Peter M. F. Sichel, a renowned wine merchant and expert on German wines, passed away at the age of 102 on February 24, 2025. While he was celebrated in wine circles as an eminent connoisseur, his life story is much richer due to his clandestine past as a CIA spy in Berlin, which he chronicled in his autobiography, The Secrets of My Life (2016).

Sichel’s remarkable journey began in Mainz, Germany, where he was born into a Jewish family in 1922. He spent his youth immersed in his grandfather’s wine business, and his education extended to England. During World War II, he was captured by the Germans while working in Bordeaux. He evaded capture, fleeing to Portugal and Spain before enlisting in the U.S. Army. There, he was trained by the Office of Strategic Services to use German POWs as spies. By 1946, Sichel found himself in Berlin, where he reported on Soviet actions in East Germany and later joined the CIA, serving in Berlin, Washington, and Hong Kong until 1960.

After leaving the CIA, Sichel took over the family wine business and partnered with the Schieffelin Company to introduce Blue Nun, a German white wine that became immensely popular, selling 1.25 million cases in the U.S. and 3 million globally by the 1980s. This semi-sweet wine was a blend of Müller-Thurgau, Sylvaner, and Gewürztraminer.

His written works, including Which Wine: The Wine Drinker’s Buying Guide (1975) and The Wines of Germany (1980), alongside his memoir published at 90, established him as an influential figure in the world of wine. Sichel was a passionate ambassador for German wines and was known for his engaging storytelling and approachable demeanor.

Many wine enthusiasts first encountered Sichel’s wines before ever knowing of the man himself. In college, popular choices ran from jug wines to well-known brands like Blue Nun, recognizable by its image of nuns in blue habits, a stark contrast to the more complex labels of traditional German wines.

Throughout his life, Sichel was appreciated not only for his wine expertise but also for his charm and wit. Those who met him often described him as the epitome of a cultured European connoisseur, devoid of pretension and with a voice reminiscent of a classic character from a literary espionage tale. Given his intriguing background, it’s easy to imagine why some considered him capable of penning a compelling spy novel.

In reflecting on Sichel’s life, the saying “may you live in interesting times” rings true. He not only lived through incredible historical events but also enriched the lives of many with his stories and knowledge.