Contributors

OWP regular freelance writers

Michael Alberty

Michael Alberty is a wine writer based in Tualatin. He prefers writing about wine over past efforts writing about international environmental politics and major league baseball — because you can’t drink a baseball game. Michael’s work has appeared in Edible Portland, Willamette Week, Sprudge Wine, Terre Magazine, Wine & Spirits Magazine, The Octopus and on Jancis Robinson’s “Purple Pages” website. He also covers wine for The Oregonian. Connect with him at malberty0@gmail.com. 

L.M. Archer

L.M. Archer is an award-winning writer specializing in Bourgogne, bubbles and the business of wine. Her work appears in a number of publications worldwide, including Oregon Wine Press. She is also an Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year 2020 award finalist. When not working, she’s drinking Oregon sparkling wine. Find her on www.lmarcher.com.

Tamara Belgard 

Part of the Oregon wine industry for nearly two decades, Tamara Belgard began in marketing and now enjoys being a wine journalist. Discover her work in Portland Monthly, 1859 Magazine, Northwest Travel & Life, OnTrak, Palate Press and on her blog, Satiate PDX. When she’s not pounding her keyboard, she’s likely exploring wine country, trying new restaurants, shopping at the farmers market or perusing bottle shops for hidden gems. Connect with her at www.satiatepdx.com.

Kerry McDaniel Boenisch

Kerry McDaniel Boenisch is a professional speaker, wine judge and author of three wine books. She owns DirtVineWine Brand Communications and co-hosts “Wine Sisters — Cheers to Change, Diversity and Inclusion,” a vlog with Atlanta’s Corks and Cuvée wine store owner Regina Jackson. Discover more at www.dirtvinewine.com or www.winesisterscheersforchange.com.

Kathryn Elsesser 

Kathryn Elsesser began as a field photographer traveling through Mexico, Pakistan, Nepal and Africa, working as a freelancer for the International Maize and Wheat Center. After living in Mexico, then briefly in the Midwest, she brought her practice to Portland and has been photographing local businesses, people and landscapes ever since. See some of her latest work at www.kathrynelsesserphotography.com.

Carl Giavanti

Carl Giavanti is a winery publicist with a DTC marketing background. He’s enjoyed 11 years of winery consulting. He has been involved in business marketing and public relations for more than 25 years; originally in technology, digital marketing and project management, and now as a winery media relations and communications consultant. Clients are or have been in Napa Valley, Willamette Valley and the Columbia Gorge. Connect with Carl at www.carlgiavanticonsulting.com.

Jade Helm

A Georgia peach who put down roots in the Willamette Valley, Jade Helm has provided wine education through articles in consumer and trade publications, speaking engagements and classroom instruction for the past five years. Her expertise is evidenced by credentials from the Society of Wine Educators, the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, and the Court of Master Sommeliers. See more work on her blog, Tasting Pour, at www.tastingpour.com.

Neal D. Hulkower

Neal D. Hulkower is an applied mathematician and freelance writer living in McMinnville. His wine writing can be found in the Journal of Wine Research, the Journal of Wine Economics, American Wine Society Wine Journal, Oregon Wine Press, Practical Winery & Vineyard and others. Neal was a Field Coordinator for Slow Wine 2020 and 2021 guides. He is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. He can occasionally be found pouring some of Oregon’s finest in a Newberg tasting room or at the top of the Dundee Hills. nhulkower@yahoo.com

Andrea Johnson 

Andrea Johnson is an award-winning photographer and director, specializing in wine, agriculture and adventure travel industries. With a base in Portland, she’s been fortunate to travel the globe creating custom image libraries, magazine stories, documentary films, video campaigns and leading photography tours. In addition to many publications, she has photographed four books: “Passion for Pinot,” “Essential Wines and Wineries of the Pacific Northwest,” “Spectacular Washington Wineries” and “Spectacular Oregon Wineries.” See more of her work at www.andreajohnsonphotography.com

Annelise Kelly

After living in Denmark, the Netherlands, L.A. and the Bay Area, writer Annelise Kelly settled in Portland, where she delights in food carts, Douglas firs, dancing and getting crafty. Thanks to Annelise’s broad interests, her career path has weaved through cooking, events, technical writing, decorative painting and retail display. Wanderlust takes her across borders and oceans every chance she gets. Connect with Annelise at www.annelisekelly.com.

Karl Klooster

Karl Klooster is the retired associate editor of Oregon Wine Press. Initially working in the California wine industry, he began writing about wine in the mid-1970s. He is currently authoring BECOMING OREGON WINE: Six Decades of Dedication and Distinction, an Oregon Wine Press Publication chronicling the history of the Oregon wine industry from the 1960s to the present. The book is scheduled for release in the spring of 2022. Connect with Karl at ktklooster@comcast.net. 

Patty Mamula

Patty Mamula is a Portland-based freelance writer focusing on Northwest art, entertainment and culture. Her résumé includes Sunriver Magazine, The Capital Press and other publications. Connect with her at pattymamula@gmail.com.

Sophia McDonald 

Sophia McDonald is a freelance writer and editor in Eugene. Her work has appeared in multiple publications, including SevenFifty Daily, Eating Well, VIA, 1859 Oregon’s Magazine and the Eugene Register-Guard. A graduate of Southern Oregon University, Sophia has a deep fondness for the southern half of the state. In addition to indulging in Oregon’s bountiful food and wine, she enjoys spending time with her husband and twin daughters. Connect with Sophia at sophiamcbennett@gmail.com.

Paul Omundson

Paul Omundson is an Oregon-based freelance wine writer. He previously worked in corporate communications and public relations for a number of entities, including Chapman University in Orange, California, Honeywell Environmental Control Systems and the Los Angeles Times. Connect with him at pgeomundson@gmail.com.

Mélodie Picard

Mélodie Picard, owner of The Oregon Cheese Cave, shares fine cheese and accompaniments with guests in the tiny Oregon town of Phoenix. Born and raised in the port town of Le Havre on France’s Normandy coast, Picard’s family has made the region their home for generations. The connection to cheese runs deep in this second largest port in France, where cheeses and other specialty goods, shipped from Paris via the Seine, take passage to markets like New York and, now, Southern Oregon. For more information, visit www.theoregoncheesecave.com.

Mark Stock 

Mark Stock is a writer from and based in Portland. He spent eight years making, selling and cleaning up wine in the Dundee Hills before going all-in on the writing front. He’s contributed to publications such as Travel Oregon, SevenFifty Daily, Sip Northwest, Willamette Week, 1859 Magazine, The Drake and others. The Gonzaga grad enjoys soccer, fly-fishing, stargazing and the smell of old garages. He’s still fine-tuning that book he says he will one day write. Connect with Mark at www.markastock.com.