Introducing Laurie Jervis as our NEW Moderator!

[Phil_Carpenter]

It is with great honor to announce Santa Barbara Wine Talk has a new Moderator. We are so pleased Laurie Jervis has decided to be associated with the site. I asked Laurie to give me a bio and she sent the following:

Native Californian Laurie Jervis spent more than two decades working in print media as a newspaper reporter and copy editor, gradually making her way south from her first job in Mendocino County to Santa Barbara County, where she wrote her first "Wine Country" column for the Santa Maria Times and Lompoc Record (Lee Newspapers) in October 2005 while working full-time as night production news editor. Jervis still produces that twice-montly column, as well as her own blog, centralcoastwinepress.com. She earned an associate of arts degree in Viticulture & Enology from Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria in May 2011. Jervis can be reached at winecountrywriter@gmail.com.

Now I'm going to give you the REAL scoop about Laurie. Laurie knows everyone and everything about Santa Barbara wines, vineyards, and people. When I first started hanging out and developing my passion for the area, I always saw Laurie. I always asked myself, "Who is that? Everyone knows her and all the winemakers hangout with her!" Finally, Mark Cargasacchi broke the ice for me while visiting his Jalama tasting room in the ghetto. I remember thinking, "I hope to be as cool as her one day".

For a while now, I've had the great privilege to hangout with her during tastings, events, and dinners. Laurie is always there to help with answers regarding the history of the valley, where people used to work, how vineyards developed...everything! It's been great to develop such a great friendship with her.

Laurie has an extensive background. From horse whisperer, to vineyard manager, to tasting room manager. She really has done it all! That is why I feel so blessed to have her on the site. Please join me in welcoming Laurie to the SBWT board!!

[Laurie Jervis]

Thank you for the gracious introduction, Philip! You are too kind .. I'm very excited to take on another adventure in the world of writing and talking about wine. There's so much new wine to sample, and old favorites to savor. I look forward to hearing from everyone! Laurie

[LiquidFarm]

Stoked to have Laurie a part of this great forum and I also look fwd to sharing some wine and convo with you Laurie when you return from your trip in August! Cheers to having that unstoppable wine nerdtastic passion! It's what makes life so delicious, right?
~ Nikki, Liquid Farm
aka; Le Liquidette