Tasting Interview: Madeline Triffon, MS

n The first Advanced Course and Master’s Exam in the U.S. were held in Monterey, California in 1987. That year Madeline Triffon was one of five candidates who passed the Advanced Exam only to take the Master’s Examination the very next day. She alone passed all...

Understanding German Wine 

n Vineyards at Schloss Vollrads in the Rheingau There are two countries that instill fear in the hearts and minds of MS students; countries that can cause panic in even the most confident candidate: Italy and Germany. With Italy, a primal response is appropriate given...

Tasting Interview: Matt Citriglia, MS

n At age 14 Matt Citriglia was stocking beer, wine, and soda at his father’s tiny beverage store in Ohio. At age 17 he read his first “non-teacher” assigned book, “Alexis Lichine’s Guide to the Wines and Vineyards of France.” Thus began a life-long journey...

Tasting Interview: Peter Granoff, MS

n I first met good friend Peter Granoff in March of 1990 at our Introductory Course at the Monterey Plaza Hotel. At the time Peter, was the wine director and sommelier at Fournou’s Ovens at the Stanford Court Hotel in San Francisco. He and I then both passed the...

Life in the Big Sh**ty

n October marks 30 years that Carla and I have lived in San Francisco. We moved to California after I finished graduate school at the University of Michigan in January of 1984, initially settling in San Mateo because of the usual periodic housing shortage in the city....