For those who like brevity, Wine Press Northwest Magazine sums it up best in my contributor bio tagline:
LEAH JORGENSEN is a communications expert who has worked in the wine industry for over a decade. She consults for several wineries and writes about travel,
wine and gluten-free living.
Contemplating a Washington Syrah
at Lupa Wine Bar in Portland
(Leah is third from left)
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But, here's the full story:
I grew up in northern Virginia and earned a B.A. in English Literature & Creative Writing from Sweet Briar College for women. Thus, began my passion for the written word...
I stumbled into the wine industry back in 2000, when I left a corporate think tank, the Corporate Executive Board, to manage a small, boutique wine shop in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
I had a thirst to learn more. So, I went on to manage the tasting room at Chrysalis Vineyards in Middleburg, Virginia, where I planned winery events, poured at industry tastings, and helped out during harvest and bottling.
Next, I accepted a position with a wine wholesaler and sold wine to about 80 fine dining restaurant accounts and a handful of retail wine shops in D.C. I loved working the beat, schlepping wine from account to account, building relationships and learning more about the complex world of wine.
I took a home study course for a certificate in wine from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, Ltd. (UK), and travelled up to New York City in April 2002 to take my exam. I only missed one question on the exam, and I was the first one in the examination room to finish. After, I hopped on the subway and returned to my aunt and uncle's house in Queens for a big Italian dinner.
In the summer of 2004, I found my way to the Northwest through a highly coveted wine industry event called Oregon Pinot Camp. I earned an incentive trip to come out to Pinot Camp as a guest (a.k.a. "silver bullet") of Domaine Drouhin Oregon.
After experiencing a long weekend of Willamette Valley hedonism, including an authentic northwest salmon bake and sipping on some of the best Pinot Noirs in the world, I set out to move to my father's home state of Oregon. I lined up a job as the Sales & Marketing Specialist at Erath Vineyards.
While at Erath, I conceptualized and co-produced Erath's Chef Series, working closely with Portland-based LAD Communications. The series featured talented celebrity chefs Michael Voltaggio of Dry Creek Kitchen in Sonoma; Alister Brown of Logan Brown Restaurant in Wellington, New Zealand; Adam Sappington of Wildwood in Portland; Cathy Whims of Nostrana in Portland; Tamara Murphy of Brasa in Seattle; Dante Boccuzzi of Aureole NYC; and Mark Kiffin of The Compound in Santa Fe.
I was appointed a founding board member for the Dundee Hills Winegrowers Association and served for three years.
While serving on the board, I spearheaded a Dundee Hills Pinot Noir tasting at COPIA in Napa, and was featured on San Francisco radio station KGO's Saturday morning show, Dining Around with Gene Burns, alongside winemaker Tony Rynders.
In June 2006, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates purchased Erath Vineyards and my position was phased out. I was hired by Ste. Michelle as a communications manager and moved up to the Seattle area. I managed PR and events for Ste. Michelle's luxury brands, including Erath, Col Solare, Northstar and Spring Valley Vineyard.
While in Seattle, I was diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by the ingestion of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. There is no cure for celiac disease, so a strict gluten-free diet must be followed.
That was a milestone, to say the least. I had to become much more mindful about the way I approached food. As soon as I cut out gluten, a myriad of horrible symptoms I had been experiencing -- fatigue, migraine headaches, depression, anxiety, bloating, swelling, IBS symptoms, and a painful rash -- immediately began to shed.
Since I was in the food and wine industry, it became a mantra for me to write about gluten free living, if only to educate people about the disease and its restrictions.
In the summer of 2007, I was ready to return to Oregon. I accepted the position of Director of Marketing & Communication at Adelsheim Vineyard.
While at Adelsheim, I improved the winery's website and online presence, collateral and print media, and image by working towards a clear storyboard for where the pioneering winery was headed.
I also helped elevate the image of the winery by influencing a fine dining atmosphere at winery events, including the pre-IPNC dinner, where I brought on Chef Matthew Dillon of Sitka & Spruce in Seattle (who, that year, was named one of Food & Wine Magazine's Best New Chefs), followed by a summer winemaker dinner staged in the middle of Calkins Lane Vineyard. Both dinners were specatular!
That year, Adelsheim was named Winery of the Year and Top 100 for Wine & Spirits Magazine.
In December 2008, I left Adelsheim and began the full-time pursuit of consulting and freelance writing. I contribute to Wine Press Northwest, Oregon Wine Press and Mutineer, among other magazines.
I co-produced the first Best of Oregon Food & Wine Festival which took place in June 2009, and, later, I worked my very first harvest as a cellar worker at Anne Amie Vineyards.
Harvest at Anne Amie inspired me to enroll in the wine-making program at the Northwest Viticulture Center. I will complete the degree program in 2012.