Author: Amanda Barnes

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Meet the Friend: Nicolas Bates, Wine GB

Posted on by Amanda Barnes
Nicola Bates, CEO of Wine GB, shares the mission of the trade body and what we can look forward to in English Wine Week. Could you describe the mission and scope of Wine GB? WineGB is the trade association that cultivates success for the UK domestic wine industry. We represent the industry to the government, media, and trade and provide support and leadership with education, networking, advice...
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New Member: Trevor Sharot

Posted on by Amanda Barnes
After university, Trevor Sharot vowed never to take any more exams. Some years later, he discovered a subject that required drinking Champagne in the exam hall! That changed everything. Trevor now runs GrapeDeal, a wine consultancy based in London, majoring on writing, photography and presentation. He gained the DipWSET, is Secretary of the Central London Wine Society and President of a Fine Wine...
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New Member: Jeroen Bronkhorst

Posted on by Amanda Barnes
Jeroen Bronkhorst is founder of Wijnstudio, a WSET wine school with venues all over the Netherlands. He is a Certified Madeira Wine Educator, Certified Sherry Educator, Certified Port Educator, Cavaleiro of the Confraria do Vinho do Porto, and an Ambassador for the German VDP. In the past, Jeroen was the owner and chef of a restaurant, awarded twice for ‘Best National Wine List’. Having both a ch...
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New Member: Jeff Burrows

Posted on by Amanda Barnes
Jeff Burrows writes an award-winning wine blog, Food Wine Click! He holds the WSET Diploma and is a certified educator. He is interested in organic, biodynamic, regenerative viticulture, and in hybrid grapes. Jeff resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Dijon, France.   We welcome Jeff to the Circle and look forward to sharing his news and features on The Circular!
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Meet the Friend: Michele Bertuzzo, Studio Cru

Posted on by Becky Sue Epstein
Michele Bertuzzo is the CEO of Studio Cru, “a communication agency specialised in wine and high-end gastronomy” based in Vicenza, Italy. In a sentence or two, could you describe the mission and scope of your company? Studio Cru supports wineries in discovering what truly makes them unique and inimitable. We seek the most effective language to express this uniqueness and connect people around new...
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New Member: Benjamin Roelfs

Posted on by Amanda Barnes
Originally trained as a sommelier, Benjamin Roelfs from Netherlands has seamlessly blended his passion for wine with his talent for writing. When he's not immersed in his full-time role in the wine industry, he devotes his time to crafting thoughtful, insightful articles—primarily focused on Alsace, the region he knows best. His work has appeared in renowned publications such as The Drinks Busines...
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A first-timer’s wild ride at ProWein

Posted on by Robert Smyth
After years of hearing the buzz, Robert Smyth finally made it to what until recently has been the wine world’s biggest playground: ProWein. Armed with a notebook in one hand and a tasting glass in the other, he dove headfirst into the chaos, the chatter, and the clinking glasses of Düsseldorf. The air was thick with excitement and foreboding, what with talk of impending US tariff hikes, as other ...
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Let’s Talk About… April’s extremely topical sessions

Posted on by Liz Sagues
Liz Sagues recaps the highly topical talks this month in the Circle's Let's Talk About... series. The second of the two April Let’s Talk About... sessions could hardly have been more topical. As Benjamin North Spencer recounted the story of the new wines of Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano rumbled and grumbled in the background, in its most explosive eruption for more than two decades. The...
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Members’ insights: Navigating the trade war

Posted on by Amanda Barnes
Circle members share their perspectives on how wine writers and communicators should respond to the current trade war, and what the future might hold. These interviews are part of Meg Maker's 'Navigating the trade war – a communicator’s role From the Chair: Navigating the trade war – a communicator’s role' feature.   Sunny Hodge (UK) In the short term, Hodge anticipates wine communicator...
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