Amy Christine

Amy Christine MW: “I was an actress and a waitress in LA, and I sort of fell into wine out of job necessity and I think probably boredom too! I found the endless details around wine to be fascinating.”

“I have always been academically oriented, so in my spare time I would read and study wine. Then one day in 2006, kind of on a whim, I decided to apply to the Master of Wine Study Program because I thought it would be “fun”. I was shocked that I was accepted!”

“Working with my husband in the vineyard. We have a small 5-acre organically farmed vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County, California where we do as much of the farming ourselves as possible. During the COVID crisis we have found ourselves with a lot of time on our hands. We have spent our time hand weeding, sucking and shoot thinning in the vineyard. It has been great, but my lower back hates me. ”

“SYRAH! I wrote my Master of Wine dissertation on “The Decline of Varietally Labeled U.S. Syrah” because my husband and I not only grow and make Syrah, but some of our favorite wines in the world come from the Northern Rhone Valley in France, which is Syrah country. My dissertation showed that people don’t buy Syrah not because they don’t like it, but because they don’t even see it on the shelf when Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir are options. In other words, they aren’t even aware of it as an option. So people should drink more Syrah – try it – you’ll like it!”

“My favorite “most expensive wine” is not all that expensive, a couple hundred dollars, either Salvioni, Cerbaiola, Brunello di Montalcino or Poggio di Sotto, Brunello di Montalcino. As much of a Francophile as I am, both of these wines are wonders at 10, 15, 20 years old or more.

“For white wine I would choose Burgundy, of course! Bonneau du Martray, Corton-Charlemagne is expensive and gulpable! My “least expensive wine” would probably be in the $25 range. I don’t drink much wine below that price point, because life’s too short! Muscadet Sevre at Maine from the Loire Valley, a crisp, unoaked white wine, or Gruner Veltliner from Austria. Those are go-to BTG options for me. “

“1. Red wines almost always have fewer sulfites than white wines, and that bag of dried apricots you have in your cabinet likely has more sulfites than a whole bottle of wine. Sulfites do not cause headaches. Alcohol and histamine are the likely cause of your red wine hangovers.

“2. A more fun fact, it takes about 400 grapes to make a bottle of wine.” 

“PRINCE!!!!!! Only Prince. No one else. Not even my husband would be invited.”

“Champagne. I say this is a guilty pleasure because while a guilty pleasure should perhaps be more akin to the wine equivalent of Cheetos, it’s a guilty pleasure because it’s expensive. I should not spend as much money on Champagne as I do. I will drink Champagne at any time, on any occasion, with any type of food. Taco truck burritos and Champagne are a favorite pairing at our house!”