Richard Leahy is East Coast Editor and Director of Eastern Programs for Vineyard & Winery Management, a leading wine industry trade journal for North America. He coordinates the seminar program for Wineries Unlimited, the largest trade show for the wine industry in the East, and also coordinates the International Eastern Wine Competition, one of the oldest and largest in the country. Other writing credentials include being a regional editor for Kevin Zraly’s American Wine Guide, being Mid-Atlantic and Southern Editor for the Oxford Companion to the Wines of North America, (2000) and short pieces on wineries of eastern North America in Decanter.

Mr. Leahy was Executive Director for the Virginia Wine Experience in London, which brought the top Virginia wines to serve for leading British wine media and trade in May 2007, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown settlement, which resulted in critical acclaim from Steven Spurrier, Hugh Johnson and Andrew Jefford (the latter wrote on the tasting in the Financial Times of London on 9/1/07).

Mr. Leahy has spent four years in the Master of Wine program, and has been a judge in the International Eastern Wine Competition, the Grand Harvest Awards, and regional competitions throughout the country. A graduate of William and Mary, Mr. Leahy also holds a Master’s degree from the University of Virginia and lives in Charlottesville, VA. Mr. Leahy writes an online wine report and blog focusing on Virginia and wines of the East at www.richardleahy.com.