{"api":{"host":"https:\/\/pinot.decanter.com","authorization":"Bearer ZjhmNWU3YjgzMzQ5YjkzODRmYmFjZjg1OWQxYWYyNGNlMDVjYzllMDUxODVkYmFhMTlhZTJmYjVmOWVhZjkwZg","version":"2.0"},"piano":{"sandbox":"false","aid":"6qv8OniKQO","rid":"RJXC8OC","offerId":"OFPHMJWYB8UK","offerTemplateId":"OFPHMJWYB8UK","wcTemplateId":"OTOW5EUWVZ4B"}}

PREMIUM

Matthew Luczy: introductions and reflections

In his first column for Decanter, our California correspondent Matthew Luczy reflects on how he came to be bitten by the wine bug, his time as a sommelier at renowned LA restaurant Mélisse, and how three days and three concepts are his secrets to evaluating wine

My journey in the wine world began at age 18. I grew up in Mariposa, a small town in California’s Sierra Foothills, 30 minutes’ drive outside Yosemite National Park.

My first love was music, and I spent my formative years studying clarinet, tenor saxophone, drums, guitar and piano.  Soon after graduating high school, I moved to Los Angeles with La La Land visions of becoming a professional musician.

As is de rigueur among Angeleno transplants, I worked in restaurants to supplement my income while chasing ‘the dream’. Through tastings with coworkers and friends who became mentors, I slowly but surely immersed myself in the world of wine.


Scroll down for Matthew Luczy’s California and French wine tasting notes



Matthew Luczy’s thought-provoking wines


You might also like…

Matthew Luczy: My top 10 fine wines of 2020

Napa Valley Cabernet: 2018 vintage report

Cobb Wines: playing the Pinot Noir long game

Sommelier’s view: how Covid-19 has changed my world

Latest Wine News