Rich Mauro’s a great wine writer resource. In my continuous sharing of who key players in the wine world are, Rich Mauro plays well into this category.
I asked Rich my series of questions because I find writers’ answers to be so timely and revealing about who they are, and what interests them.
Rich’s Website is People’s Palate: Rich Mauro ~ People’s Palate
In a perfect world, every writer I know would have his or her own Website. The joy of being able to have a place to upload one’s own continuing thoughts is very uplifting… Life without an editor… First Amendment… It’s just great.
Q: When did you start to write about wine, and what prompted you to begin?
A: I started writing about wine in 1995 when my brother-in-law, who was editor of Out Front Colorado at the time, asked me come to a tasting of Guenoc wines. Then (if I thought they were any good) write about the winery’s promotion, where they would donate a dollar from the sale of every bottle of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon for a month to AMFAR (American Foundation for AIDS Research, I believe). After that, the publishers asked me to write a regular wine column.
Q: What aspect(s) of wine do you most enjoy covering?
A: Issues–like what makes great wine, recognizing terroir, sustainable winemaking, alcohol levels, and so on.
Q: How has your job changed since you’ve started?
A: I used to FAX columns. Now, obviously, they are emailed. I’ve made more contacts, so I am able to cover more topics and a wider variety of wines. I started with one small, community paper; now I also write for a daily, a trade publication, and two websites.*
Q: What’s the most memorable wine you’ve ever tasted?
A: I’d have to say a 1966 Chateau Cheval Blanc, because it was the first really fine wine I ever tasted. I was in college and working at Liquor Mart in Boulder and drank with a colleague over dinner at my apartment. It was a real revelation.
Q: What’s your favorite variety?
A: Zinfandel.
Q: Do you believe that there are better quality, lower priced wines today, than in past vintages?
A: I’m conflicted about this one. Certainly, there are a lot of clean, well-made wines today at reasonable prices, but I still remember some Italian, French and Portuguese (mostly) reds with much more character and distinctiveness, something we usually have to pay more money for these days.
Q: What’s your favorite innovation in the past few years?
A: Sustainable, organic, and biodynamic farming and winemaking. In some ways it is a little bit “back to the future” but the practices and technology are more advanced and so necessary in today’s environment.
As a footnote to Rich’s humble answer about where he’s contributing, here’s his list:
- Colorado Springs Gazette
- Beverage Analyst
- www.gabbygourmet.com
- Out Front Colorado
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