WHAT IS STEEPLEJACK?

No scores, just stories

I have tasted, scored and written tasting notes for thousands of wines during my tenure as Italian Wine Editor at Wine & Spirits Magazine. While scores can provide an easy shortcut to wine-buying decisions, you will not find any on SteepleJack. 

Over the last decade I have visited hundreds of wine producers, most of them small family farmers. I’ve sat across their kitchen tables and listened to stories about their family histories, the unique features of their land, and the challenges they face in growing grapes and making wines that express their passion and purpose. 

These stories will be the focus of SteepleJack. My goal is to promote a wholistic approach to wine enjoyment rather than reducing wines to a numerical score. I’ll do this by bringing to life the people, places and histories behind Italian wines. 

In this people-centered approach, you can assume that any producer profiled here is one that I recommend. I hope you’ll form your own relationship with these growers and winemakers. Explore their whole range of wines, trying them across multiple vintages. Wine encompasses culture, food, history and geography, creating a natural path for exploration, so take this site as an inspiration to book a flight and meet these producers where they live and work. I think you’ll find that this deepens your connection to and enjoyment of the wines you choose to drink, and your appreciation of the people who make them.