Curious, I've never heard of Marissa Ross, I've been very seriously involved in wine for decades. I am also confused when the talk is about her being the leading voice in natural wine. For me Alice Feiring has been the leading voice in the natural wine movement. She has literally written the book about the subject. More than once. I have tasted with her more than once, and don't understand how she can taste wines that are extremely faulty and praise them to the heavens as excellent wines with complexity, but for me, there is no denying her primacy in the natural wine field.
BTW, I constantly have people talking down to me when it comes to wine. Usually, those people know considerably less about the subject matter than I do. But, typically, it is about their own issues rather than who I am and what I know about wine. Some people like to toot their own horn, even if they are off-key. And that includes some wine writers. Personally, I do expect someone writing a wine column to be a true expert in the field of wine and will be let down if they aren't.
Interesting, can I ask where you are based? I don't know if MAR is internationally known but she was definitely influential in the US natural wine conversation (and boom) especially between 2015-2020. Marissa also wrote a book about wine (less about natural wine, more about wine in general) and was a very well known writer. Of course, before Marissa there was Alice--although I did not enjoy 'Natural Wine for the People' as much as other wine books.
I agree with you second part, many critics are probably projecting their own insecurities and there is really nothing we can do about that. I don't know if I agree with someone being a "true expert" as a writer though. What does a "true expert" even look like? Is it sommelier certifications? Experience in a winery? Number of bottles tasted? I think it's an immeasurable qualification. Anyone can write about wine. I'd rather see educated opinion and thought (backed with some fact, of course) than "expertise". But thats just me :)
Andrea, sorry, I just saw your last response. One+ year later!! I'm in the Ann Arbor/Detroit, Michigan region. I haven't heard of Marissa, but funky natural wines haven't been my thing, and even less so several years ago.
As for who is a true wine expert, to paraphrase Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart in his seminal opinion on pornography, “You know it when you see it". When I talk with people like Jane Anson, Katharina Prüm, Andrew Jefford, Max von Schubert, Philippe Foreau, Christophe Tassan, Saskia de Rothschild and many more, I KNOW I am speaking with a wine expert. It is so obvious. We can talk in-depth for endless hours about wine.
Love this. Marissa Ross was also my intro to wine- she made it fun, approachable, hilarious, and overall a true delight to learn about wine and begin dabbling in natty wine. I didn’t realize she exited (didn’t follow much in 2020 lol) but not surprised to hear this is how it went down...
Stories like this always make me reconsider- is there a new channel or community to be created where we can continue convos without the trolls, etc? Is it substack or a private/ member social space or club? How rad would it be to NOT have trolls and bros stealing time/ energy...
Anyway, thanks for sharing- love what you’re doing! 🍷
Sure Andrea, I am in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I do have people I talk personally to about wine. And I feel strongly they have real indepth expertise. Most wine writers, except the creme de la creme do not. But I love speaking with Jane Anson and William Kelley about wine, because they understand the subject matter backwards and forwardand are among the best and most knowledgeable wine writers. They have spent years fully immersed in wine and are voracious learners.
I spent a week on foot last year, with a bit of hitchhiking thrown in, in Anjou Noir (at 110°+), conversing, learning and tasting with great vignerons like Vanessa Cherruau at Chateau Plaisance, Claude Papin at Chateau Pierre Bise, Florent Baumard at Domaine Baumard, Jo Pithon and Ivan Massonnat at Domaine Belargus, Thomas and Charlotte Carsin at L'Elu, Eddy Oosterlinck at Jechupie and so many others. True artisans, every one. One can measure their expertise simply in a conversation with them.
This spring I spent 8 days just in Pommard (I simply knocked on doors to taste and visit.)and 16 days in Bordeaux which included 6 days in Barsac/Sauternes, exploring in depth. JJ Dubordieu at Doisy Daene, Aline Baly at Coutet, Miguel Aguirre at La Tour Blanche, Lauré at Sigalas Rabaud, Slaine at Myrat, Marie-Pierre at La Clotte and many others opened their doors to my inquisitiveness. Where possible, travelling a pied, and hitching. Staying at cheap places, eating simply most of the time, choosing cheap airfare, makes it a possibility to many, if one puts in the large amount of time to make oneself interesting to the vignerons.
