Born and raised Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Practiced law in Washington DC following graduation from university and law school. Taught law at Georgetown University and then both at Moscow State University and the Institute of State and Law (Tbilisi, Georgie) as a Fulbright Scholar. Additional time served at Yale Law School, Moscow and St Petersburg resulted in a doctorate in law, after which I decided life was too short to be consigned to a life of vodka, potatoes and litigation. Following various positions in wine importing and distribution, in 2010 I established Tastingworks, a professional strategic management consultancy for wineries keen to establish or improve their penetration in the US market. A member of the Council of the IMW since 2015. Time outside of work finds me primarily in front of the keyboard.

Industry sector(s): Marketing, PR, Distribution, Journalism, Author, Educator, Consultant, Wine judge

Wine styles: Natural, Orange wines, Champagne, Madeira

Wine region expertise: Austria, Georgia, Germany, Burgundy, Loire, Champagne, Tuscany, Washington, Oregon

Market expertise: North America

Specialisms: Wine varieties, Fermentation, Marketing wine, Routes to market, Importation, Distribution, Restaurant wines, Wine tourism, Branding, History of wine