Amanda Barnes, Author at Circle of Wine Writers

Beaucastel reimagined

Posted on August 31, 2025 by Ruma Singh

Ruma Singh reports on the renewal of the Perrin family’s prized possession, which has literally been created from the terroir of the Rhône, with 90% of the materials coming from on-site and the mighty Mistral wind being channeled to cool the cellar. “The future of Château de Beaucastel is inscribed in its past,” said Charles Perrin at the May 2025 inauguration of the most ambitious winery projec...

Hampshire wine through the eyes of its adopted winemakers

Posted on August 31, 2025 by Amanda Barnes

During June’s English Wine Week, Amanda Barnes MW visits three international winemakers who have made Hampshire their vinous home — joining the English wine revolution at different stages of their careers and entering at different points during the industry’s growth. As the British wine industry continues to grow in reputation and momentum, she interviews the winemakers on the potential and challe...

Location, location, location

Posted on August 29, 2025August 29, 2025 by Caroline Gilby MW

Caroline Gilby MW visits five fine Slovenian producers, who are members of the Slovenska Velika Lega organisation, which seeks to convey the story of Slovenia’s most special vineyard wines via plant, place and people. Velika Lega translates as ‘great location’ if you pop it into a translation app. It forms the name of a relatively new organisation, Slovenska Velika Lega (SVL) – a group of wine p...

Members sweep up book awards

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Amanda Barnes

Congratulations to Circle Members Britt and Per Karlsson, Adam Montefiore, and Marc Millon, who have swept up multiple awards for recent wine books. Britt and Per Karlsson Co-authors and husband-and-wife Britt and Per Karlsson took home Best in the World for Sustainability in Wine for their book Framtidens Vin at the Gourmand Awards. Adam Montefiore Also at the Gou...

New Member: Małgorzata Partyka

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Amanda Barnes

Małgorzata Partyka holds a PhD in human molecular biology and began writing about wine in 2015. Her articles were published in the Jancis Robinson Wine Writing Competitions in 2017 and 2020. Today, she writes about wine, food, and travels to various wine regions for both Polish and international online and print magazines. Based in Warsaw, she also occasionally organises wine tastings.

Michael Edwards: A tribute

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Amanda Barnes

Michael Edwards was a much-loved and highly respected wine writer and critic, renowned for his expertise in Champagne. He studied Etruscan antiquities at university in Italy, graduated in law from Gray's Inn in London, and spent many years as a restaurant critic before specialising in wine. In addition to his native England, Michael lived for several years in France and is best known for his two ...

Doing the wine math: Review of Grape Explications by Neal D. Hulkower

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Sunny Hodge

Sunny Hodge reviews a kind of ‘best of’ Neal D. Hulkower, whose works span a vast range of vinous topics, incorporating his expert application of the world of mathematics to that of the vine. For those of you not yet familiar with Hulkower’s writing, he has been a prudent book reviewer, essayist, wine journalist and efficacious tasting-note-taker since his fixation with wine first took grip in 19...

The vinous Velvet Revolution

Posted on July 27, 2025 by Jochen Erler

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A bodega to remember

Posted on July 27, 2025 by Colin Harkness

Colin Harkness encounters classy, memorable kosher wines from the mountains of DO Utiel-Requena. I expect it’s largely the same with most ‘Old World’ wines, but when it comes to Spain, there’s almost always a story behind each wine and every producer. Like some grape varieties, sadly, several of these tales might have been lost in the mists of time, but some, against all odds, are enduring. And t...

New Member: Natalia Suta

Posted on July 5, 2025 by Amanda Barnes

Natalia Suta is a WSET-certified wine educator and writer, specialising in English wine. She contributes to a range of consumer publications, championing England’s vineyards through engaging, accessible, and down-to-earth storytelling. Currently, she is co-authoring a food and wine book pairing English wines with bespoke recipes, featuring over 30 estates. When not writing, she hosts bespoke wine ...