Wine Columnist & Editor for Wine and Jazz Magazine
Wine Columnist for Wine Country This Week Magazine
About Len Napolitano
- Wine Writer and Weekly Wine Columnist - Certified Specialist in Wine by Society of Wine Educators; Certified in Wine by Wine & Spirits Education Trust - MBA in Marketing; Accomplished Sales & Marketing Professional
Wine columnist Len Napolitano has traveled to wine regions in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Central and Southern France, and Italy and tours California wine country everyday in an effort to increase his wine knowledge. Besides studying wine and earning wine knowledge certification by the industry, his years working for an international wine barrel manufacturer has helped him build close relationships with many winemakers and winery owners, keeping him on an inside track with wine industry news and trends. At his speaking engagements and wine tasting classes, Len’s opening remark is always the same: “I am a wine consumer who happens to write a wine column.” It sums up his approach to wine education—straightforward, unpretentious and from a regular wine buyer’s point of view. He understands the questions from the novice wine drinker and has a knack for explaining in simple terms what needs to be known.
Since 2001, Len Napolitano has served as the regular wine columnist for the Ventura County Star (Southern California), a Scripps-Howard daily newspaper, and since 2002, he appears weekly in Wine Country This Week magazine, the leading tourism publication throughout Northern California. Len is also Wine Editor for Wine & Jazz Magazine, a news and lifestyle publication for wine and jazz lovers.
Because Len believes that a person’s wine experience becomes more pleasurable with wine knowledge, his column, “Wineology: Intelligence For The Wine Consumer,” is written specifically for the person who simply enjoys wine and is curious to learn more about it. Wineology is consumer-centric, easy to read, and educational. His goal is to break down the mystique about wines and make it more accessible to the average person.
Len has also contributed wine articles in Santa Barbara Magazine, California Coastal Wines Magazine, 805 Living Magazine, the San Luis Obispo Tribune, Wine Adventure magazine and WomenWine.com He can also been seen in “bumpers” on Fine Living Television network giving essential wine advice on common wine subjects like storage, decanting, and serving temperatures. Len also conducts wine appreciation and tasting classes and has judged at international wine competitions.
Beginning his wine studies at the Chicago Wine School, Len later earned wine-knowledge Certification from both the Society of Wine Educators and the London-based Wine and Spirits Education Trust. Writing projects began for Len back in the 1980s, when he was a Marketing Communications Manager, writing and producing technical literature, news releases and print advertising for a world-leading manufacturing firm on Long Island, New York.
Since moving to California in 1995, his marketing and writing skills have also been applied to scripts for a variety of direct response television commercials, corporate news releases, and websites. Len has an MBA in Marketing and a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering. He resides in the Paso Robles wine appellation, the center of California’s vast Central Coast wine country.
“I learn something each week from your writings.”-Roger Strange
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“Thank you for your style of writing your column. You answer questions in a thoughtful and concise way without leaving your audience behind.” -Cheryl Aldrich
-------------------- “Thanks again for the very informative article.”-Bill Callegari --------------------
“Thanks so much for your Wednesday column. It’s always pleasant and informative…just wish the column took up a whole page!”-Howard Emary --------------------- “…I enjoy your column in the Ventura County Star very much.”-Bob Taylor
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“Thank you for your column. I do enjoy!”-Don Berger
Len conducts wine education classes and addresses private groups about
wine appreciation. Specializing in introducing beginners to wine, Len's
classes are relaxed and informative.
Tasting and evaluating wine
is an essential component of the basic wine education classes, along
with an explanation of the wine appellation system, wine labels and
pairing wines with food.
Contact Len if you would like him to speak about wine at your event. Write to: wineologist@earthlink.net
Wineology and Intelligence For The Wine Consumer
are Trademarks of Len Napolitano
