Author Erika Szymanski

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Erika Szymanski
Science Writer
Erika Szymanski studies wine science dissemination at the Centre for Science Communication at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. She holds Masters degrees in both microbiology and English rhetoric and composition and wants, someday, to help improve the structures through which scientists communicate with each other, industry, and the world. Erika was named 2012 Louis Roederer Emerging Wine Writer of the Year for her work on Palate Press.

Are stricter alcohol laws a good thing?

Erika Szymanski
Features
6 min read
Caution: I’m not going to pull punches. Are regulations on when, where, and by whom wine, beer, and spirits can be sold a good thing? Given the Palate Press readership and my own preferences, I wish I could just say “of course not.” The truth (by which I mean in

What Jane Goodall taught me about wine science

Erika Szymanski
Features
5 min read
The international authority on chimpanzees taught me something about wine this past month. If you were fascinated with animals as a kid or even enjoyed reading non-fiction, you probably remember Jane Goodall; the story of the fearless young woman sallying out into the African forest to live with the chimps

Pinot Grigio: Can science defend snobbery?

Erika Szymanski
Features
5 min read
Do you think pinot gris is boring? Or maybe I should ask: do you think pinot grigio is boring? Same grape, different languages, but, more importantly, different styles. Beyond Alsace, pinot gris is grown widely in Oregon – where recent marketing moves have been made to elevate it to the