Wineries hold the cultural heritage of the families who have been producing famous wines for many centuries. Wine enthusiasts visit these wineries to tour the vineyards, learn more about how each winery produces its wine and, of course, to taste the wines. John Jackson started out as such a wine enthusiast, but that experience ultimately led him to become a wine collector and then a wine expert.
John first became interested in wine when he was at a business dinner back in 2007. He is a patent litigation attorney and partner at Jackson Walker. One night, he had a chance to taste an outstanding Napa wine from Opus One and he soon became hooked.
Soon after John’s Opus One revelation, he visited the winery to learn more about the vineyards, wine production methods and to taste more wines. During that visit, John tasted wines at a number of wineries and learned to appreciate how the wines paired with local cuisine. Since that first visit to Napa, John has returned to Napa numerous times. Since many people often ask him for tips for their trips to Napa, John recently made a video for his YouTube channel (Attorney Somm) that contains 10 tips for those who are planning visits to Napa.
In addition to his wine travels, John has pursued formal wine education through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). John recently obtained his prestigious level 4 certification (DipWSET), a rigorous 6-unit program that takes at least two years to complete and which many are not able to pass.
John’s adventures to different regions around the world have improved his ability to recognize the worth of every wine. John has learned that it is not useful to generalize about wine because there are excellent expressions of wine made from each and every grape. For example, while some people refuse to drink Riesling because they think it is too sweet, there are many excellent dry Rieslings that are world-class wines and which people are missing out on if they refuse to drink Riesling due to their misconceptions.
John’s content is unique because he invites his viewers to explore wineries through his extensive research and observations. His social media has attracted much attention from wine lovers because of his blog reviews on various wine brands that are affordable or perfect for a certain food or occasion.
John considers wine collecting as his hobby instead of business, which makes him different from many other wine influencers. As a content creator, John sees himself as a guide who can educate people from around the world about wine through his social media.
