James Suckling, 41, joined Wine Spectator in 1981, when it was based in San Diego. He moved with the magazine to San Francisco in 1982, and in 1985 was reassigned to Europe. He lived in Paris for two years and then moved to London, where he resided for 11 years. He now lives in Tuscany, Italy.

Suckling began blind-tasting young Bordeaux in 1983 with the late author and wine producer Alexis Lichine, and has continued to rate every vintage of Bordeaux in barrel and in bottle ever since. He spends at least a month a year in Bordeaux tasting wines and visting châteaus. In addition, he tastes all of the wines of Italy for the magazine, reviewing more than 2,000 samples a year. Suckling wrote a comprehensive book on collectible Port, Vintage Port, which has become the bible of vintage Port aficionados. He continues to write about and rate the fortified wines of Portugal.

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