Marvin Shanken, Wine Spectator publisher, dies at 83
Marvin Shanken, the publisher behind Wine Spectator and Cigar Aficionado and founder of M. Shanken Communications, has died at 83. He passed away on October 29, 2026, after five decades shaping how Americans learn about wine, cigars and spirits through magazines, events and industry data.
Key Takeaways
- Marvin Shanken died on October 29, 2026, at the age of 83.
- He founded M. Shanken Communications and published Wine Spectator, Cigar Aficionado and Whisky Advocate.
- He bought Wine Spectator in 1979 and turned it into a leading consumer wine magazine.
- The Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation has raised more than $40 million for education.
- He is survived by his wife, Hazel, three daughters and four grandchildren.
Who was Marvin Shanken and why does his death matter?
Shanken was founder and chairman of M. Shanken Communications. His consumer magazines taught millions of readers about wine, cigars and whisky, while trade titles such as Impact, Market Watch and Shanken News Daily supplied sales data and analysis the drinks business used to plan.
Over more than five decades he helped move American wine from a niche interest into everyday dining culture. Industry executive Gerry Ruvo once grouped Ernest Gallo, Robert Mondavi and Marvin Shanken as “the holy trinity of wine in America.” Related profiles appear in our Net Worth & Wealth section.
How did Marvin Shanken build his publishing career?
Born October 4, 1943, in New Haven, Connecticut, he earned a business degree from the University of Miami in 1965 and began on Wall Street in 1968. In 1972 he bought Impact, a beverage-alcohol newsletter, with $5,000 borrowed from his sister Elaine, keeping his day job until 1975.
He purchased the struggling Wine Spectator from Bob Morrisey; the July 16, 1979, issue was his first as publisher. Staff later moved from San Diego to San Francisco, the magazine adopted the 100-point wine-scoring scale in 1985, and a 1987 redesign turned the newsprint tabloid into a glossy title aimed at consumers.
Shanken launched Cigar Aficionado in the fall of 1992, bought Malt Advocate in 2010 and renamed it Whisky Advocate, and also acquired Food Arts. Per Wine Spectator’s obituary, he created the restaurant awards program, the Wine Experience and Big Smoke events that linked producers with devoted fans.
What philanthropic legacy did Marvin Shanken leave?
In 1983 he founded the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation. Producers donate wines poured at the Wine Experience, and net proceeds have raised more than $40 million for scholarships and grants in winemaking and hospitality.
In 2009 he and his wife, Hazel, joined golfer Ernie Els and his wife, Liezl, to found the Els for Autism Foundation. Their fundraising helped build the Els Center of Excellence in South Florida, which opened in 2015. In February 2019 the Association of Magazine Media honored him with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Shanken married financial executive Hazel Rudy in 1981. He is survived by Hazel; sisters Elaine and Susan; daughters Jessica Shanken Reid, Samantha Shanken Baker and Allison Cohen; and grandchildren Jake, Lauren, Asher and Jordan.