Curious, I've never heard of Marissa Ross, I've been very seriously involved in wine for decades. I am also confused when the talk is about her being the leading voice in natural wine. For me Alice Feiring has been the leading voice in the natural wine movement. She has literally written the book about the subject. More than once. I have tasted with her more than once, and don't understand how she can taste wines that are extremely faulty and praise them to the heavens as excellent wines with complexity, but for me, there is no denying her primacy in the natural wine field.
BTW, I constantly have people talking down to me when it comes to wine. Usually, those people know considerably less about the subject matter than I do. But, typically, it is about their own issues rather than who I am and what I know about wine. Some people like to toot their own horn, even if they are off-key. And that includes some wine writers. Personally, I do expect someone writing a wine column to be a true expert in the field of wine and will be let down if they aren't.
Interesting, can I ask where you are based? I don't know if MAR is internationally known but she was definitely influential in the US natural wine conversation (and boom) especially between 2015-2020. Marissa also wrote a book about wine (less about natural wine, more about wine in general) and was a very well known writer. Of course, before Marissa there was Alice--although I did not enjoy 'Natural Wine for the People' as much as other wine books.
I agree with you second part, many critics are probably projecting their own insecurities and there is really nothing we can do about that. I don't know if I agree with someone being a "true expert" as a writer though. What does a "true expert" even look like? Is it sommelier certifications? Experience in a winery? Number of bottles tasted? I think it's an immeasurable qualification. Anyone can write about wine. I'd rather see educated opinion and thought (backed with some fact, of course) than "expertise". But thats just me :)
Andrea, sorry, I just saw your last response. One+ year later!! I'm in the Ann Arbor/Detroit, Michigan region. I haven't heard of Marissa, but funky natural wines haven't been my thing, and even less so several years ago.
As for who is a true wine expert, to paraphrase Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart in his seminal opinion on pornography, “You know it when you see it". When I talk with people like Jane Anson, Katharina Prüm, Andrew Jefford, Max von Schubert, Philippe Foreau, Christophe Tassan, Saskia de Rothschild and many more, I KNOW I am speaking with a wine expert. It is so obvious. We can talk in-depth for endless hours about wine.
Love this. Marissa Ross was also my intro to wine- she made it fun, approachable, hilarious, and overall a true delight to learn about wine and begin dabbling in natty wine. I didn’t realize she exited (didn’t follow much in 2020 lol) but not surprised to hear this is how it went down...
Stories like this always make me reconsider- is there a new channel or community to be created where we can continue convos without the trolls, etc? Is it substack or a private/ member social space or club? How rad would it be to NOT have trolls and bros stealing time/ energy...
Anyway, thanks for sharing- love what you’re doing! 🍷
Sure Andrea, I am in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I do have people I talk personally to about wine. And I feel strongly they have real indepth expertise. Most wine writers, except the creme de la creme do not. But I love speaking with Jane Anson and William Kelley about wine, because they understand the subject matter backwards and forwardand are among the best and most knowledgeable wine writers. They have spent years fully immersed in wine and are voracious learners.
I spent a week on foot last year, with a bit of hitchhiking thrown in, in Anjou Noir (at 110°+), conversing, learning and tasting with great vignerons like Vanessa Cherruau at Chateau Plaisance, Claude Papin at Chateau Pierre Bise, Florent Baumard at Domaine Baumard, Jo Pithon and Ivan Massonnat at Domaine Belargus, Thomas and Charlotte Carsin at L'Elu, Eddy Oosterlinck at Jechupie and so many others. True artisans, every one. One can measure their expertise simply in a conversation with them.
This spring I spent 8 days just in Pommard (I simply knocked on doors to taste and visit.)and 16 days in Bordeaux which included 6 days in Barsac/Sauternes, exploring in depth. JJ Dubordieu at Doisy Daene, Aline Baly at Coutet, Miguel Aguirre at La Tour Blanche, Lauré at Sigalas Rabaud, Slaine at Myrat, Marie-Pierre at La Clotte and many others opened their doors to my inquisitiveness. Where possible, travelling a pied, and hitching. Staying at cheap places, eating simply most of the time, choosing cheap airfare, makes it a possibility to many, if one puts in the large amount of time to make oneself interesting to the vignerons.