Tasting Panel

Wine Enthusiast Magazine and WineMag.com is conceived and executed by a team of experienced editors based in New York, California, Washington, France and Italy. While each offers a unique set of expertise, personality and perspective to the Wine Enthusiast team, we're all united by one mission: to taste, enjoy, and communicate our love of the best wines, spirits and food in the world to readers in a fresh and accessible way. Learn more about what makes us tick below, and check back soon for blogs and columns covering everything from the great screwcap debate to why you should drink Chardonnay for breakfast.

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  Susan Kostrzewa

  Executive Editor

  Executive Editor Susan Kostrzewa joined Wine Enthusiast in 2006, when she moved from Sonoma, California, to Manhattan. Kostrzewa has written and edited wine, food and travel stories for the past 12 years, and in addition to editing Wine Enthusiast Magazine and WineMag.com, currently reviews wines from Greece and Cyprus. She also co-edited the Wine Enthusiast Wine & Food Pairings cookbook. Additionally, Kostrzewa has authored books on literary travel and contributed to the recently published wine guide, Opus Vino.

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  Joe Czerwinski

  Managing Editor of Digital and Print

  In his role, Joe Czerwinski manages all aspects of digital and print production for Wine Enthusiast Magazine as well as helping drive the creative direction of the dynamic online and print publications. Czerwinski has been a wine journalist, editor and taster for over a decade and is a regular wine panelist, speaker and educator for events and organizations worldwide. Czerwinski was previously Senior Editor and Tasting Director for Wine Enthusiast Media. Czerwinski currently reviews wines from Australia, New Zealand and the Rhône Valley in France.

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  Lauren Buzzeo

  Tasting Director

  Tasting Director Lauren Buzzeo joined Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2006 as a tasting coordinator. Thanks to her father, she developed an interest in and love of wine at an early age, and her respect and adoration for all things vinous has remained strong ever since. Today, Lauren is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the tasting and review program, and currently reviews the wines of Israel, Languedoc-Roussillon and South Africa, as well as beers. Since coming to Wine Enthusiast, she has made it one of her personal missions to promote the acceptance of cross-drinking, encouraging everyone to embrace finely crafted libations across all beverage categories. Lauren is also an avid homebrewer and a member of the AHA (American Homebrewers Association).

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  Anna Lee Iijima

  Assistant Tasting Director

  Anna Lee C. Iijima joined Wine Enthusiast in 2010 following a career in corporate law. She holds a Diploma in Wine and Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and is a student in the Masters of Wine Program. She also holds a certification in Viticulture and Vinification from the American Sommelier Association and is a Certified Sake Professional of the Sake Education Council. She currently reviews wines from Germany, New York and Other Europe regions, and writes frequently on saké, food and wine pairing for the magazine.

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  Michael Schachner

  Spanish and South American Editor

  Michael Schachner is a New York-based journalist specializing in wine, food and travel. His articles appear regularly in Wine Enthusiast, for which he is a contributing editor and a member of the magazine’s tasting panel. In addition, he is a wine consultant and professional speaker. His areas of wine expertise include Spain and South America.

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  Roger Voss

  European Editor

  Roger Voss is a veteran wine and food author, and a journalist and has been writing about wine and food for the past 25 years. His books include France: A Feast of Food and Wine; The Wines of the Loire; Pocket Guide to the Wines of the Loire, Alsace and the Rhône; and Fortified Wines. He is based in Bordeaux, France, and reviews the wines of Austria, Portugal and France (except for Rhône and Languedoc-Roussillon).

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  Kerin O’Keefe

  Italian Editor

  Italian Editor Kerin O’Keefe reviews all Italian wines for Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Prior to her appointment with Wine Enthusiast, O'Keefe, who moved to Italy in 1991, wrote regularly on Italian wine for Decanter, as well as for World of Fine Wine and on WineSearcher.com. She is a former contributing editor for Wine News magazine, and is the author of Franco Biondi Santi: The Gentleman of Brunello (Veronelli Editore, 2005), a recipient of a Gourmand Wine Book Award. She also won the Premio Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino in 2008 for her cover article "Brunello de-con-structed" which appeared in the Oct-Nov 2007 issue of Wine News. Her latest book, Brunello di Montalcino: Understanding and Appreciating One of Italy's Greatest Wines (University of California Press, 2012), was shortlisted for the André Simon Award.

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  Steve Heimoff

  California Editor

  California Bureau Chief Steve Heimoff was born in New York City and moved to California to attend graduate school. He quickly discovered wine and it became his passion. He has been with Wine Enthusiast for 20 years and reviews all California wines produced in the premium coastal counties. He has written two books for University of California Press: A Wine Journey along the Russian River [2005] and New Classic Winemakers of California: Conversations with Steve Heimoff [2008]. He is also the author of the popular wine blog, steveheimoff.com.

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  Virginie Boone

  California Reviewer

  Contributing reviewer Virginie Boone began her writing career wandering the world for Lonely Planet, contributing to guidebooks on South America, Northern California, France and America's Deep South. She figured it'd be just as much fun to write about her own backyard, Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino, and that led quite naturally to wine, a subject she's covered regularly for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, a New York Times regional newspaper. Her work also appears in Savor Wine Country Magazine and on zesterdaily.com; she is the author of Napa Valley and Sonoma: Heart of California Wine Country. Boone currently reviews California wines from Mendocino, Lake and Contra Costa Counties, Livermore Valley, Lodi, Central Valley and the Sierra Foothills for the magazine.

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  Paul Gregutt

  Pacific Northwest Editor

  In addition to reviewing Pacific Northwest wines for Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Seattle-based Contributing Editor Paul Gregutt writes about wine for the Seattle Times. Gregutt's book, Washington Wines & Wineries: the Essential Guide, is now in its second edition and has been released in both paperback and e-book formats. In addition to his work for print, Gregutt writes a well-read blog at www.paulgregutt.com. He and his wife Karen also operate Waitsburg Cottages, vacation rentals in Walla Walla wine country.

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  Sean Sullivan

  Pacific Northwest Reviewer

  Sean is the founder of Washington Wine Report, an on-line publication dedicated to the wines and wineries of the Pacific Northwest. A native of Massachusetts, he moved to Washington in 2000 to pursue a love of mountain climbing. Captivated by the area’s exploding wine scene, in 2005 he began writing wine reviews and distributing them via email before founding Washington Wine Report as an on-line site in 2007. In addition to his work at Washington Wine Report, he has written for Seattle Metropolitan, Decanter, Vineyard & Winery Management, Washington State Wine Touring Guide, among others.

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  Kara Newman

  Spirits Editor

  Kara Newman is the Spirits Editor for Wine Enthusiast Magazine, and author of Cocktails for a Crowd (coming in Spring 2013) and Spice & Ice: 60 tongue-tingling cocktails, both from Chronicle Books. An active member of the New York cocktail and mixology scene, she loves dive bars and speakeasies alike.

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  Andrew Hoover

  Contributing Taster

  After studying wine at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, Andrew Hoover joined Wine Enthusiast Magazine in summer 2011. Prior to joining the team, Hoover served as restaurant critic for the Fairfield, CT, and Westport, CT, branches of AOL’s Patch. Hoover became a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers in October 2011 and is currently studying for the advanced exam. Andrew currently reviews wines from the U.S., outside of California, New York, Oregon and Washington.