Kevin Zraly, the author of the nation's best-selling wine book, Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, will cover the changes in the wine and food world over the 50 plus years of his career. He began his career as the bartender in the Depuy Canal House Restaurant.
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Kevin Zraly is an award-winning wine writer and one of the world's foremost wine educators. Kevin has been teaching wine for 50 years, sharing his passion with thousands of eager students from all walks of life. He has written eight books about wine and food, including his annually updated Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, which has sold more than four million copies - making it the number one wine book in the United States. In 2020, he released the 35th anniversary edition of the book. He also co-authored the definitive book about red wine – aptly named Red Wine – with The World Wine Guys, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen. Kevin is the youngest person to receive the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award (2011), recognized for his commitment to making the study of wine accessible and fun to all as well as for his monumental contributions to the world of food and wine. He is also one of only three people from the world of wine to receive this recognition – the other two being Robert Mondavi and Ernest Gallo.
In 1970, Kevin began working at The DePuy Canal House in High Falls, New York, helping the restaurant earn an unprecedented four-star review from Craig Claiborne of The New York Times.
He also started what became the most well-known wine education program in the world – the Windows on the World Wine School. The school continued uninterrupted for 25 years until the tragic destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Eventually, Kevin relaunched the school in a new setting and it ran successfully until he held his final class in November, 2016. The school graduated more than 20,000 "happy" students.
Kevin has shared his passion for the enjoyment of wine through his books, appearances on major television networks, and through features in The New York Times, People, The Wall Street Journal, GQ Magazine and many others. Kevin continues to teach and entertain through his virtual wine classes, dinners and events for corporations and individuals.
Learn more on his website kevinzraly.com.