over the years. You can find her recipes and read her wine and travel guides at UrbanBlissLife.com and follow her at @UrbanBlissLife on Instagram.
Jeff Kralik is an award-winning wine writer and blogger based in Houston, Texas. His appreciation for wine started while studying in Strasbourg, France and blossomed as a high school French teacher when he would spend his summers as a bicycle tour guide in Europe. Jeff has visited (often by bike) most of the wine growing regions of Europe, the U.S., and South America. According to Jeff, “I am a story-teller. While I take my writing seriously, I try not to take myself all that seriously. My goal, above all else, is to make people smile by chipping a bit of the mystique off wine, since at its base it is a beverage that is intended to bring joy to those who consume it.”
Since its inception in early 2012, his blog, the Drunken Cyclist, has continued to grow in popularity and has received numerous awards. Jeff has served as a wine judge for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the Critic’s Challenge in San Diego; he has presented at numerous conferences including the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium and the Wine Media Conference.
Jeff graduated from Bowdoin College with a dual degree in Political Science and French, and received his Ph.D. in Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Houston, Texas, with his wife and two sons and where he regularly conducts wine dinners, tastings, and events.
Karen MacNeil is the only American to have won every major wine award given in the English Language. These include the prestigious James Beard award for Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year, the Louis Roederer award for Best Consumer Wine Writing, the International Wine and Spirits award as the Global Wine Communicator of the Year and the Wine Appreciation Guild’s Wine Literary Award. In a full-page profile on her, TIME Magazine called Karen “America’s Missionary of the Vine.” Karen has been named one of the “100 Most Influential People in Wine in the United States.”
Karen is the author of the award-winning book, THE WINE BIBLE (now in its third edition), praised as “a masterpiece of wine writing.” THE WINE BIBLE has sold more than one million copies and was featured in the 2020 Netflix series Uncorked and the Starz series Sweet Bitter.
Vanessa Ng is a Canadian-Asian (Canasian!) gal living in Portland Oregon with an insatiable appetite for food, travel, and adventure. In 2017, she co-founded @foodbellypdx for fun, which has organically grown into a social media platform with a hungry audience seeking diverse food and wine recommendations. Vanessa’s background includes a decade in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Currently an Account Executive at TEKsystems, she is a strategic partner for retail companies throughout their digital and business transformation lifecycles. When not working, Vanessa enjoys trips to farmers markets, hosting dinner parties, and camping in Oregon’s beautiful landscapes.
We are Vicki & Vanessa Ng, Canadian-Asian (Canasian!) sisters with an insatiable appetite for food, travel, and adventure.
Born and raised in Vancouver BC, both of us found ourselves calling the weird and beautiful city of Portland OR our home.
We started @foodbellypdx in Oct 2017 because we love to share what makes us happy – it’s as simple as that!
We invite you to follow along our journey in exploring the best food finds in Portland and beyond!
Geoff is a copywriter and journalist focused on helping brands make the world a better place through compelling copy. He works throughout the environmental and social impact space, crafting messaging, reporting, branding and more. He also contributes to Barron’s, Forbes, InsideHook and several others, covering the cross-section of business and a more environmentally-sound future. You can check out his work at geoffnudelman.com.
Clive Pursehouse is Decanter’s US Editor. Based in Seattle, Washington, Pursehouse has developed a deep appreciation for the wines of the Pacific Northwest over the course of 20 years, and will continue to write about the wines and producers of Oregon and Washington State in addition to his overarching role.
Tali is a Director of Special events and digital marketer for wine and food events. She is passionate about connecting the community with the three greatest things life has to offer: people, wine, and food. With a deep appreciation for experiential living, Tali does all the things including being the co-chair of the mentorship committee and a board member for Women in Wine Oregon, Tali believes heavily in living fully with a glass of pinot in hand.
Nancy is a passionate co-founder of More Than The Vine, a brand dedicated to celebrating the unique charm of local wineries and related establishments. Based in Portland, Oregon, Nancy plays a pivotal role in creating engaging and visually striking content that highlights wine events, experiences, tastings, and accommodations in wine country.
With a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for the people behind the brands, Nancy collaborates with Gabe to make the wine experience more approachable, especially for younger enthusiasts. Her work involves curating authentic stories and visuals that resonate with a broad audience, helping to break down the intimidation barrier often associated with the wine industry.
Gabe is the dynamic co-founder of More Than The Vine, a brand dedicated to celebrating the unique charm of local wineries and related establishments. Based in Portland, Oregon, Gabe works to produce engaging and visually striking content that showcases wine events, experiences, tastings, and accommodations in wine country.
With a creative vision and a passion for storytelling, Gabe aims to make the wine experience more approachable, particularly for younger enthusiasts. His efforts focus on capturing authentic moments and narratives that resonate with a wide audience, helping to demystify the wine industry and foster a deeper appreciation for the people and places behind each brand.
