Steven Kolpan

Steven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith (1952-2009), and Michael A. Weiss have been the leading wine educators at The Culinary Institute of America for the last twenty-five years. They have traveled to virtually every wine-producing region in the world and have trained more than 30,000 students to understand and appreciate wine. The authors are active participants and organizers of professional and consumer food and wine events, write for several wine and food publications, and lecture and teach extensively in educational programs, seminars, and conferences throughout the United States and other wine-producing nations. Their book WineWise won the coveted James Beard Foundation Award for Best Beverage Book of 2009 and the Georges Duboeuf Award for Best Wine Book of 2009. Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor's and associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts as well as certificate programs in culinary arts and wine and beverage studies. A network of more than 40,000 alumni has helped the CIA earn its reputation as the world's premier culinary college. The CIA, which also offers courses for industry professionals and food enthusiasts, has campuses in New York (Hyde Park), California (St. Helena), and Texas (San Antonio).