Wine has long been an integral part of Kristaps Karklins's life. What began as a hobby became more and more consuming so that eventually most of his free time was occupied by training, blind tastings and discussions with the tasting group in his native Riga. Soon, family holidays had become poorly disguised study trips to wine regions, meeting producers and visiting vineyards. Kristaps even discovered his interest in sports by participating in the Marathon du Médoc in Bordeaux.

It was obvious that he needed to make his passion his profession, and in early 2021, Kristaps moved to Meursault, France, to begin a stint in the wine business. Living among the vineyards, and drawing on his studies in agricultural engineering, he had the opportunity to work harvests at the Côte d’Or, hone his tasting skills and understand all the work that informs the wine in the glass. Meanwhile, monthly visits to Champagne, only a few hours away, gave him unparalleled access to new developments in that most dynamic of regions. Today, he brings his skills and insight to reviewing the wines of Champagne and Chablis for The Wine Advocate.