The well-known Austrian wine journalist Dr. Michael Prónay (born 1953 in
Vienna) graduated from the Lycée Français in 1971. He then studied business administration and law and worked as an assistant at the Institute for Constitutional and Administrative Law at the University of
Vienna from 1976 to 1982. He began his career as a wine professional as head sommelier in the renowned restaurant "Korso bei der Oper" of the Hotel Bristol in
Vienna from 1984 to 1985. In 1986 he became marketing assistant for noble wine sales at Mautner Markhof, from 1981 freelance at
Falstaff, Austria's oldest wine and gourmet magazine, and from 1988 to 1996 editor with a focus on wine and gastronomy criticism. From 1988 to 1995 Prónay was the main or co-organiser of almost all sommelier competitions in
Austria and represented his country on the jury of international competitions for
sommeliers. Since 1997, Prónay has been a freelance wine journalist and
wine critic, mainly for the two
wine guides or magazines
A la Carte and
Vinaria; he also gives lectures at wine seminars.