Doug Frost is a Master of Wine and Master Sommelier as well as an author and wine consultant based in Kansas City, Missouri. Frost is one of three individuals in the world to hold simultaneously the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles, achieving his MS in 1991 and MW in 1993. According to USA Today, “Frost likely knows as much as anyone in the world about how to make, market, serve and identify wines.”

The Wine Spectator has bestowed the accolade of Master of Spirits on Mr. Frost. In 2006 Frost, along with partners Dale DeGroff, Steve Olson, Paul Pacult, Andy Seymour and David Wondrich created BAR (Beverage Alcohol Resource), a spirits and cocktail educational organization; BAR is the subject of an upcoming documentary. Frost continues to teach and examine for BAR and the Master Sommelier program, and to mentor within the Master of Wine program.

Frost, along with business partner, Brad Bergman, owns Echolands Winery in the Walla Walla Valley. The winery owns almost 400 acres of land in the Walla Walla Valley, with 25 acres planted on the Oregon side of the valley, and 10 acres soon planted in the northern Walla Walla Valley in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Each of Echolands wines have received scores of 92 points or higher since the launch of their first wines from the 2018 harvest.

Frost’s first book, Uncorking Wine, was released in the summer of 1996, and Frost’s second book, On Wine, published by Rizzoli International, was released in the fall of 2001. His wine book, Far From Ordinary: The Spanish Wine Guide, was released in October 2005; the third edition was released in 2011. He is contributing editor for the Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails (2022). Frost is also a contributor to the Oxford Companion of Wine, Opus Vino, The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson, Lonely Planet Wine Trails, The Wine Report (edited by Tom Stevenson), and the Sotheby’s World Wine Encyclopedia.

Frost is the creator and host of the PBS-TV hosted short series called FermentNation; the show has won two Mid-American Regional Emmy® Awards, in 2015 and 2017. Frost continues as United Airlines global wine and spirits consultant, selecting tens of thousands of cases of wines and spirits each year for service aboard the world’s most important worldwide carrier.

He is the founder and President of the Best USA Sommelier Association, the U.S. member of the international organization that chooses the world’s top sommelier. Frost splits his time between Walla Walla and Kansas City, there with his wife and near his two children and granddaughter, where he spends his spare time listening to his massive punk rock, vintage jazz and weird music collection.

Current employer: Strong Water, LLC

Primary area(s) of work: Wine production, Trade, Strategy, Communication

Industry sector(s): Author, Business owner, Buying, Broadcasting, Consultant, Distribution, Educator, Events, Journalism, Marketing, Off trade, On trade, Performing arts, Sales, Wine business strategy, Wine buying, Wine judge, Wine tourism, Winemaking, Winery operations

Wine styles: Dry wines, Still red, Still white

Wine region expertise: USA

Specialisms: Establishment of vineyards, Regenerative, Wine styling, Blending, Elevage / maturation, Airlines, Branding, Broadcasting, Distribution, Events, Food and wine pairing, Identifying and meeting consumer demand, Independent retail, Events, Restaurant wines, Starting wineries, TV, Wine tourism, Wine judging