RANDY CAPAROSO
Randy Caparoso is a Denver based restaurant wine consultant and wine journalist who has devoted himself to a career managing, judging, speaking, producing and writing about wine since 1978.
As a restaurant professional, Caparoso is best known as a Founding Partner of the Roy’s restaurant group, opening twenty-five of these James Beard Award winning, NRN Fine Dining Hall of Fame restaurants from Hawai’i to New York between 1988 and 2001. As Roy’s former Vice President and Corporate Wine Director, he was Santé magazine’s first “Wine & Spirits Professional of the Year” (1998), and was twice named Restaurant Wine’s “Wine Marketer of the Year (1993 & 1999). In 1992 David Rosengarten and Josh Wesson proclaimed Caparoso their Wine & Food Companion "Best Sommelier in the Hawaiian Islands."
After
leaving Roy’s (for whom he remains a Partner),
Caparoso produced three vintages of his own wines as sole proprietor
of Caparoso Wines LLC, an alternative label specializing in internationally
sourced wines crafted specifically for contemporary cuisines and restaurant
glass programs; and served in the hottest restaurants in twelve states,
from Hawai’i to New York.
In recent years Caparoso has consulted for restaurants and wine bars
in Colorado, Florida and Tennessee; while also serving as Chef Sommelier
of the Five Star/Five Diamond Sea Island resort in Georgia. In 2008, 2006 and 2004 Caparoso served as the wine list judge for Santé's annual national Grand Awards. He has also repeatedly served as a professional wine judge (L.A. County Fair, New World Wine Competition, Sonoma Harvest Fair, Oregon State Fair, and Denver International Wine Competition, among others), as well as a speaker/panel leader (Santé Restaurant Symposium, Society of Wine Educators, Hospice du Rhône, Aspen Wine & Food Festival, Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, Sommelier Summit, Lodi ZinFest, and others).
Since 1981 Caparoso has bylined biweekly newspaper wine columns (The Honolulu Advertiser), and continues to contribute as an editor for numerous publications: notably, as the Denver Wine Examiner for the examiner.com online newspaper, Bottom Line Editor of Sommelier Journal, and the Wine Editor for Edible Front Range.
In 1997 Caparoso was commended by the Academy of Wine Communications for Excellence in Wine Writing and Encouragement of Higher Industry Standards. Many more of his thoughts on food and wine can be gleaned on his home page, Culinary Wine & Food Adventures, as well as on >Robin Garr’s Wine Lover’s Page.
Last but certainly not least, Caparoso earned an Advanced Certificate in the Court of Master Sommeliers (1988), has qualified as a finalist in the Institute of Masters of Wine (1992), and is now an Electoral College Member of the annual Vintners Hall of Fame at The Culinary Institute of America, Greystone.