Ray Isle

RayIsle headshot 2 copy

Title: Executive Wine Editor, Food & Wine

Location: New York City

Education:
-BA, Rice University
-MA, Boston University
-Stegner Fellow in Writing, Stanford University

Expertise: wine, spirits, cocktails, travel.

Ray Isle is one of the wine world's foremost writers and speakers. He has been writing about wine, spirits, and cocktails for 20 years, regularly appears on national television and in other media, and speaks at wine and food events around the globe.

Experience: Ray Isle is the executive wine editor at Food & Wine, and the wine and spirits editor for Travel + Leisure. He writes Food & Wine's monthly "Bottle Service" column, and contributes regular print and online features about wine, spirits, and wine-related travel to both brands. His articles have also appeared in Departures, The Washington Post, Time, and more. Ray has been nominated three times for the James Beard Award in beverage writing and is a two-time winner of the IACP Award for Narrative Beverage Writing. His book The World in a Wineglass: The Insiders’ Guide to Artisanal, Sustainable, Extraordinary Wines to Drink Now will be published by Scribner Books in November 2023.

About Food & Wine

Food & Wine, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is an award-winning online resource for anyone passionate about the culinary world. With rigorously tested recipes and the most trusted restaurant, drinks, culinary travel and home coverage, we inspire and empower people everywhere to discover, create, and devour the best in food and wine. Learn more about us and our editorial process.

Latest from Ray Isle

Various bottles of wine and glasses on a wooden table.
To Find California's Best Wine Values, Look to These 5 Lesser-Known Regions
Wines from important California grapes
If You Think You Know California Wine, You Better Know These 7 Grapes
California Value Wines
Looking for Great Wine on a Budget? Try These California Bottles for $20 or Less
Wine made from alternative California varieties.
Tired of California Cab or Chard? Here’s Why You Should Drink Wine Made From These Lesser-Known Grapes
Bien Nacido
For Outstanding California Wine, Look for Bottles Made With Grapes Grown on These 16 Vineyards
Ridge Grenache Blanc, Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel, Ridge Lytton Estate Petite Sirah, Ridge Lytton Springs, Ridge Geyserville, Ridge Monte Bello bottles on a green background.
This Iconic California Winery Changed the Industry Forever — Here are 6 Bottles to Try
Sustainable wines from California
For the Best in American Wine, Look to California’s Sustainable Producers
Bottles that tell the history of California wines
Want to Understand California Wine? These 11 Bottles Will Teach You Everything
Ray Isle and the interior of a school bus.
3 Wines to Make Back to School Season a Little Less Chaotic
Old Vine California Wines
Look for These Two Words on a California Wine Label for Superb Bottles
illustration of a case of wine
Buying Wine by the Case Will Save You Money at Checkout — Here's How to Build the Perfect Case of Wine
Ray Isle raising a glass of red wine in a photo composite with burgers and hot dogs on a grill.
3 Value Wines That Are Perfect for Late-Summer Cookouts
Ray Isle with a glass of wine in a photo composite over a tray of oysters and ice.
I Tried Over 200 Wines This Month and These 3 Are a Must for Summer Seafood
Sauvignon Blanc bottles
The Best 33 Sauvignon Blancs from Sancerre to New Zealand
WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye, Westward American Single Malt, Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon, Highland Park 12-Year-Old Viking Honour, Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky
The 5 Best Sipping Whiskeys You Can Actually Afford
Organic, biodynamic, and regeneratively farmed wines
19 of the Best Sustainably Farmed Wines to Drink Now
Ray Isle in a green photo composite.
Here's What Our Executive Wine Editor Is Drinking This June
Rose Champagne and glasses
These 7 Bottles Are the Must-Drink Rosé Champagnes of Summer
bottles and glasses of rosé wines from Provence
The Best Rosés for Summer, From Bargain Pours to Splurge-Worthy Bottles
Fortaleza Blanco Tequila, Siete-Leguas-Reposado, Olmeca Altos Anejo Tequila, El Tesoro Reposado Tequila, and Tequila Ocho Plata.
The 5 Best Sipping Tequilas You Can Actually Afford
looking out window at vineyards in Bolgheri, Italy
Where to Dine and Taste Local Wine in the Tuscan Region of Bolgheri
Sugarcane and a shot class with liquor
Where to Drink Cachaça and Caipirinhas in Brazil
3 bottles of Riesling wines
13 Austrian Wines That Are Perfect for Springtime
Bottles of wine on table and wine pouring into a glass
16 World-Class Red Wines From Argentina and Chile