Being both a publicist and wine blogger delivers a lot of relationships to me that are both satisfying and profound. I feel very fortunate to be allowed to be working with and contacted by the crème de la crème on a pretty regular basis. This is always how I feel, when an Email, such as Marlene’s, just arrived. It reminds me that I have a wine writer program that I’m developing, and she belongs in it.

Her credentials are as follows:

Marlene Rossman, MBA, MA
President, Manhattan Wine Seminars, LLC
Consultant, Corporate Wine Studies
University of California, Irvine
direct line: (949)  679-4840
fax: (949) 679-4841
Manhattan Wine Seminars
UC Ervine Extention: certificates/arts_culture/wine_corporate

Marlene is also a wine writer, with the following publications:

• Chef magazine
• Sommelier Journal – Cult Wines for Tough Times
• The Tasting Panel
• Riviera/Modern Luxury International Sommelier

Her biography is one of a highly accomplished woman, and allows you to glimpse a complete career… one that rich with experience, and demonstrates how anyone finally gets to the top though a lot of hard work.

Marlene Rossman relocated Manhattan Wine Seminars, LLC, from New York to Southern California, where she provides wine seminars and events. She consults for private clients on acquiring fine wine for their cellars. Marlene teaches in the University of California-Irvine Wine Certificate Program. She rolled out the first university-accredited, online wine course for UC-Irvine  in May 2009.

Marlene was the wine columnist for Orange County Home magazine from 2006 to 2008. She was a sommelier at New York’s French Culinary Institute and was the sommelier Laguna Culinary Arts, Laguna Beach from 2003-2006. She is a co-host on the award-winning webcast, GrapeRadio.com. Marlene was the Editor-in-Chief and columnist for Wine Country International magazine, wine, columnist for New York’s Flatiron magazine and wrote for Beverage Media, Vineyard and Winery Management and Wine Business Monthly. She was the featured commentator with Stephen Spurrier in a news program on “American Wine” produced by Associated Press Television News.

Before turning her passion into profit, Marlene collected and studied wine for over 20 years.  She is the founder and president emeritus of Women for WineSense, New York; a founding member of the American Sommelier Association, NY, and a member of the Society of Wine Educators. Marlene was a sommelier at New York’s French Culinary Institute, where she also taught wine education to culinary students. She is a frequent judge at wine competitions.

As president of Rossman, Graham Associates (RGA), marketing consultants, for over 15 years, Marlene specialized in consumer buying behavior and segmentation marketing and provided research data to Fortune 500 consumer goods and beverage alcohol companies. Marlene sold wine at retail to gather research for RGA’s Women’s Wine Preference Survey, published in 2000.

Marlene’s 1996 book, Multicultural Marketing: Selling to a Diverse America (AMACOM Publishers) sold out three printings. Her first book, The International Businesswoman, was translated into Japanese and Chinese.  She was Adjunct Professor in the Executive MBA programs at Pace University Graduate School of Business, NY, New York University and Executive-in-Residence/Visiting Professor, University of San Diego, CA. Marlene holds a BA in English, an MA in Linguistics and an MBA in Marketing.

This is what makes for a wine writer that gets my immediate attention. I queried her about a Q&A, and – of course, if you want something done, ask a busy person. Within a day – with an apology for having to take a bit of time, she quickly returned my Email with the Q&A complete. Here you go…

One more thing… Her answer about the latest, best innovation is going to surprise you, and should make many people take notice that this gal’s not threatened by the times.

[Q]  Many wine writers also have a day job. If wine isn’t your job, what is and for whom?

[A]  Wine is my day job…My private company, Manhattan Wine Seminars, LLC, provides wine events, education and wine collection evaluations, I am the wine columnist for Chef Magazine (and I freelance for many wine publications) and I am an instructor in the wine certificate program at University of California-Irvine.

[Q]  When did you start writing about wine?

[A]  1999/2000 (BF-before blogging)

[Q]  What prompted you to start writing about wine?

[A]  Passion about wine, as a collector, my ability to write and edit (I have a BA in English, MA in Linguistics and an MBA) I have written three non wine books in the past.

[Q]  What aspect(s) of wine do you most enjoy covering?

[A]  Tasting varieties that I am not familiar with, covering wine tasting events for the publications I write for, teaching about wine and collecting wine.

[Q]  How has your job changed since you’ve started?

[A]  There are many more regions that are now producing wine.

[Q]  What’s the most memorable wine you’ve ever tasted?

[A]  Too many to recount, but a Domaine de la Romanee Conti and Sine Qua Non and are way up there.

[Q]  What are your favorite varieties?

[A]  Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Viognier (Condrieu)

[Q]  Do you believe that there are better quality, lower priced wines today, than in past vintages?

[A]  Until recently (pre crash) prices were going into the stratosphere. Since the great “recession” prices and with the emphasis on sustainability, wine is more affordable and the quality (esp. domestic) is continuing to improve. Also, there has never been better imported wines from Argentina, Chile, Australia, NZ, S. Africa, Italy, Spain and neglected appellations from France

[Q]  What’s your favorite innovation in the wine industry over the past few years?

[A]  The proliferation of bloggers

[Q]  What’s your favorite food and wine pairing?

[A]  As the wine columnist for Chef magazine, I pair all the “iron chef” recipes with wine every month. I often try to cook some of these out- of- this- world recipes, so it’s a bit difficult to pinpoint ONE pairing. If I had to I’d pick Breast of Squab with Squab Liver Raviolilinis and Morels paired with Domaine Taupenot-Merme Premier Cru Les Pruliers.

[Q]  What are your interests outside of the wine business?

[A]  My dogs, my family and cooking.

[Q]  Who inspires you (wine business or outside of it, doesn’t matter)?

[A]  My husband!

BIO:

Marlene Rossman, relocated Manhattan Wine Seminars, LLC, from New York to Southern California, where she provides wine seminars and events. She consults for clients on acquiring fine wine. Since 2004, Marlene has been an instructor/consultant in the University of California-Irvine Wine Certificate Program. Marlene won the Distinguished Instructor Award for 2011.

Marlene is the wine columnist for Chef magazine and writes on wine for Andy Dias Blue’s Tasting Panel, Sommelier Journal and International Sommelier magazines. She was a sommelier and culinary student instructor at New York’s French Culinary Institute and was the sommelier at Laguna Culinary Arts, Laguna Beach from 2003-2006. She is a co-host on the James Beard award-winning webcast, GrapeRadio.com.

Marlene was the Editor-in-Chief and columnist for Wine Country International magazine, wine columnist/editor for Orange County Home, New York’s Flatiron magazine and wrote for Beverage Media, and Wine Business Monthly. She was the featured commentator with Stephen Spurrier, in a news program on “American Wine” produced by Associated Press Television News.