The Wine Bloggers Conference had the opportunity to catch up with WBC15 Keynote Speaker, Karen MacNeil, for a quick Q & A session regarding her world of wine. Her dedication to wine is impressive and we look forward to experiencing her perspective at this year’s WBC in the Finger Lakes of New York.
Karen is delivering the 2015 WBC Keynote Address on Friday, August 14 and is one of three panelists in the “Women in the Wine World” Breakout Session on Saturday.
Q: You refer to wine as “more than a beverage; it’s a communal passage into the business of living well.” How does this communal passage translate into daily life for you as a wine superstar as well as a regular human being?
In a world where many of us barely get out of our pajamas without our cell phones, wine remains utterly primary. None of us has to do anything. For eight thousand consecutive years, vines have thrust themselves upward toward the sun and given us juicy berries, and ultimately wine. Every time we drink wine, our bond with Nature is welded deep.
Q: In the NEW Wine Bible, coming out this fall, you reference the nine characteristics that all great wine share. Tell us about your journey from the original five characteristics in The Wine Bible and how you expanded to the nine characteristics?
I love pondering the question of what makes great wine great! Since writing the 1st edition of the Wine Bible, I’ve come to understand the “answers” to the question a little differently. In the new 2nd edition, I talk about the following as hallmarks of greatness: Distinctiveness, Precision, Balance, Complexity, Connectedness, Choreography, Length, Non-Fruitedness, and the Ability to Evoke an Emotional Response. You’ll have to read the first chapter to see why!
Q: What opportunities do you see for wine bloggers and their communication with the wine consumer world in the near future?
The possibilities are huge and wide open. Creativity is the key.
Q: What was the last sip of wine you had?
Last night: a glass of Roederer Estate (snappy) followed by a glass of Turnbull 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon (deep and delicious).