I am a freelance wine writer, wine market expert, researcher, educator and consultant based in Napa and Sonoma, California. As an award-winning author and educator, I specialize in wine business strategy, marketing, leadership/executive development, and wine lifestyle. My passion is wine, and I have visited most of the major wine regions of the world and more than 50 countries. My publications number over 200 articles and 9 books, including Call of the Vine, Best Practices in Global Wine Tourism and Luxury Wine Marketing. I completed my Ph.D. at Texas A&M University in Human Resources, and became a Master of Wine (MW) in May 2011, after passing the most rigorous wine exam in the world. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, golf, reading, and wine dinners with family and friends, as well as serving on several non-profit wine boards and being a wine judge.