This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| Alice Feiring | |
|---|---|
| Name | Alice Feiring |
| Birth date | 1966 |
| Birth place | New York City, New York, United States |
| Occupation | Journalist, Author, Wine Critic |
| Known for | Advocacy for natural wine, Wine writing |
Alice Feiring is an American journalist and author known for pioneering advocacy of natural wine and critical writing on industrial wine practices. She has written for major publications and authored books that catalyzed debate among Sommeliers, Vintners, Wine critics and the wider Wine industry. Feiring's work intersects with figures and institutions across the global wine community, influencing discourse in regions such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Tuscany, and California wine country.
Feiring was born in New York City and grew up amid the cultural milieus of Manhattan and Brooklyn. She attended local schools before studying subjects that connected her to the food writing world and the journalism profession. Early influences included visits to New York institutions like the New York Times newsroom and culinary centers such as Union Square Cafe and Le Bernardin, as well as exposure to European wine cultures through travel to regions like Provence and Piedmont.
Feiring began her career in the culinary and beverage pages of publications, contributing to outlets such as the New York Times, Food & Wine, and The Village Voice. She worked alongside editors and writers in networks that included Ruth Reichl, Eric Asimov, Jancis Robinson, Robert Parker, and Anthony Bourdain. Feiring's career has intersected with institutions such as James Beard Foundation, Wine Spectator, Decanter, Punch (magazine), and media platforms like NPR and BBC. She has lectured at venues including Columbia University, New York University, and wine events across Paris, London, Barcelona, and Melbourne.
Feiring authored influential books including titles that have shaped natural wine discourse and been discussed by critics like Michael Broadbent and Steven Spurrier. Her bibliography includes long-form essays, books, and columns appearing in outlets such as The New Yorker, Gourmet (magazine), and The Atlantic. She has published profiles of producers from Loire Valley, Alsace, Rhone Valley, Ribera del Duero, Priorat, and Mendoza. Her writing often references historical figures and works including Pliny the Elder, Hugh Johnson, Oz Clarke, and classic texts on viticulture and enology from institutions like Institut National de l'Origine et de la Qualité and Universidad de La Rioja.
Feiring became a prominent advocate for natural wine, a movement associated with practitioners such as Johan Michel, Clos Rougeard, Domaine Huet, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Alois Lageder, and small-scale vignerons in Beaujolais and Jura. She promoted practices including minimal intervention, native yeast fermentation, organic and biodynamic viticulture linked to proponents like Rudolf Steiner and organizations such as Biodyvin. Feiring's advocacy connected her to festivals and collectives in cities like New York City, Paris, Berlin, and Tokyo, and to restaurants championing natural wine such as Noma, Osteria Francescana, The French Laundry, and St. John.
Feiring's work has been recognized by peers and institutions including nominations and mentions in contexts involving James Beard Foundation awards, citations by commentators like Tim Atkin, Jasper Morris, and acknowledgment in wine journalism circles represented by GuildSomm and Society of Wine Educators. Her writing has been discussed at conferences hosted by Oxford University and panels organized by Institute of Masters of Wine and Court of Master Sommeliers members. Critics and advocates across Italy, Spain, Portugal, Chile, and South Africa have engaged with her ideas.
Feiring's critique of industrial winemaking, additives, and methodologies drew rebuttals from established critics such as Robert Parker Jr., Stephen Tanzer, and institutions including Wine Spectator and Decanter. Debates involved producers in regions like Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Ribera del Duero, and Barossa Valley and touched on technical authorities like Enology researchers at University of California, Davis and regulatory bodies like Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux. Her positions provoked responses from vintners including those associated with big wine houses, cooperative models in Languedoc-Roussillon, and research published by scientists from INRAE and CSIC.
Feiring resides in the United States and participates in global wine events, tastings, and panels alongside figures such as Madeline Puckette, Irene Richter, Samy Rabbat, and Rajat Parr. She engages with culinary communities connected to chefs like Alice Waters, Thomas Keller, Massimo Bottura, and René Redzepi. Beyond writing, Feiring has supported causes tied to sustainable agriculture and small producers, interacting with organizations such as Slow Food, Terra Madre, and regional NGOs in Catalonia, Tuscany, and the Loire.
Category:American wine critics Category:American journalists Category:Living people Category:1966 births