Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/56967
New York Times Wine Critic Balances Columns, Blogging and Books By Tina Caputo, editor-in-chief ric Asimov has a lot on his plate – and in his glass. As the chief wine critic for The New York Times, he writes a weekly wine column for the paper's Dining section, contributes to The Times' "Din- er's Journal" blog and juggles speaking engagements all over the country. On top of all that, he just finished a three-month stint as the paper's interim restaurant critic. Asimov is hardly new to restaurant criticism. Before he started writing about wine as his full-time gig in 2004, Asimov wrote about food and restaurants. In 1992 he cre- ated NYT's' $25 and Under restaurant reviews, and con- tinued to write them until 2005. He co-wrote five editions of "The New York Times Guide to Restaurants," as well as four editions of "$25 and Under: A Guide to the Best Inexpensive Restaurants in New York.'' His latest wine book, as yet untitled, will be published this fall by William Morrow. Asimov took some time out from his insanely busy schedule to talk about the evolution of the American wine scene, and wine criticism. Vineyard & Winery Management (V&WM): What did you study in college, and what did you have in mind for your career? Eric Asimov (EA): I majored in American Studies and History at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. My plan was to become a college professor, and I went to graduate school in American Civilization at the University of Texas at Austin. But obviously, things didn't work out as I had imagined. V&WM: How did you end up as a restaurant critic and then a wine critic for The New York Times? EA: I went into journalism because I needed to make a living while I figured out what to do with my life, but food and wine – and beer, too – were my passions. I had been hired in the national news department at The New York Times, and within a few years managed to divert my career trajectory toward what was then called the Living section. From there it was perhaps a combination of per- severance, energy, skill and having an enormous appetite. V&WM: What sparked your interest in wine? EA: Several trips to Europe taught me that wine was simply a natural companion at the table, like bread or salt. As a graduate student in Austin, my friends and I would cook dinners together, and wine was always present. I came to associate wine with good food and good friend- Eric Asimov 90 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT MAR - APR 2012 WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM