Clive Coates, M.W., was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite by the French government, the Ruffino/Cyril Ray Memorial Prize for his work on Italian wine, and the title of Wine Writer of the Year for 1998/1999 in the Champagne Lanson awards. He has published The Vine, his independent fine wine magazine, since 1985. His books include Claret (1982), Wines of France (1990), Grands Vins: The Finest Chateaux of Bordeaux and their Wines (California, 1995), and Côte D'Or: A Celebration of the Great Wines of Burgundy (California, 1997), which won the Champagne Veuve Clicquot Prize, the André Simon Award, and the James Beard Award.
